In Brief
TAKE ACTION: Continue the Pressure on Congress to Provide Stable Funding to NIH and NSF
Now that Congress has passed a temporary stop-gap measure by passing a 90-day continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded through December 20. We need your help in continuing the pressure on the House and Senate to pass as robust a funding package as possible for fiscal year (FY) 2025. Congress is now out of session until after the November elections. Let them know that if the United States is to remain on the leading edge of basic and biomedical research the FY25 budget must be in line with the Senate proposals for both agencies. Take Action Now!
Congress Enacts 90 Day CR to Maintain Federal Operations
With a mere five days left in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget, the House presented a continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government operations through December 20. The bill passed through the House with nearly unanimous support, with the Senate acting simultaneously after agreeing to a short debate period to ensure a rapid progression to a vote. With both chambers agreeing to the short-term agreement on funding, the bill will be expedited to the White House for signature.
In a press conference ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) pledged that there would be no Christmastime omnibus spending bill. Where we go from there will depend a great deal on the results of November 5th.
NIGMS Request for Information
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) is seeking input from the extramural community on additional technologies that would be of value to biomedical research if supported by the NIGMS National and Regional Resources (NRR) and the Biomedical Technology Optimization and Dissemination (BTOD) Center programs.
This request for information (RFI) invites your comments on topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Past and current use of funded NRRs
- Interactions with and knowledge of currently funded BTOD Centers
- Mature technologies and resources that the biomedical research community would find useful if made accessible through the NRR program
- Late-stage technologies that would be useful to the biomedical research community once optimized and disseminated through the BTOD Centers program
The deadline to provide feedback on this RFI is Monday, September 30. Comments can be submitted via the NIGMS webpage.
Applications Are Open for the Biophysical Society 2025–2026 Congressional Fellowship
Are you interested in using your science skills to inform science policy? Does spending a year working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, helping develop policy sound exciting? The Biophysical Society’s Congressional Fellowship program is your opportunity to participate directly in the process of law-making that impacts how research is funded and regulated. This year-long opportunity provides fellows a chance to utilize their science knowledge to inform the public policy process. Fellows will gain firsthand knowledge and experience on how Congress works and participate in the esteemed AAAS Science and Technology Fellows program that provides ongoing training and networking opportunities during the fellowship year and beyond. Visit the BPS Congressional Fellowship website for more details about the program or contact Leann Fox at [email protected] or (240) 290-5606. The application deadline is December 13, 2024.