In the Nick of Time
Just as FY25 is set to begin on Oct. 1, the House and Senate have passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government at FY24 funding levels through Dec. 20. The president is expected to sign the bill soon. This move, which we strongly advocated for, means that we will avoid a government shutdown for now. However, it’s imperative that the Congress return after the election to fund the government for the remaining months of FY25 and to extend key R&D and health programs. Read our statement on the need to pass a continuing resolution here.
Election Season: As the Nov. 5 election approaches, we have created two resources to use as you prepare to cast your vote: our candidate engagement toolkit and our new candidate engagement resource!
And, on the heels of the election, we are hosting a briefing on Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. There will be a panel discussion beginning at 10:30 a.m. followed by a networking reception from 12:15-1 p.m. The panel will discuss the potential impacts of the election on medical and scientific research, among other topics. Stay tuned for more details, including registration.
A Look Back at Last Week’s Forum: If you missed last week’s in-person National Health Research Forum segment, you are in luck. Take some time to view these discussions, which included the intersection of AI and drug development, a national survey on nutrition and health, the promise of novel therapies and the future of innovation, and an inspiring keynote by NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli, MD.
The State of U.S. Biomedical and Medical Research Enterprise: Mark your calendar for Oct. 1 for the release of a new National Academy of Medicine report on the State of the U.S. Biomedical & Health Research Enterprise. Mary Woolley served on the committee, along with Research!America board members E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA (who chaired the report); Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD; Sudip Parikh, PhD; Keith Yamamoto, PhD; and Elias Zerhouni, MD. The report sheds light on how our research enterprise can continue to lead globally and meet the health needs of our population. Register here for the official release event.
Calling All Research Advocates! Join us on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. ET for an important alliance discussion with Jason Owen-Smith, co-founder and executive director of the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science (IRIS), at the University of Michigan. We’ve asked him to discuss this unique consortium, including insights from its efforts to capture, communicate, and enhance the public value of academic research and higher education. Bring your questions and insights to this timely conversation that will be very relevant to research advocacy. Register here.
Did you miss our alliance discussion on eating disorders this week? We had a candid conversation about this challenging topic. Watch the recording on our YouTube channel. Whether you are personally affected, have a professional interest, or just want to learn more about the topic, you will likely find this 45-minute, highly interactive discussion well worth your time.
Free Media Training: As we enter the last days of the election season, SciLine, based at the AAAS, is offering a free media training session on Oct. 8 for scientists wanting to engage the media. Researchers and scientists need to educate the public about the work they do and speaking to the press is one way to do that. For more information or to register, go here.
NOTE: Sheila Murphy, Research!America’s Senior Vice President of Advocacy Programs and Initiatives, is our guest author this week.