Make Sure to Be Heard
Earlier this week, representatives from more than 180 Research!America alliance member organizations attended an off-the-record, alliance members-only discussion with key Majority staffers from the House Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C Committee) and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee. Terrific questions from our alliance members helped us gain insights into the NIH Reform Framework discussion draft that E&C Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), with the support of Labor-HHS Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL), released last month. (As noted in last week’s letter, the restructuring proposals in the framework were incorporated into the House Labor-HHS appropriations bill.)
This meeting, part of our ongoing alliance member discussion series, is emblematic of the value we work to deliver to our members day in and day out. On that note…
Upcoming Alliance Member-Only Meetings:
- “Cures 3.0” Meeting: On June 6, House E&C Committee Members Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Health and Diana DeGette (D-CO), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, & Grid Security, released a request for input on a new iteration of the landmark, bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act. With the Aug. 2 due date approaching, join us on Wednesday, July 24, for a members-only meeting with Emily Mace, Deputy Chief of Staff & Counsel for Rep. Bucshon and David Steury, Health Policy Director for Rep. DeGette to discuss “Cures 3.0” and identify what should be included in new legislation to continue to build upon the progress already achieved.
- NIH Reform Meeting #3: On Thursday, Aug. 1 at noon ET, Research!America will be hosting a third alliance members-only meeting on the previously mentioned NIH reform framework proposal issued by Rep. McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). We have heard from alliance members that it would be valuable to discuss the Chair’s request for input before the Aug. 16th deadline for feedback.
Join us! If your organization is a Research!America alliance member, email Jacqueline Lagoy to receive the Zoom registration link for one or both of these meetings. If your organization is not an alliance member, use (or share ) this link for more information about membership, or drop us a line here to arrange a quick call.
On the Hill: Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) began its first markups of the Fiscal Year 2025 cycle and is expected to mark up the Labor-HHS and Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) funding bills at the end of the month. The SAC also considered 302(b) subcommittee allocations, but it is important to note that the current allocations do not include millions of dollars in emergency funding that Senate appropriators intend to add above the budget caps.
The House Appropriations Committee completed its markups on both the Labor-HHS and CJS funding bills. The bills were passed out of committee and will be brought to the House floor in late July. As a reminder, the House Labor-HHS bill includes flat funding and structural changes to the NIH, significant cuts to the CDC and ARPA-H, and eliminates funding for AHRQ. The CJS funding bill for FY25 includes a 2% increase for the National Science Foundation, appreciated but far less than our nation needs to invest if we are to sustain our strategically and economically crucial global leadership role in science & technology. Using this editable email, take a moment to ask your senators to champion increased funding for NIH, NSF, and our nation’s other research agencies.
Summer Heat and Tropical Diseases: ICYMI, we had an informative discussion yesterday with three experts from the CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases who spoke about the emerging threat of dengue fever and other tropical diseases. The talk was especially timely as our nation is in the grips of a major heat wave. One speaker, Dr. Lyle Petersen, Director of the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, said rising temperatures could exacerbate the persistent problem of West Nile virus, which first arrived on our shores in 1999.
Clinical Trials Hill Briefing: We hope you will join and encourage your contacts on Capitol Hill to attend an in-person briefing focused on the who, what, why, and how of clinical trials. “Understanding the Power and Possibility of Clinical Trials” will take place Tuesday, July 30, from noon to 1:30 p.m. ET in 2075 Rayburn House Office Building. Lunch will be available. Space is limited, so register soon.
Encouraging Clinical Trial Participation: One barrier to clinical trial participation is that participants must pay taxes on clinical trial payments. Earlier today Quinn Ritchie, legislative director for Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) led an alliance discussion on a bipartisan congressional effort to remove that barrier. Watch it here.
Partnering with ARPA-H: What is involved in partnering with ARPA-H? Diane Sidebottom, the Director of the Business Innovation Division at ARPA-H, and Benjamin Bryant, the Division’s Deputy Director, have agreed to join us on July 15, from noon to 1 p.m. ET, for an alliance members-only discussion to provide a run-down on contracting with the agency and any questions you may have about partnering. If you’re interested in being part of this Zoom meeting and are a Research!America alliance member, please email Jacqueline Lagoy for the registration link.
The Chevron Ruling and Science: The recent Supreme Court “Chevron” ruling reverses 40 years of legal precedent as it curtails the ability of federal agencies to interpret federal law, changing how scientific information is used in federal policymaking. A slowdown for science and innovation — just when maintaining global competitiveness calls for speeding up — is only one of the consequences likely to ensue. Research!America Board chair and AAAS CEO Sudip Parikh co-authored a statement on the urgent need to scale up scientific expertise in the courts in the wake of the ruling.