The NSF Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Geosciences (GEO), Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) and the Office of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI) are accepting proposals to conduct research on the potential threat to the North American west coast from debris fields associated with the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Proposals must conform to the guidelines for preparation of Rapid Response Research (RAPID) proposals as specified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
Author: Christy Gullion
Congress in Recess Until September 10
After a lackluster week, the House and Senate left for their August recess last night and won’t be back until September 10th. Unless the House agrees to formally adjournment today, and I don’t think they will, the Senate will be forced to hold a series of pro forma sessions on each Tuesday and Friday through Labor Day. Pro forma sessions are where the chamber gavels in and gavels out while conducting no official business. This is just more of the silliness that exists in DC these days with both chambers and both parties continuing to one-up each other in an effort to demonstrate their political leadership. It is safe to say that there will be no official legislative business in DC until after September 10th.
The Office of Federal Relations team will continue to post news of interest during the August recess, but will be spending much of our time on the three UW campuses meeting with folks and organizing tours/meetings/briefings for congressional staff and federal officials. Drop us a note if you’d like to meet with us on campus during August.
OMB Issues Sequester Memo
In a memo to federal agencies dated July 31, 2012, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) indicated that military personnel would be spared in automatic budget cuts due early next year and that agencies should continue normal spending and operations even with the potential reductions just five months away. OMB Acting Director Jeff Zients said in the memorandum that OMB officials will meet with departments to discuss how the cuts under sequester work and what programs could be exempt. Up to now, administration officials have indicated that they believe Congress will find a way to avoid the sequester, and the White House still believes a budget agreement to replace the sequester is possible. In the meantime, Zients suggested agencies not adjust their rate of spending at the October 1st start of the fiscal year but “continue normal spending and operations since more than five months remain for Congress to act.”
Read the OMB memo.
New NIH Office of Emergency Care Research
To help improve health outcomes of patients who require emergency care, the National Institutes of Health has created a new Office of Emergency Care Research (OECR). The office is a focal point for basic, clinical and translational emergency care research and training across NIH. Although OECR will not fund grants, it will foster innovation and improvement in emergency care and in the training of future researchers in this field by:
- Coordinating funding opportunities that involve multiple NIH institutes and centers.
- Working closely with the NIH Emergency Care Research Working Group, which includes representatives from most NIH institutes and centers.
- Organizing scientific meetings to identify new research and training opportunities in the emergency setting.
- Catalyzing the development of new funding opportunities.
- Informing investigators about funding opportunities in their areas of interest.
- Fostering career development for trainees in emergency care research.
- Representing NIH in government-wide efforts to improve the nation’s emergency care system.
The creation of OECR is the culmination of more than five years of discussions between NIH and the emergency medicine community. OECR also responds to reports about the nation’s emergency medical system issued in 2006 by the Institute of Medicine.
Read more here.
CR Through March 2013
Well, it’s official! Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner have reached a deal to keep the federal government funded for six months, meaning there will be no threat of a government shutdown when the federal fiscal year ends September 30th. The funding deal would keep government spending at current levels through March 2013. Both chambers of Congress will likely vote on the resolution when they return from the August recess the second week in September.