Yesterday, President Obama released his FY14 budget request — nearly two months later than required by law. Much of the delay was blamed on the sequester and the prolonged FY13 appropriations process that resulted in a year-long continuing resolution (CR). In a typical year, the President’s Budget Request (PBR) kicks off the annual appropriations season, but with the delays, Congress has moved forward with their own budget proposals. This leaves us with three very different budget proposals with which to base the annual appropriations process. In other words, the process is once again sure to be a mess come later this fall. Our April Federal Update reviews the PBR and highlights those agencies and programs that we care about the most. You can also access the PBR and all the supporting documents at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget.
Category: Health/Medical
Sequestration Threatens Research Careers
John Slattery, Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Education at the University of Washington, speaks about how federal funding cuts (sequestration) will constrain potential advances in patient care and dampen students’ pursuit of research careers. Watch the video here.
NIH Prepares for Sequestration Implementation
As mentioned in our blog post yesterday, NIH Director Francis Collins announced that NIH IC directors will develop their own plans for how to apply sequestration cuts to their institutes and centers. This was followed by NIH’s official notice posted yesterday that due to sequestration, NIH likely will reduce funding levels of non-competing continuation grants, make fewer competing awards, and for continuation awards that have already been made, may not be able to reach the full FY 2013 commitment level described in Notice of Award. Confirming Collins’ announcement, it also states that if sequestration occurs, NIH ICs will announce their individual plans to meet new budget levels. Read the full NIH notice here.
The anticipated cuts are already being seen: PIs are receiving awards sharply reduced from committed levels, forcing universities to make up the difference or find cuts, including letting go lab staff. The sequester is scheduled to take effect just a week from today.
McDermott Legislation Aims to Protect NIH from Sequestration
Yesterday, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced a bill to protect National Institutes of Health (NIH) from impending automatic federal budget cuts. The automatic budget cuts, or “sequester,” will cancel $85 billion in federal spending between March 1 and September 30, including roughly $2 billion from the NIH budget. McDermott’s bill would ensure that NIH’s budget is protected for the balance of this fiscal year.
McDermott’s press release goes on to say that Seattle’s economy relies on federal funding for biomedical research, and that Washington State’s third largest employer, the University of Washington, receives more federal funding than any other public university in the nation.
We applaud Mr. McDermott for his efforts to protect NIH from devastating cuts.
Today in Congress
The Senate is in at 10:00am and will vote on a number of amendments to and final passage of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (S 47). It is expected to pass. The Senate will recess from 12:30pm to 2:15pm for weekly party caucus lunches.
The House returns at noon and will consider three bills under suspension of the rules: the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act (HR 267), the Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act (HR 316), and the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act (HR 235). The House will recess no later than 5:30pm to allow a security sweep of the chamber prior to President Obama’s State of the Union address.
At 8:20pm, the Senate will proceed to the House of Representatives for President Obama’s State of the Union address, set for 9:00pm. The House will meet again at about 8:35pm for the purpose of receiving, in a joint session with the Senate, the President of the United States.