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News and updates

National Science Board Call for Nominations

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The National Science Board has announced a call for nominations for the following two awards:

2011 VANNEVAR BUSH AWARD
Honoring Exceptional Service to the Nation in Science and Technology

The Vannevar Bush Award is awarded annually to truly exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology who have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the Nation through public service activities in science, technology, and public policy. Recent recipients include: Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine; Mildred Dresselhaus, Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Norman Augustine, former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Lockheed Martin Corporation.

2011 Nomination Flyer                                        Click here to submit a nomination

 

2011 NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD Honoring Service in Public Understanding of Science and Engineering

The National Science Board (NSB) Public Service Award honors individuals who and groups that have made substantial contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering in the United States.  These contributions may be in a wide variety of areas that have the potential of contributing to public understanding of and appreciation for science and engineering – including mass media, education and/or training programs, entertainment, etc.  Recipients of the NSB Public Service Award include NUMB3RS, the CBS television drama series; Ira Flatow, Host and Executive Producer of NPR’s “Science Friday”; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Bill Nye The Science Guy; and NOVA, the PBS television series.

2011 Nomination Flyer                                        Click here to submit a nomination

Senate may take action on the DREAM Act

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After reporting on this site yesterday that the DREAM Act was all but dead for this year, the Senate Majority Leader announced that they will try to pass this measure that would grant citizenship to young adults in the country illegally.  Senate leadership hopes to attach the DREAM Act to the FY11 defense authorization bill, which is expected to be brought to the Senate floor next week.  The DREAM Act is largely a bipartisan, politically popular bill that would allow young illegal immigrants who graduate from US high schools and who were brought to the country as minors to attain citizenship if they go to college or serve in the military for at least two years.  Advocates see the DREAM Act as a key step in achieving reform that would enable an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to gain citizenship.  Both Senators Murray and Cantwell (D-WA) have been sponsors of the DREAM Act and will likely support this effort.

Congress Comes Back to Work

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Congress returns to work this week for a final few weeks of work before the November elections.  While there is plenty of legislating to do, I don’t expect that we’ll see much action with most major issues being delayed until the post-election lame-duck session.  The only thing that Congress MUST act on before October 1st is to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to fund government for the next couple of months.  Appropriators are now working on the CR, which could run until the middle of next month or after Thanksgiving.  A second CR may also be needed to buy time as lawmakers work to clear the spending package before the end of the year.

Appropriations

No separate floor action on additional FY11 appropriations bills is currently expected in either the House or Senate, but the Senate may try to complete committee action on their three remaining bills:  Defense, Interior, and Legislative Branch.  All 12 of the House spending bills have been approved by subcommittee, with MilCon-VA and Transportation-HUD also receiving full committee approval.  

Small-Business Aid

The first priority for the Senate appears to be to pass the small-business lending bill.  The bill (HR 5297) would establish a $30 billion lending fund for small businesses, provide $12 billion in tax breaks, and enhance federal programs that support small businesses.  After the Senate passes the bill, the measure will go back to the House for consideration.  The version passed earlier by that chamber includes a smaller tax package, and thus fewer revenue-raising offsets.

Tax Cuts

Extension of the Bush tax cuts is the only other major budget-related legislation that may be considered in the next few weeks.  Senate leadership has indicated their desire to move on extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for the middle class before the Senate adjourns for October but it may be difficult to get enough votes for that proposal.  This mirrors the President’s proposal to allow the tax cuts for individuals making more than $200,000 and families making more than $250,000 a year to expire.  Others believe that all rates to be extended thus preventing any tax increases during these tough economic times.

Climate Change & Energy

The Senate has dropped plans to consider energy or climate legislation before November.  Senate leadership has indicated that they would like to take up in the lame-duck session either all or a portion of an oil spill and energy bill.

Immigration

There is almost no chance Congress will act on any legislation to assist the illegal immigrant population this year, but congressional aides expect lawmakers to at least talk about the issue over the next several weeks.  There is some pressure on the Senate to take action on a bill that allows children of illegal immigrants who go to college to earn citizenship (the DREAM Act) but it is still unlikely that this measure will move before November – at the earliest.  

Stem Cells

Thanks to a federal court’s decision last week to temporarily lift a judge’s ban on embryonic stem cell funding, a House vote on the volatile issue of government funding for stem cell research might be put off until after the midterm election.

Stem Cell Injunction Stayed by US Court of Appeals

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** Updated 9/13** In response to the previously reported stay of the stem cell research injunction, the NIH has announced that it is resuming normal grant activities until directed otherwise:

NIH STATEMENT REGARDING STAY OF STEM CELL INJUNCTION

We are pleased with the Court’s interim ruling, which will allow promising stem cell research to continue while we present further arguments to the Court in the weeks to come. With the temporary stay in place, NIH has resumed intramural research and will continue its consideration of grants that were frozen by the preliminary injunction on August 23. The suspension of all grants, contracts, and applications that involve the use of human embryonic stem cells has been temporarily lifted. Human embryonic stem cell research holds the potential for generating profound new insights into disease, cell-based therapeutics, and novel methods of screening for new drugs.

 Original 9/9 Post

Last night, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed an emergency motion to stay the preliminary injunction barring federal funding of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Today, the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit stayed the preliminary injunction pending briefing on the DOJ emergency motion. The plaintiffs have been given until September 14 to respond to the DOJ motion, and DOJ has until September 20 to respond back.

During the stay period, NIH can resume both its intramural hESC research and its normal extramural application and grant processes.
 
The text of the court order follows:

09/09/2010    CLERK’S ORDER filed [1264809] ORDERED that the district court’s August 23, 2010 order be stayed pending further order of the court. FURTHER ORDERED that appellees file a response to the emergency motion by September 14, 2010, at 4:00 p.m. The appellants may file a reply by 4:00 p.m. on September 20, 2010. [10-5287]

DoE Releases RFI on Energy Education and Workforce Development

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The Department of Energy’s Technology Offices recently released an “Energy Education and Workforce Development” Request for Information (RFI). Through the RFI, the DoE technology offices seek to gauge the status, prevalence, quality, and gaps in energy relevant education and workforce development activities.
 
Responses are being sought from energy associations, academic associations, academia, the private sector, non-profits, and others. The collected information is intended to help DOE’s Technology Offices define the scope and priorities of its education and workforce development efforts.
 
You can find more information on the RFI and larger education and workforce development efforts on the Energy.gov “Strengthening America’s Energy Future through Education and Workforce Development” Blog post.

The RFI will be open until September 3, 2010. All questions should be directed to WorkforceRFI@hq.doe.gov. Members of the UW community responding to the RFI are asked to also share their input with the Office of Federal Relations.