Volume 36 (2017)
Interagency Forum Releases 2017 America’s Children Report
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, a working group of 23 Federal agencies, recently released its annual compendium of indicators, America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being, 2017.  The 2017 report is the 20th annual release in the series, which compiles federal data and statistics related to a wide range of factors important to children’s lives, including “family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.” The 2017 report includes a special feature on peer victimization among U.S. third-graders. The complete report is available at childstats.gov. Back to this issue’s table…
COSSA Welcomes the African Studies Association
COSSA is pleased to welcome the African Studies Association as its newest affiliate member. The African Studies Association is “the flagship membership organization devoted to enhancing the exchange of information about Africa.” COSSA’s full membership list is available here. Information on how to join can be found on the COSSA website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
CASBS Accepting Applications for 2018 Fellowship
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University, a COSSA member, is now accepting applications for its residential fellowships for the 2018-2019 academic year. The CASBS fellowship provides an excellent opportunity to pursue innovative ideas and expand horizons while engaging in a diverse, interdisciplinary community. A CASBS fellowship is considered a career milestone by most recipients, and almost all report that the year had a transformative effect on their work. Online applications will be accepted at the Center’s website through November 3, 2017 for the 2018–2019 fellowship year. For more information, guidelines, and application requirements, see…
Events Calendar
American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, August 12-15, 2017, Montreal, Canada Data, Delusion & the American Classroom – The Lunch @ DC, August 15, 2017, Washington, DC Research Transparency: Finding Effective Solutions – The Lunch @ DC with Brian Nosek, August 24, 2017, Washington, DC American Political Science Association Annual Meeting & Exhibition, August 31-September 3, 2017, San Francisco, CA Redirect: Changing People’s Behavior by Editing their Stories: The Lunch @ DC with Tim Wilson, August 31, 2017, Washington, DC Economic History Association Annual Meeting, September 15-17, 2017, San Jose, CA National Research Summit on Care, Services and Supports for Persons…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 36 Issue 15
Featured News Congress Moves FY 2018 Spending Bills Ahead of August Recess COSSA in Action The American Political Science Association Answers “Why Social Science?” Congressional News House Budget Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Resolution Federal Agency & Administration News OMB’s FY 2019 Budget Guidance Calls for Major Funding Reforms President Appoints David Muhlhausen to Lead National Institute of Justice Census Science Advisory Committee Seeking Nominations Publications & Community Events Former Census Director to Lead Statistics Group National Academies Releases Sixth Edition of Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency National Academies Event Highlights Recent SBE Report; Rep. Lipinski…
Congress Moves FY 2018 Spending Bills Ahead of August Recess
The House and Senate have worked in recent weeks to advance as many of the fiscal year (FY) 2018 annual appropriations bills as possible before heading out of town for the typical month-long August recess. Details have been emerging on lawmakers’ funding plans for agencies and programs important to the COSSA community. The House Appropriations Committee approved two bills this month that provide the bulk of funding support for the social sciences. The Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bill, which funds the National Science Foundation, Department of Justice, and Census Bureau, was approved on July 13. The…
House Budget Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Resolution
On July 12, the House Budget Committee approved a fiscal year (FY) 2018 Budget Resolution, an important first step for Congressional Republicans if they hope to complete work on the FY 2018 spending bills and overhaul the tax code during this Congress. The resolution proposes to increase defense funding by $72 billion and cut non-defense discretionary spending by $5 billion. This proposal would bring non-defense discretionary spending, which includes federal science agencies, to 17 percent below FY 2010 funding levels. The measure passed the Committee on a party-line vote, but is facing an uphill battle as it moves to the…
OMB’s FY 2019 Budget Guidance Calls for Major Funding Reforms
On July 7, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led by Director Mick Mulvaney, issued a memorandum to federal departments and agencies with guidance on how to approach development of the fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget submission. According to the memo, “the FY 2019 Budget will provide an opportunity to present a comprehensive plan for reforming the Federal Government and reducing the Federal civilian workforce. It also will reflect the first impacts of the Government reorganization called for by Executive Order 13781 [issued in March].” Budget submissions are expected to continue proposals included in the FY 2018…
President Appoints David Muhlhausen to Lead National Institute of Justice
On July 11, President Trump appointed David Muhlhausen to serve as the Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Muhlhausen joins NIJ from the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis where he is a Research Fellow in Empirical Policy Analysis. Muhlhausen holds a doctorate in public policy from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a bachelor’s degree in political science and justice studies from Frostburg State University and has served as an adjunct professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. Through NIJ, the Department of Justice works to improve knowledge and understanding of crime…
Census Science Advisory Committee Seeking Nominations
The Census Bureau has issued a call for nominations for membership to the Census Scientific Advisory Committee. This committee advises the Director of the Census Bureau on data collection, statistical analysis, econometrics, cognitive psychology, and a variety of other scientific areas pertaining to Census Bureau programs and activities. According to the notice in the Federal Register, “Nominees must have scientific and technical expertise in such areas as demography, economics, geography, psychology, statistics, survey methodology, social and behavioral sciences, Information Technology, computing, or marketing.” The deadline for applications is August 11, 2017. More information is available in the Federal Register. Back…
Former Census Director to Lead Statistics Group
John Thompson, who resigned as Director of the Census Bureau last month, has been appointed Executive Director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS), effective July 24. Before being appointed to lead Census in 2013, Thompson was the President and CEO of NORC at the University of Chicago. He succeeds Katherine Smith Evans, who served as Executive Director since October 2012 and has been named the Washington Area Representative for the American Economic Association. COSSA looks forward to continuing to work closely with COPAFS on issues affecting federal statistical agencies and welcomes Thompson in his new role….
National Academies Releases Sixth Edition of Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency
The Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently published the sixth edition of its report, Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency, which is released every four years to coincide with presidential terms. The consensus study report provides an explanation of the federal statistical system and offers guiding principles and best practices for federal statistical agencies. According to the report, in order to disseminate relevant, timely, accurate and credible information to the public and policymakers, federal statistical agencies follow four guiding principles: (1) produce objective and relevant information, (2) maintain a…
National Academies Event Highlights Recent SBE Report; Rep. Lipinski Adds his Support
On July 19, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine hosted a public discussion on a recently released consensus report requested by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The report, The Value of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences to National Priorities, discussed the overwhelming consensus that the social, behavioral, and economic sciences (SBE) significantly contribute to the advancement of NSF’s missions, the missions of other agencies, as well as the missions of businesses and industries. For a more detailed summary of the report, refer to COSSA’s summary. The public discussion of the report was comprised of an overview of the…
Events Calendar
Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting, July 27-30, 2017, Columbus, OH Joint Statistical Meetings, July 28-August 3, 2017, Baltimore, MD American Psychological Association Annual Convention, August 3-6, 2017, Washington, DC American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, August 12-15, 2017, Montreal, Canada American Political Science Association Annual Meeting & Exhibition, August 31-September 3, 2017, San Francisco, CA Economic History Association Annual Meeting, September 15-17, 2017, San Jose, CA A list of COSSA members’ annual meetings and other events can be found on the COSSA events page. COSSA members who have an upcoming event they would like to see listed in the Events Calendar and on our website should…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 36 Issue 14
Featured News Why Social Science? Highlights the National Academies’ SBE Report Congressional News House Releases Draft Ag, CJS Appropriations Bills; Some Details Still Unclear Federal Agency & Administration News Thompson Leaves Census Bureau; Acting Director Named NCHS Releases 40th Health, United States Report AHRQ Advisory Committee Seeking Nominations Department of Education Issues Request for International Research and Studies Program Applications Health and Human Services Solicits Comments on Healthy People 2030 Publications & Community Events National Academies to Host Public Discussion on SBE Report Nominations Open for AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award COSSA Member Spotlight COSSA Welcomes National Council on…
House Releases Draft Ag, CJS Appropriations Bills; Some Details Still Unclear
In the weeks leading up to the Independence Day recess, several House Subcommittees began their work for fiscal year (FY) 2018 in earnest by marking up draft appropriation bills, including the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (June 28) and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) (June 29). While the text of the draft bills has been released, it is unlikely that their accompanying committee reports, which include more detailed information on funding and policy riders, will be made available until just before the bills are marked up by the…
Thompson Leaves Census Bureau; Acting Director Named
On June 30, John Thompson officially resigned as Director of the Census Bureau, after unexpectedly announcing his planned departure in May. Effective July 1, Ron Jarmin will become Acting Director of the Bureau. Jarmin has been with the Census Bureau since 1992 and currently serves as Associate Director for Economic Programs. Enrique Lamas, Associate Director for Demographic Programs, will serve as Acting Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, a position that has been vacant for several months. In addition, the Department of Commerce announced that Secretary Wilbur Ross has hired Arnold Jackson as a consultant. Jackson oversaw the 2010 Census…
NCHS Releases 40th Health, United States Report
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has released the 40th edition of one of its flagship publications, Health, United States, the “report card” on the nation’s health. Health, United States, 2016 compiles federal data on a wide range of topics related to morbidity, mortality, health care utilization and access, health risk factors, prevention, health insurance, and personal health care expenditures. The 2016 edition includes a chartbook that highlights long-term trends over the past 40 years related to infant mortality, leading causes of death, life expectancy, poisoning deaths, and smoking. The complete report is available on the NCHS website. Back…