Issue 16 (August 6)

COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day will be taking place March 24-25, 2025 in Washington, DC! This signature, members-only event brings together social and behavioral science researchers, faculty, students, association professionals, and other advocates from across the country to meet with their elected officials in Congress to discuss the value of our sciences and the importance of federal funding.

Stay tuned for an official “save the date” and additional details. Early bird registration will be here before you know it! Until then, mark your calendars and share this exciting opportunity with your colleagues. 

We hope to see you in Washington, DC in March 2025!

Visit the COSSA website for the latest information on Social Science Advocacy Day.

This month’s Why Social Science? post comes from Dr. Narayan Sastry (University of Michigan) who discusses the importance of social and behavioral data to improve outcomes for children over time and across generations.

Read on for more.

In early June, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), in partnership with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL), released a framework outlining potential reforms for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). Since this framework was released, there has been a lot of conversation about the future of NIH and what this framework would look like in action.

On August 29 at 12pm EST, join COSSA Staff for an informal conversation about recent developments and the proposed framework.

Keep an eye on your inbox for the link to RSVP coming shortly!

Rachel Bashe started as COSSA’s summer policy intern in May. Before heading back to class later this month, she provided some reflections from her summer at COSSA. 

1. How did you learn about COSSA and the opportunity to serve as a policy intern for the summer? In December, I was looking for summer opportunities on Handshake, and I saw the COSSA policy intern position for the spring semester. After reading through the position details and seeing that it aligned with a lot of my interests, I reached out for more information on the summer position. I applied the following April and began my position as a policy intern for COSSA at the end of May.
2. How did the internship fit into your academic or career planning? I am a current second year student at the George Washing University, double majoring in psychology and political science. After researching this internship, I found that COSSA works to promote the advancement of social and behavioral sciences in federal policy making. For the past two years at GW, I have worked to increase my knowledge of the intersection of psychology and political science, and I strongly believe that there is a necessity for the promotion of SBS in the federal government. In the future, I intend to use the knowledge I have gained in the political and behavioral sciences to improve the lives of others by shaping policy in a way that will have a positive impact on them in the real world. The summer policy internship at COSSA was the perfect avenue to continue developing my skillset in this area and it gave me the opportunity to start making a widespread difference.
3. What stood out to you most about your internship (i.e., did you learn anything interesting/eye opening or was there a task that you enjoyed most)? Although I enjoyed all parts of my internship, there were two aspects that really stood out to me. Every morning, the first task I did was look at CQ News and see if there were any news articles that were important to document for COSSA. As simple as this sounds, looking at the news, and especially trusted news sources, is something that is often forgotten in my age group. As much as we all want to stay up to date on what is happening in the world, so many of us get caught up in academic and social responsibilities that we forget to look at and comprehend what is going on in the world around us. This simple task gave me the opportunity to use a reliable news source to understand important political events and it opened my eyes to many aspects of the political world. In addition, I really enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of meetings with people who were deliberating on political events relating to the social and behavioral sciences. As a political science and psychology double major, the conversations in these meetings pertained to what I hope my future career will be. From hearing about the impact of social science research on fighting climate change to listening to professional opinions on the possible dangers or benefits of federal agency reforms, I have gained vast knowledge on policy making, advocacy, and the importance of social and behavioral science research in the federal government.
4. What would you tell future policy interns about the opportunity and/or about interning in-person in Washington, DC? To future policy interns considering interning in-person in Washington, DC, I say “do it!” I have lived in DC for almost two years now, and I have enjoyed every second of it. There is nowhere else I could imagine having such an enriching experience. The DC work environment is fast-paced, educational, and never boring. While working for COSSA as a policy intern in a hybrid fashion, my in-person days were my favorite. Taking the DC Metro to your office with every other intern in the city is all part of the fun, and having in-person interactions with coworkers is unmatched by Zoom calls. I hope to be working in-person in DC for many years to come, and I would implore anyone considering a policy internship with COSSA or any in-person internship in DC to take advantage of their opportunity to do so.
5. What’s next for you? This fall, I will begin my third year at George Washington University, and I will continue to build my base of knowledge relating to psychology and political science. In the spring, I plan to go abroad to Europe to see what insight I may be able to gain there. Next summer, I hope to again reside in DC with an internship that will give me the opportunity to continue framing my skillset and expertise on the intersection between politics and the social sciences.

Over the last few weeks, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees released and began consideration of their fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee considered the Commerce, Justice Science (CJS) and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS) bills; read on for details of the bills as approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Currently, the Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced 11 of its 12 bills, however, it is unlikely that the Senate will bring any of its bills to the Senate floor when Congress returns in September. Instead, it’s anticipated that the House and Senate will begin negotiations on final appropriations when they return next month, using the House and Senate bills as they currently stand as a starting point. As previously reported by COSSA, the House considered its bills in July (COSSA’s analysis is available here) and managed to pass 5 of its 12 annual appropriations bills before leaving town for the August recess.

There are some stark differences between the Senate and House’s approach to FY 2025 funding, including for key federal science agencies. While working within the same top-line budget cap as the House, the Senate allocations would divvy up funding differently than the other chamber. For example, under the Senate numbers, the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) bill—which funds the National Science Foundation, Department of Justice, and Census Bureau, among other agencies—would be allocated 11.6 percent less than the CJS bill in the House. However, for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS) appropriations bill—the measure that funds the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and several other agencies of interest to the science community—the Senate allocation is 6.9 percent higher than the House bill. These differences will need to be reconciled in the final negotiations.

As we get closer to the November elections, it becomes less likely that FY 2025 appropriations will be completed before the September 30 deadline. Lawmakers are expected to begin work on a continuing resolution (CR) when they return after Labor Day to avoid a government shutdown come October 1 when the new fiscal year begins. The fate of final FY 2025 funding rests largely in the outcome of the elections.

Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage on the appropriations process.

On July 25, Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act to reauthorize the Title VI International Education programs at the Department of Education. The bill aims to support the existing international education programs at the Department, with Congresswoman Foushee stating, “This legislation will help prepare elementary and secondary school students by providing critical investments in language education to achieve success in global marketplaces, and navigate multi-lingual environments.” Previously, this bill was originally introduced in 2019 by former Congressman David Price (D-NC) (see previous COSSA coverage).

More information can be found in Rep. Ross’s press release.

Last month, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the establishment of the Safeguarding the Entire Community of the U.S. Research Ecosystem (SECURE) center. According to an NSF press release, the new entity, led by the University of Washington in collaboration with several institutions, “will serve as a clearinghouse for information to empower the research community to identify and mitigate foreign interference that poses risks to the U.S. research enterprise. The SECURE Center will share information and reports on research security risks, provide training on research security to the science and engineering community and serve as a bridge between the research community and government funding agencies to strengthen cooperation on addressing security concerns.” The center was mandated in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.

More about the center and other research security efforts is available on the NSF website. 

The application window for the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is now open. This 12-week fellowship is intended for current or recent graduate students to gain a broader understanding of science and technology policy as well as to explore possible career prospects that engage science and policy communities. The newest session will run from March 3, 2025 to May 23, 2025.

More information on how to apply is available here and the deadline to apply is September 9, 2024.

This article was contributed by COSSA Intern Rachel Bashe.

On July 19, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee passed away at the age of 74. Jackson Lee represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District since 1995 and was campaigning for her 16th term in office when she announced she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was one of the two longest-serving members of the Texas congressional delegation.

Jackson Lee’s legislative accomplishments included establishing the Juneteenth federal holiday and reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. She served Houston in elective office for close to 35 years, first as a Houston City Council member before winning election to the U.S. House in 1994. Jackson Lee was on three Congressional committees and was a senior member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Homeland Security and the Budget Committee.

Texas Democratic Party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa released a statement saying, “Known for her relentless advocacy, the congresswoman dedicated her life to public service, advancing civil rights, healthcare reform, and disaster recovery…And in the spirit of Sheila Jackson Lee’s legacy, we will march forward in our fierce commitment to fighting for justice, equality and opportunity for all.”