Issue 04 (February 24)

COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day is taking place March 23-24, 2026 in Washington, DC! This annual event brings together social and behavioral science researchers, faculty, students, association professionals, and other advocates from across the country. Together, we’ll meet with elected officials in Congress to discuss the value of our sciences and the importance of federal funding.

Register now and don’t forget to check out our sponsorship opportunities (some including free registrations).

As previously reported, President Trump is scheduled to give his State of the Union address later today amidst a partial government shutdown as Congressional lawmakers continue to negotiate the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bill with no end in sight. The State of the Union is expected to offer a preview into the President’s priorities for the year; however, full details are likely to emerge with the delayed release of the Presidential Budget Request. It’s currently unclear when the budget is set to be released.

As with tradition, the Democratic Caucus will have the chance to offer a rebuttal to the President’s remarks. Abigail Spanberger, who succeeded in a highly contentious race for the Governor of Virginia last year, will be giving her remarks in English while Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) will offer a following rebuttal in Spanish. Notably, several Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA); Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR); Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN); Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT); Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ); and more, are expected to skip the State of the Union address in favor of counter events in Washington, D.C., highlighting the growing divide on Capitol Hill.

With the upcoming midterm elections, it’s likely to be a difficult year for appropriations as lawmakers balance their Congressional responsibilities with campaigning. Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage on the President’s priorities and the FY 2027 appropriations process.  

On February 5, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick (R-GA) sent letters to several agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), raising concerns about “falsified research” published from “paper mills” funded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In their letter to NSF, the Chairmen wrote:

“Such false research can negatively impact the scientific community and set back fundamental and critical research for years before it is identified. As a result, the credibility of NSF-funded research could be called into question, underscoring the need for heightened oversight and accountability.”

These agencies are directed to respond with a briefing on their oversight process so that the Committee can “assess research integrity risks” and “guard against foreign-linked compromised findings” before February 27.

This comes after Chairmen Babin and McCormick raised concerns that universities and research organizations have found federal guidelines on research security to be “confusing, inconsistent, or incomplete” during a related hearing on research security in December (see COSSA’s coverage). During the hearing, the Chairman urged several scientific research agencies, including NSF, NASA, and DOE, to coordinate a national response to improve research security guidelines across the U.S. scientific research enterprise.

Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage on research security.  

The White House recently announced plans to nominate Jim O’Neill as the next Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), placing a longtime health policy official and private-sector investor at the helm of the nation’s premier basic science funding agency.

O’Neill most recently served as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (see previous coverage). Earlier in his career, O’Neill worked at the Department of Health and Human Services during the administration of George W. Bush. He later moved into the private sector, investing in emerging technologies, including through the Thiel Foundation’s Breakout Labs program, which supports early-stage scientific commercialization.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Kush Desai highlighted O’Neill’s private-sector experience and his role in the Trump Administration, crediting him with reducing fraud at HHS and prioritizing what he described as rigorous, evidence-based decision-making.

If confirmed, O’Neill would take over an agency that has been without a permanent director since Sethuraman Panchanathan resigned last April amid significant budget pressures, including proposed funding cuts and staff reductions (see previous coverage). NSF Chief of Staff Brian Stone is currently serving as acting NSF Director.

In light of O’Neill’s nomination for the NSF post, the White House also announced that National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya will temporarily take on the role of acting CDC Director in addition to leading NIH. Bhattacharya will be the third acting CDC Director since Trump started his second term. The Administration has not yet named their CDC nominee. 

On February 4, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) announced that Neil H. Shubin has been elected as the Academy’s next president. His five-year term will begin on July 1. Shubin was first elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2011 and has served on several of its committees, including the Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and the Advisory Board of LabX.

Previously, Shubin served as the Vice Dean for Academic Advancement and Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago. “I am honored to be elected to lead the National Academy of Sciences at a time when its tradition of objective, nonpartisan counsel — offered in service to the country for over 160 years — is increasingly vital to advance the health, security, and prosperity of our nation,” said Shubin.

Read the full announcement here.

This article was contributed by COSSA Intern Malia Gunterman.

COSSA is thrilled to welcome the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) as its newest member! AAEA is a not-for-profit association serving the professional interests of members working in agricultural and broadly related fields of applied economics.

COSSA’s full membership list can be found here. Information on how to join is on the COSSA website.

The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is hosting a “Defending Academice Freedom: Protecting Research, Teaching and Scientific Integrity” webinar that will explore how recent policy and institutional developments are shaping the research and educational landscape, and what these changes mean for the members of the scientific community. The invited speaker, Dr. Isaac Kamola, will share information and resources on how the research community can support the independence, evidence-based work that seeks to advance the well-being of children and their families.

The webinar will be taking place this Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 11:00am–12:00pm ET. Register now and find more information here. SRCD is a COSSA governing member organization.