House Science Committee Addresses Threats to Federally Funded Research in Hearing

On March 5, the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Committee’s Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on Assessing the Threat to U.S. Funded Research. Witnesses included Mr. Jeffrey Stoff, President, Center for Research Security & Integrity; Mr. John F. Sargent Jr., Retired, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, Congressional Research Service; and Dr. Maria Zuber, E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics and Presidential Advisor for Science and Technology Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

In his opening remarks, Chairman Rich McCormick (R-GA) highlighted the importance of remaining a global leader in scientific research while protecting U.S. research from foreign competitors. While Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-OH) echoed the importance of research security, she emphasized the need for an open research environment and collaboration with partners both domestically and internationally. Further, she underscored the importance of protecting and maintaining the CHIPS and Science Act (see previous COSSA coverage and related article).

During her remarks, Congresswoman Luz Maria Rivas (D-CA) addressed the concern of funding cuts through executive actions, including the proposal to cap the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indirect costs at 15 percent, in which Dr. Maria Zuber underscored the detriment these cuts would have on scientific research at universities across the country (see previous COSSA coverage). Further, Dr. Zuber emphasized that indirect and direct costs are “both the cost of doing research” regardless of the category they are placed within.

A full recording of the hearing can be found here.