Let’s Get Ready to Work!
Dear Friends – I hope you had a wonderful summer and took some time to relax, especially now that we are heading into what will be a busy fall and historic election season. Last we spoke, Congress had made progress on the FY 2025 appropriations bills but still remains far off from finalizing them before the start of the fiscal year on October 1. Congress returns to Washington next week and is expected to immediately turn to negotiating a stop-gap measure to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.
COSSA will also be busy this fall gearing up for the November elections. The historic Presidential race aside, the outcome of the elections will also determine the balance of power in the Congress, which will significantly impact the outcome of FY 2025 science funding and federal science policy for the next few years. As always, COSSA will report on the notable outcomes of the Congressional elections later this fall (stay tuned for more) and prepare to engage the new Congress come January.
There is a lot of work ahead—I am very grateful to have you in COSSA’s corner as we continue to advance the social and behavioral sciences. Membership in COSSA is the best way your organization can help in our efforts to advocate on behalf of our sciences, especially during such a critical time for science. You can check if your organization is a current member by visiting our website. If not, you can join by emailing wnaus@cossa.org.
Finally, I thought I would share how the COSSA team spent part of our summer. Each year, COSSA volunteers with a local nonprofit as a way to give back to the Washington, DC community. This year, the team volunteered with the Humane Rescue Alliance, which supports pet owners in Washington, DC who face resource inequities, such as housing restrictions, expensive veterinary care, and pet care deserts. As part of this years’ service outing, COSSA donated more than 80 pounds of dog and cat food and the team (with a couple special guests) spent a day packaging it up for pet families in need. In addition, staff spent a day volunteering at a pet vaccine clinic engaging with local residents and their pets (puppies!) and assisting veterinary staff. [Pictured: COSSA’s Elyse Bailey, Rachel Bashe, Kenzie Shelstad, Wendy Naus, and featuring Hazelnut Latte Naus and Carter Naus.]
Again, I hope you had a nice summer. Let’s get to work!
Wendy Naus
Executive Director