119th Congress
119th Congress: Convened on 1/3/2025 and will end 1/3/2027.
Congress to Review Appropriations Bills Ahead of Midterm Elections
As previously reported, Congress has officially turned to its work on the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills. The House Appropriations Committee has already advanced 7 of the 12 spending bills out of committee, including the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) bill (see analysis). The House has kept to the schedule they released in April, and is on track to mark up the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill later this week on June 5 (watch live here). On the other side of the Hill, the Senate has started working on their respective bills and…
Battacharya Defends NIH Budget to Senate Appropriators
On May 21, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) defended the NIH fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request before the Senate Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee. During the hearing, Bhattacharya fielded concerns from both sides of the aisle about the Trump Administration’s proposed 12 percent cut to the agency (see analysis). In her opening remarks, Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) voiced her support for NIH-funded research, and highlighted the importance of cancer research and supporting rural communities. When remarks turned to Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the Senator pressed the Director…
Congress Turns to Appropriations After Returning from May Recess
Following a week-long May recess, Congress has turned their attention toward the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations process. As previously reported, the House has set their schedule for advancing their appropriations bills through May and June. On May 13, the House Appropriations Committee reported out the Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) budget bill—which includes funding proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Census Bureau, and more (see related article). The Committee is also scheduled to review the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) budget bill—which includes funding proposals for the National Institutes of…
House Releases Science Funding Bill that would Slash NSF Budget
On April 30, the House Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee advanced their fiscal year (FY) 2027 CJS bill along party lines. The CJS bill includes funding proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Notably, the House has once again rejected the 55 percent funding cut to NSF included in the President’s budget request; however, NSF would still see a 20 percent reduction under this bill. Included in the bill are the following amounts: More details are expected to be released in the coming weeks when…
House Releases Markup Schedule for Science Funding Bills
On April 13, the House Appropriations Committee released the markup schedule for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills. The Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies Bill (CJS), which provides annual appropriations for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and the U.S. Census Bureau, is scheduled to be reviewed by the CJS Subcommittee on April 30 with the full Appropriations Committee markup scheduled for May 13. The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Bill (LHHS), which funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and…
House SST Investigation and Oversight Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the State of Scientific Publishing
On April 15, the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on the State of Scientific Publishing. During the hearing, several members raised concerns over scientific integrity and reproducibility in research, publishing corporations and paper mills, open access to federally funded research, and the potential risks that artificial intelligence (AI) and competition with China pose on the scientific ecosystem. Witnesses included Carl Maxwell, Senior VP for Public policy at the Association of American Publishers; Kate Travis, Managing Editor at Retraction Watch; and Jason Owen-Smith, Executive Director at the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science at…
Sen. Welch Requests GAO Report on Impact of Scientific Research
On March 24, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a full review of the economic, scientific, and national security impacts of the elimination of federal funding for scientific research. In the letter, he raised concerns about the Administration’s proposal of a 15 percent cap on indirect rates, arguing it would “cut $5 billion annually from university-based research nationwide”. Further, Sen. Welch highlighted the positive economic impact of scientific research, claiming that cuts to agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) would result in a loss of economic…
Congress Begins FY 2027 Budget Hearings
While Congress continues to grapple with a lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and President Trump’s push to pass the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), Congressional appropriators have turned their attention to drafting fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations legislation. As previously reported, the House Appropriations Committee set deadlines for submitting funding requests for Members earlier this month. Following in the House’s footsteps, the Senate Appropriations Committee released their guidance last week. Deadlines for each subcommittee’s requests can be found here. Congress has also been holding hearings on budget and policy priorities for various departments and agencies, including the National Institutes of…
Congress Kickstarts FY 2027 Appropriations Process; DHS Shutdown Continues
As Congress continues to grapple with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) lapse in funding, House Republicans have reportedly left Capitol Hill for their annual retreat. As previously reported, some Members of Congress—including House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL)—are pushing for a second reconciliation package to increase funding for the Department of Defense. Notably, Members on both sides of the aisle have argued against funding the department outside of the normal appropriations bills and, according to recent reports, President Trump may remain unconvinced on the controversial measure. It is likely to be a point of contention during the retreat as…
Congress Requests Briefings from Scientific Research Agencies on Safeguarding Against Foreign-Linked Compromised Research
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…
NIH Director Bhattacharya Testifies Before Congress on Modernizing the Agency
On February 3, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jayanta Bhattacharya appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to discuss Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures . During the hearing, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chairman of the Committee, expressed a bipartisan concern over the unprecedented NIH grant award cancellations in the last year, a lack of public trust in the NIH and science institutions, as well as national and personal health security risks. This hearing comes nearly two years since Cassidy’s release of a white paper on recommendations to improve the NIH in 2024 (see previous…
House Narrowly Passes Latest Appropriations Package for Science Agencies
As previously reported, the House and Senate passed a three-bill package earlier this month that included fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding for federal science agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). COSSA’s in-depth analysis of the CJS bill can be found here. Late last week, the House passed a separate four-bill package that contains the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations bill—which provides funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Institute of Education Sciences…
Kratsios Defends Federal AI Standards in House Science Committee Hearing
On January 14, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Michael Kratsios defended the Trump Administration’s federal standards on artificial intelligence (AI) in front of the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Committee. As previously reported, the Trump Administration unveiled Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan last year, which outlines future federal policy actions designed to ensure the U.S. is a leader in global AI development across scientific, practical, and creative uses. Notably, Congressional members raised concerns about the Administration’s restriction of state’s ability to pass laws on AI development and usage, which was passed as a provision in the Big, Beautiful Bill…
Congressional Shake-Ups in the New Year
Following a year of unexpected federal workforce reductions, budget cuts and grant cancellations, and political uncertainty, lawmakers have returned for the second session of the 119th Congress with the 2026 midterm elections looming this November. Several Members of Congress have unexpectedly resigned, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) following a public fall-out with President Trump in 2025. Other members have announced their retirement at the end of the term, including Senators Thomas Tillis (R-NC) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who both have publicly opposed the Trump Administration. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has served in Congress for 39 years and made…
Appropriations Bills Stalled; Congress to Consider NDAA
As the year approaches its end, Congress is still working to finish the fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills. Most of the federal government is currently funded under a continuing resolution (CR) that gives lawmakers until January 30, 2026 to complete their work (reminder: the new fiscal year began on October 1). With the upcoming two-week recess for the holidays, Congress is on a tight deadline. As previously reported by COSSA, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has reiterated that the Senate has plans to consider the Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS), Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS),…
Equal Representation Act
On December 2, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee advanced the Equal Representation Act (H.R. 151). The act, which was led by Congressman Chuck Edwards (R-NC), seeks to include a citizenship question on the decennial census and exclude non-citizens from congressional apportionment. COSSA signed onto a letter to Congress led by the Population Association of America (PAA), a COSSA governing member, earlier this year opposing this legislation as these changes could potentially undermine participation in the decennial census and, therefore, ultimately diminish the quality and utility of decennial census data. This could have devastating effects for researchers that rely on the data. There…
Congress Turns to Final Appropriations Bills Following End of Government Shutdown
As previously reported by COSSA, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) that extends fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding through to January 30, 2026, ending the weeks-long government shutdown and giving Appropriators additional time to finish their work on FY 2026 funding. Currently, only three appropriations bills have been enacted into law—each having been attached to the CR—including the Agriculture bill, Legislative Branch bill, and Veteran Affairs bill. Despite delays, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has reiterated that the Senate has plans to consider the Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS), Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS), and Transportation,…
Senate Democrats Break Rank to Pass New Spending Package
Late Monday night, seven Senate Democrats and one Independent joined Senate Republicans to pass a continuing resolution (CR) that would extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding through January 30, 2026. As a reminder, FY 2025 was enacted under a year-long CR, funding the federal government with FY 2024 levels. Senate Republicans managed to wrangle the necessary 60 votes with support from Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Angus King (I-ME). Several concessions were reportedly made to secure the agreement, including a…
New Action Alert: Write to Congress TODAY about the Need to Reopen the Federal Government
Funding for most government activities expired at midnight on September 30. Since Congress has failed to reach an agreement to keep the government open, all federal agencies are now shut down. The shutdown and lack of clarity on FY 2026 funding damages the ability of federal science agencies like the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Institute of Education Sciences, and federal statistical agencies to meet their missions. Those harms are passed on to researchers who rely on support from the federal government. Federal science and statistical agencies have already experienced destructive effects this year as a result of…
As Shutdown Continues, Federal Employees Face RIFs and Pay Uncertainty
Congress remains at a standstill as the government shutdown continues, with little progress having been made since our previous reporting. As the holiday season rapidly approaches, so too does the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) deadline of November 21, which has failed to pass several times in the Senate. Recent rumors suggest that the Republican-majority may seek to extend the deadline in their version of the bill past the holidays, or as proposed by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO), into December 2026 after the midterm elections. If that were to occur, the federal government would keep FY 2024…