A staple since COSSA’s earliest days, the biweekly COSSA Washington Update newsletter provides members and the public with comprehensive coverage of policy developments impacting social and behavioral science research.
Social Science Advocacy Day: LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
It’s your last chance to register for COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day 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. Join the 80+ advocates representing 23+ states slated to attend. Register now and don’t forget to check out our sponsorship opportunities (some including free registrations).
Register Now: March Headlines Webinar
Ahead of COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day, join COSSA for the next Headlines webinar, “Making Your Voice Heard in Washington: Day of Action“. The COSSA staff will cover recent policy developments, share tips on how to advocate from home, and provide ways for you to get involved during Advocacy Day! Register now and join the conversation. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
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…
House Science Committee Requests GAO Review of Federal and State AI Regulations
On February 18, the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Committee requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) produce a comprehensive review of Federal and State Artificial Intelligence (AI) regulations. The letter, which was led by Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Jay Obernolte (R-CA), highlights several legislative efforts taken to regulate AI in recent years and notes that the requested review is intended to “help ensure Congress has a clear understanding of the existing regulatory landscape as it evaluates the appropriate path forward for artificial intelligence policy.” Notably, the Committee pointed to several requests from…
US Science Funding Delayed Despite Congress Rejecting Cuts
According to reporting by Nature, federal science agencies continue to experience delays in receiving the okay to start spending their fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations from Congress. As previously reported, Congress completed its work on FY 2026 appropriations for most federal science agencies earlier this year. However, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been slow to approve agency spending plans, which are required to be delivered to OMB within 30 days of enactment of the appropriations bills. Traditionally, agencies had authority to start spending portions of their appropriations immediately and continuing in monthly increments until its spending plan…
Interim NSF Leadership Briefs NSB on Reorganization
The National Science Board (NSB), the governing and oversight body of the National Science Foundation (NSF), met on February 25. The agenda included a briefing on NSF’s new “management structure,” presented by Brian Stone, who is performing the duties of the NSF Director, and Micah Cheatham, NSF’s Chief Management Officer. The speakers discussed recent efforts to reduce the NSF workforce in response to White House guidance and executive orders on “optimizing the federal workforce.” In addition to reductions in force (RIFs) taken over the last year, NSF’s efforts have focused on reducing the ratio of executives to non-executives within the workforce, adding non-executive supervisors,…
Department of Education Receives Recommendations to Reform IES
On February 27, Department of Education Senior Advisor Dr. Amber Northern delivered a report, Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences, to Secretary Linda McMahon with recommendations on how to reform the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). The report comes after Northern was appointed to the role in May in an effort to “modernize” the agency (see previous coverage). In September, the Department of Education also released a request for public comment on restructuring the agency, which reportedly influenced Northern’s recommendations (see previous coverage). About the report, she said: “IES has set the standard for high-quality education research these last 25 years,…
Social Science Advocacy Day: One Month Out!
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).
Trump to Deliver State of the Union Address
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…
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…
Science Agency Leadership Shakeups Continue
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…
Neil H. Shubin Elected President of the National Academy of Sciences
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…
COSSA Welcomes Agricultural and Applied Economics Association as New Member
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.
Upcoming SRCD Webinar: Defending Academic Freedom: Protecting Research, Teaching and Scientific Integrity
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…
Analysis of the Final FY 2026 LHHS Appropriations Bills for Federal Science Agencies
Following a brief partial government shutdown, the House of Representatives passed the latest fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding package containing the final budgets for dozens of federal agencies and departments. The package, which comes on the heels of enactment of an earlier omnibus in January (see COSSA’s coverage), includes the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS) appropriations bill, funding the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and other agencies, and four other appropriations bills: the Department of Defense appropriations bill, Financial Services appropriations bill, National Security and Department of State appropriations bill, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development…
Social Science Advocacy Day: Prices Increase After Friday!
COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day is BACK and will take 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 to take advantage of early bird pricing and don’t forget to check out our sponsorship opportunities (some including free regsitrations). Early Bird Prices expire this Friday, February 13.
Submit your own Button Slogan!
We love when our advocates show their support for social science research by wearing one of COSSA’s coveted buttons. We’re looking for our next great button slogan! Got any ideas? Submit your suggestions and let us know what you’d like to see on our beloved buttons.
Congress Looks Forward to FY 2027 and Eyes Potential Second Reconciliation Package
As previously reported, Congress has neared completion of its appropriations process of fiscal year (FY) 2026, aside from the unfinished Homeland Security appropriations bill which remains under a temporary continuing resolution (CR), following the final passage of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) and Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) appropriations bills. The final bills for FY 2026 largely rejected the President’s proposal for cuts to several key scientific agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Education, and more. On January 7, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) formally invited President…
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…