A staple since COSSAās 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.Ā
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinar on December 10
On December 10, join COSSA for the final Headlines webinar of the year. We will cover key policy developments and Congressional activity that affected the social and behavioral sciences in 2025 and preview whatās ahead for 2026. 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.
Social Science Advocacy Day: Early Bird Registration Opening Soon!
COSSAās annual Social Science Advocacy Day is BACK and will take place March 23-24, 2026 in Washington, DC! This signature, members-only 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. Early Bird Registration will be open next month. Stay tuned for more details and sponsorship opportunities. Until then, save the date and share this exciting opportunity with your colleagues. Visit the COSSA website for the latest information on Social Science Advocacy Day.
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…
President Trump Executive Actions
Trump Administration Actions (all actions available here): Find COSSA’s full list of Trump’s Executive Actions and more information here or on the Social Science Space Tracker.
ICYMI: Graduates of U.S. Institutions Exempt from $100,000 H-1B Fee, Questions Remain
In September, a White House proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, was issued stating, āthe entry into the United States of aliens as nonimmigrants to perform services in a specialty occupation under [the H-1B visa program], is restricted, except for those aliens whose petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000.ā The fee applies to petitions filed after September 21, 2025. The announcement caused concern and confusion across the higher education and research communities, including whether the fee is intended for private sector employers or if it would also apply to U.S. colleges and universities who rely…
HHS Cancels USPSTFās November Meeting
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel that makes recommendations on clinical preventive services and health promotion, has had their November meeting cancelled by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), blaming the government shutdown despite no federal employees serving on the task force. This is the second meeting cancelled this year; the task force traditionally meets three times a year to review and revise recommendations. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly indicated intent to overhaul the task force, potentially through a similar replacement of the committee members as seen with the Centers for…
Call for Nominations: Golden Goose Award
Nominate your colleagues, collaborators, and role models for a Golden Goose Award! The Award honors federally funded researchers whose work may sound odd or obscure, but ultimately had a major positive impact on society. The purpose of the Award is to demonstrate the human and/or economic benefits of federally funded scientific research. Itās intended to demonstrate that scientific outcomes build upon each other and that the technological advances that flow from them cannot easily be predicted at the outset of a particular scientific research project. Nominations for the 2026 Golden Goose Awards are being accepted through December 12, 2025. More information and the…
SRCD Accepting Applications for 2026-2027 Policy Fellowship Program
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), a COSSA governing member, is now accepting applications for its 2026-2027 Policy Fellowship. The fellowship provides the opportunity for post-doctoral experts in child development to work in Congress or a state agency for a 1ā2-year time period. Fellows will receive a competitive stipend and be granted access to professional networking opportunities and resources. SRCD is currently looking for applicants who have earned a doctoral-level degree, are SRCD members, and have experience working in child development. The application process involves a written section, an interview, and subsequent matching (for Congressional placement). Interested applicants…
AAPOR To Host Pre-Election Polling Webinar on November 19
On November 19, the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), a COSSA governing member, will host the next installment of their analysis of general election polls during presidential elections, Performance of Pre-Election Polling in 2024. The webinar will examine AAPOR’s newly released report, Pre-Election Polling Task Force Report, which evaluates the accuracy of general election polls during the 2024 election cycle. Registration for the webinar can be found here. This article was contributed by COSSA Intern Anne Tighe.
Nominations Open for NASEM Planning Committee on New Scientific Integrity Workshop
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is seeking nominations for a planning committee that would be tasked with organizing a new workshop, Enhancing Scientific Integrity: Progress and Opportunities in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. The workshop seeks to address common questions and concerns, including: NASEM is looking for experts in a broad range of areas, including journal editors and publishers; behavioral and social science researchers; professional association leaders; legal/criminology expertise; AI expertise; and ethics. Nominations are due November 7 and can be submitted here.
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinar on October 30
On October 30, join COSSA for the next installment in the 2025 Headlines Webinar series. The COSSA team will be joined by special guest Dr. Erica Groshen to discuss the ongoing challenges facing the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the broader federal statistical system (read recent COSSA coverage). The COSSA team will also discuss other timely developments. 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.
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…
Introducing a New COSSA Resource
COSSA is excited to announce its latest resource, COSSA 101: A Crash Course on the Federal Government. Through this series COSSA provides easy-to-understand information about the inner workings of the federal government and how they affect social and behavioral science research. The series begins with a brief on āWhat is a Government Shutdown?ā Additional topics will be added in the days and weeks ahead including: āWhat is Appropriations?ā, āWhat is an Executive Order?ā, and āWhat is a Continuing Resolution?ā Do you have a federal government topic you would like explained by COSSA 101? Send us your ideas.
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…
ICYMI: Research Community Responds to SAFE Research Act
In August, House Republicans passed their National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2026 along party lines. In an amendment, the House attached the SAFE Research Act, which would create extensive national security barriers to how the Department of Defense can fund research at universities. Among the billsā provisions is a requirement for funding to be terminated for higher institutions and researchers that partner with āhostile foreign entities,ā requiring these connections to be severed for at least five years before they become eligible for federal funding. A list of āhostile foreign entitiesā would be kept by the Department of…
Latest from the White House (October 28)
Universities Reject Trumpās Higher Education Compact As previously reported, nine of the nationās leading research universities received letters from the White House earlier this month urging that they agree to the Administrationās Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. The Compact lays out several conditions that align with the Presidentās agenda and ideology. In exchange, universities that sign on would perceive preferential treatment for federal funding, including research grants. The original nine universities were given until October 20 to respond with feedback. Since then, MIT was the first university to officially reject the offer, stating āIn our view, Americaās leadership in science and innovation…
ICYMI: Changes Made to NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Last month, the National Science Foundation released the latest solicitation for its Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), which is typically made available in July. The solicitation states that it still intends to announce awards in April, consistent with previous years, despite the delay in releasing the opportunity. The deadline for social, behavioral and economic sciences, STEM education and learning, and psychology is November 12. The GRFP has seen its share of challenges over the years, most recently being the major reduction in awards in 2025 and greater emphasis on computer science among the awardees. Several concerns have been expressed by the research community in response to this…
Nominations Open for 2026 Sage-CASBS Award
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University and Sage are now accepting nominations for the 2026 Sage-CASBS Award. Both CASBS and Sage are members of COSSA. Established in 2013, this award recognizes exceptional contributions in the behavioral and social sciences that advance our understanding of pressing social challenges. In addition to a cash prize, the winner will deliver a public lecture at CASBS in the spring of 2026. The deadline for nominations is December 19, 2025. More information can be found here. This article was contributed by COSSA Intern Anne Tighe.
AERA Holds Its 22nd Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research
On October 23, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, hosted James A. Banks, professor and founder of the Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Washington, as its 2025 annual Brown lecturer. The Brown Lecture aims to continue the legacy of the Brown v. Board decision by highlighting the role of research in advancing educational equality. In his lecture, Rethinking Brown When Diversity and Equity Are Imperiled and Democracy Is Fragile, Banks discussed the recent attacks the Trump Administration has made on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and drew upon existing studies to offer…