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.
Recap of the 2017 COSSA Science Policy Conference
COSSA held its 2017 Science Policy Conference and Social Science Advocacy Day on March 29-30 in Washington, DC. Sessions featured important discussions on social science within the context of the Trump Administration and the new Congress. The keynote address was delivered by University of California, Berkeley sociologist Arlie R. Hochschild, whose book Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right was a finalist for the 2016 National Book Award. The program also included an expert panel addressing the political and policy challenges of the day and strategies for addressing them, and discussions on the benefits of public engagement…
COSSA Presents 2017 Distinguished Service Award to Senators Gardner and Peters
On March 29, as part of the 2017 COSSA Science Policy Conference and Celebration of Social Science Capitol Hill Reception, COSSA presented the 2017 Distinguished Service Award to Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI). The COSSA Distinguished Service award recognizes leaders who have gone above and beyond to promote, protect, and advance the social and behavioral science research enterprise. Awardees are chosen by the COSSA Board of Directors, which represents COSSA’s governing member associations. Senators Gardner and Peters were recognized for their bipartisan work on the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (AICA), legislation that reauthorizes activities at the…
70 Social Science Advocates Take to Capitol Hill
On March 30, about 70 social and behavioral science researchers, stakeholders, and advocates met with their Members of Congress and staff to advocate in support of funding for federal agencies and programs that support social and behavioral science research. Advocates from 23 states converged on Capitol Hill, completing 80 individual meetings. Materials used to help articulate the value of social science research are available on the COSSA website, including fact sheets on COSSA’s FY 2018 funding requests. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
NIFA Releases Evaluation of Capacity Funding Mechanism
The Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently released a report that measures the effectiveness of NIFA research, education, and extension investments at land-grant colleges and universities (“capacity grants”). The report, Quantitative and Qualitative Review of NIFA Capacity Funding, was prepared by TEConomy Partners, LLC. The report finds that the capacity funding model is able to produce a high return on investment and leverage matching state and local funding for projects. It concludes, “Capacity Funding carries substantial and significant ongoing advantages as an R&D and extension funding model.” The report is available in full on the…
COPAFS Launches Search for New Executive Director
The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS) has engaged JDG Associates to conduct a search for a new Executive Director to succeed Katherine Smith Evans, who has led COPAFS for nearly five years. COPAFS advocates for the development and dissemination of high-quality federal statistics. More details on COPAFS and on the search are available on the COPAFS website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
HHS Secretary Appears Before House Appropriations Subcommittee, Suggests NIH Budget Cuts to Come From “Efficiencies” in Indirect Costs
On March 29, newly appointed Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) former Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) made his first appearance before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. Welcoming the Secretary, Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) began the hearing by pointing out that the proposed cuts in the Budget Blueprint (aka “skinny budget”) released by the Administration on March 16 “are extensive and span the reach of [the] agency.” Cole asked Price how the Department intends to solve “some of the challenges” the budget poses to HHS, including…
Funding Opportunity Announcements
AHRQ: Health Information Technology (IT) to Improve Health Care Quality and Outcomes (R21) (PA-17-246) AHRQ: Implementation and Evaluation of New Health Information Technology (IT) Strategies for Collecting and Using Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Measures (U18) (PA-17-247) AHRQ: AHRQ Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) (PA-17-232) AHRQ: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems V (CAHPS V) (U18) (RFA-HS-17-010) NIFA: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) – Food Safety Challenge Area (USDA-NIFA-AFRI-006286) NIFA: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) – Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area (USDA-NIFA-AFRI-006304) NIFA: Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification Program (USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-006287) NIH Opportunities: NIH:…
Events Calendar
American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, April 5-9, 2017, Boston, MA Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, April 6-9, 2017, Chicago, IL Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, April 6-8, 2017, Austin, TX AERA Centennial Lecture: Russell Skiba – School Discipline: Issues of Equity and Effectiveness, April 12, 2017, Boston, MA Southwestern Social Science Association Annual Meeting, April 12-15, 2017, Austin, TX WHY SOCIAL SCIENCE? Because Understanding Markets Can Save Lives: Congressional Briefing and Reception, April 18, 2017, Washington, DC March for Science, April 22, 2017, Washington, DC 10th Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Sciences Honors, April 25,…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 36 Issue 6
Featured News Trump Administration Releases Preliminary Details on FY 2018 Budget COSSA in Action NAS President Marcia McNutt Answers “Why Social Science?” Last Chance to Attend the 2017 COSSA Science Policy Conference COSSA Testimony Calls for Funding for NIH, AHRQ, CDC, Education Programs Congressional News House Science Committee Begins Conversation on NSF’s Future Senate Committee Holds Hearing: “Saving Lives Through Medical Research” House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Lawmakers’ Priorities Federal Agency & Administration News OBSSR Director Comments on 2017-2021 Strategic Plan National Medal of Science, National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nominations Open Publications & Community Events Ad…
Trump Administration Releases Preliminary Details on FY 2018 Budget
On March 16, the Trump Administration released preliminary, high-level details of its fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget request, referred to as a “skinny budget.” Full budget details are expected sometime in May. There are few surprises in the President’s “safety and security” budget blueprint. Major reductions are proposed for nondefense discretionary programs (including research accounts) in order to finance $54 billion in increases for the Department of Defense. Of course, to achieve such a reallocation, Congress would need to act to adjust the budget caps that are currently governing defense and nondefense discretionary spending; the President cannot unilaterally shift funds…
Last Chance to Attend the 2017 COSSA Science Policy Conference
With the COSSA 2017 Science Policy Conference & Social Science Advocacy Day just over a week away, now is your last chance to register. Don’t miss this important opportunity to learn about social science in the Trump Administration, engage with colleagues from across the science and higher education community, and take action in support social and behavioral science! Check the Conference website for the most up-to-date information on Conference speakers, sessions, and logistics. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
COSSA Testimony Calls for Funding for NIH, AHRQ, CDC, Education Programs
On March 8, COSSA submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2018. The testimony calls for increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Institute for Education Sciences (IES), and International Education and Foreign Language Programs (Title VI and Fulbright-Hays). Back to this issue’s table of contents.
OBSSR Director Comments on 2017-2021 Strategic Plan
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Director William (Bill) Riley recently released commentaries on the office’s 2017-2021 Strategic Plan three scientific priorities. Priority One: Improve the synergy of basic and applied behavioral and social sciences research Priority Two: Enhance and promote the research infrastructure, methods, and measures needed to support a more cumulative and integrated approach to behavioral and social sciences research Priority Three: Facilitate the adoption of behavioral and social sciences research findings in health research and in practice. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
National Medal of Science, National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nominations Open
Nominations are being accepted for potential recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The National Medal of Science recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, or behavioral or social sciences. The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is awarded to individuals, teams, companies, or divisions of companies for contributions to America’s economic, environmental, and social well-being. Nominations for both Medals are due by April 7, 2017. Medal of Science nominations may be submitted here. Medal of Technology and Innovation nominations may be submitted here. Back to this issue’s…
Ad Hoc Group Issues Statement Responding to the President’s FY 2018 Budget for NIH
COSSA, as a member of the steering committee of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, joined a statement responding to the President’s FY 2018 budget request proposing a 18 percent cut to the NIH’s budget (see related article). The statement calls on “Congress to reject the inexplicable and impractical proposed cuts to NIH and to continue its tradition of investment in medical science.” The Group also stated that it looks “forward to working with lawmakers to finalize an FY 2017 spending package with $34.1 billion for NIH – as approved nearly unanimously by the Senate Appropriations Committee in June…
IES Coalition Sends Letter to Appropriations Subcommittee Leadership in Support of Agency
On March 10, COSSA joined the Friends of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), a coalition of organizations committed to supporting the essential role of IES, on a letter to the Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee (Labor-HHS) in support of IES. The letter urges the Subcommittee to provide $670 million in funding for IES in fiscal year (FY) 2018. The letter also states that the request, consistent with other scientific coalitions, “builds on the FY 2016 final appropriations, accounting for inflation over the past two years as well as four-percent growth.” Back to this…
Friends of NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Submit Statement in Support of OBSSR
On March 9, COSSA, as co-chair of the Friends of NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (Friends of NIH BSSR) with the American Psychological Association (a COSSA founding member), submitted a statement for the record in support of the National Institutes of Health and its Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). The statement emphasizes that the behavioral and social sciences are integral to the NIH mission and highlights the fact NIH supports behavioral and social science research throughout its 27 institutes and centers. The Friends of NIH BSSR is a coalition of professional organizations, scientific societies, and research…