CGA NEWS
(9-5-13)
To: CGA
From: A۰P۰L۰U Congressional and Governmental Affairs Staff
• Sign-On Letter Opportunity in Support of Helium Stewardship Act – Deadline Tomorrow
• ASBMB Releases Report on Impact on Federal Budget Impact on Scientists
• NIH Publishes Implementation Policy for Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC)
• Invitation to 2013 Golden Goose Award Ceremony on September 19 at 5:30 pm
• Invitation to Innovation Imperative: Enhancing Higher Educational Outcomes Briefing on September 17
• Sign-On Letter Opportunity in Support of Helium Stewardship Act – Deadline Tomorrow
CGA may be hearing from researchers on campus about the soon-to-expire authorization of the Federal Helium Reserve to provide helium for private use, including for research purposes.
Some scientific societies have taken the lead on this issue and have drafted the attached sign-on letter emphasizing the critical nature of approval of bipartisan helium reauthorization. Your university may be interested in joining this letter. If you would like to add your university to the letter (attached), please contact David Isaacs at the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) at disaacs@semiconductors.org by THIS FRIDAY September 6, 2013. APLU has signed on.
• ASBMB Releases Report on Impact on Federal Budget Impact on Scientists
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) released a new report, "Unlimited Potential, Vanishing Opportunity.” The report details the findings of a survey "of more than 3,700 frontline scientists from all fifty states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia" and "depicts clearly the broad impact of cuts to federal investments in science funding." According to ASBMB, some critical statistics from the report include:
§ Private investment in academic research has been feeble. Only 2 percent of survey respondents have been able to find private funds to make up for those lost from federal grants.
§ Research jobs have been lost. Nearly half of survey respondents have laid off researchers and 55 percent have a colleague who has lost his/her job.
§ An overwhelming majority of scientists in all fields believes the U.S. has lost its position as the global leader in scientific research.
• NIH Publishes Implementation Policy for Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC)
Last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published an implementation policy for the U.S. government policy on dual use research of concern (DURC). In March of this year, the Federal government issued a policy for the oversight of life sciences "Dual Use Research of Concern" (DURC). The purpose of this latest notice is to outline how NIH will implement the March 2012 policy establishing federal review of government funded research with certain high-consequence pathogens and toxins for its potential to be DURC in order to mitigate risks.
According to the implementation policy, “NIH will conduct an administrative review of all current and future awards to determine if they involve research that could be considered DURC. If they do, a term of award will be added requiring the institution to submit a letter from the Institutional Biosafety Committee, or another appropriate review body, indicating its assessment of the DURC status of the research proposed, including the reason for its determination, and cosigned by the institutional official. If the institution determines that the research is DURC, an assessment of the risks and benefits of the research must also be included.”
• Invitation to 2013 Golden Goose Award Ceremony on September 19 at 5:30 pm
CGA are invited and encouraged to share with your delegations the attached invitation to the 2013 Golden Goose Award Ceremony on Thursday 19 September 2013 at the Reserve Officers Association. Paul McKellips will host this year’s ceremony which will honor some outstanding scientists and their groundbreaking research discoveries. Members of Congress, federal science agency officials and the scientific and research advocacy communities will comprise the audience. Please RSVP by September 13th to RSVP@goldengooseaward.org. To learn more about the award, please visit www.goldengooseaward.org.
• Invitation to Innovation Imperative: Enhancing Higher Educational Outcomes on September 17
The Council on Competitiveness and Northeastern University will be hosting a briefing and survey release on September 17th at 9 am ET on Innovation Imperative: Enhancing Higher Educational Outcomes, with a discussion of the skills needed to compete in a global economy and innovations needed in higher education. Details are available in the attached invitation.
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)
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