[FUN_Mail] FUN Public Policy Committee Fwd: Coalition for the Life Sciences Thanks You

[Ramirez, Julio via FUN_Mail]

Dear FUN Friends,

On behalf of the FUN Public Policy and Governmental Affairs Committee I would like to thank you for your advocacy efforts over the course of the past year.  Please see the announcement below from the Coalition for the Life Sciences for a snapshot of our successes.  We have more advocacy efforts ahead of us, but for now thanks to each of you for helping us educate our Congressional representatives about the importance of scientific research and education for the well-being of the nation.

Best regards,

Julio

Julio J. Ramirez, Ph.D.
R. Stuart Dickson Professor
Chair, Department of Psychology
Director, Neuroscience Program
co-Director, Neuroscience Scholars Program
   Society for Neuroscience
Department of Psychology
Davidson College
Davidson, NC 28035

Voice: 704-894-2888

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:



Your voices were heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill...

[CLC Header]

Dear Members of the Coalition for the Life Sciences,

Thank you! Your voices were heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill. Close to a 1,000 letters were sent to members of Congress, urging elected officials to vote in support of the "cr-omnibus." While far from perfect, the bill did offer the best option for increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The final bill passed late Saturday night, and is expected to head to the White House for the President's signature this week. Here are some highlights:

  *   NIH received a slight increase of $150,000 over FY14. Not enough to keep up with inflation or to fully fund the nation's scientific enterprise, but more than it would have received in any other scenario.
  *   The agreement confirms that funding decisions on scientific opportunities be done through the scientific peer review process. This is essential given the recent congressional criticism on many peer reviewed projects.
  *   The agreement urges the NIH Director to continue the traditional focus on basic biomedical research.
  *   The agreement urges NIH to continue to explore novel ways to encourage new investigators to transition to independence.
  *   NSF received an increase of $172 million over FY14. There are no additional congressional directives directing the NSF on how to manage its agency.

Educating Congress is an ongoing process. It is necessary to remind our elected officials why investing in federally funded science agencies is a wise investment. Cuts to NIH, NSF, DARPA and other agencies are shortsighted and undermine not only the physical health of our nation but also its economic health. Every state benefits from the investment in medical research. Monies from NIH and NSF go to universities, research centers, and businesses. Many thousands of people across the country are employed through the nation's investment in science.

We are proud to be a part of this community. Your commitment is extraordinary, and together we will continue to make a difference.

Tom Pollard, Yale University
Chair of the CLS Congressional Liaison Committee

Lynn Marquis,
Director, Coalition for Life Sciences

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The Coalition for the Life Sciences is an alliance of six non-profit professional organizations working together to foster public policies that advance basic biological research and its applications in medicine and other fields. The issues addressed by the CLS include science education, professional training, and the funding, management, and oversight of scientific work, especially by the federal government.

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The science of life, the life of science