AAU led APLU, AAMC, and ACE on a letter to congressional leaders thanking them for their efforts on COVID-19 relief and urging their continued support for the U.S. research enterprise and the government-university partnership. The letter identifies six areas of impact that will be affected due to research inactivity and suggests additional support for: the research workforce; COVID-19-related research costs; the cost of winding down and eventually restarting research activities; strains on core research facility staff; administrative burden; and visa status for international students.
The letter recommends that lawmakers include more funding in the next COVID-19 relief and economic stimulus bill for federal research grants and contracts to cover unforeseen costs and sustain the nation’s research workforce. The associations also recommend temporary regulatory and audit flexibility, resources for the State Department and USCIS to clear the backlog of visa renewals and applications for international students and researchers, and consideration of research infrastructure needs if Congress determines national infrastructure needs will be addressed in the next or future COVID-19 relief and stimulus measures