CONTENTS
BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS & TAX ISSUES
- FY17 Continuing Resolution Not Yet Finished
- TFAI Urges Leaders to Complete FY17 Appropriations, Robustly Fund Research
- Associations Submit Statement for Oversight Subcommittee Endowment Hearing
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
- New Federal Rules Tighten Reporting of Clinical Trials
- NIH Issues New Guidance on Clinical Trial Proposals
OTHER
- Golden Goose Award Ceremony Honors 2016 Winners
- Two Op-eds Reinforce Importance of Basic Research
BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS & TAX ISSUES
FY17 CR NOT YET FINISHED
The end of the current fiscal year is just a week away. Congress is close to agreeing on an FY17 continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government running from October 1 through December 9, but at least one sticking point remains.
Senate Republicans released a package yesterday that reflects bipartisan agreements, including funding to address the Zika crisis, as well as disaster aid for the flooding in Louisiana and other states. But Democrats have rejected the measure because it fails to include disaster funding for the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Negotiations will continue, with votes sometime next week, reports CQ.com.
The CR is attached to the FY17 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bill (H.R. 5325), which the House and Senate conferenced in June , so the programs in that bill would receive full-year funding. Other programs would be funded through December 9 at largely their current levels, but overall discretionary funding would be reduced by 0.496 percent. The CR is intended to fund the government through the election, after which a final FY17 appropriations package would be negotiated in a lame-duck session.
TFAI Urges Leaders to Complete FY17 Appropriations, Robustly Fund Research
The Task Force on American Innovation (TFAI), in which AAU participates, on September 19 sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to complete the FY17 appropriations process and to provide robust funding for scientific research.
ASSOCIATIONS SUBMIT STATEMENT FOR OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE ENDOWMENT HEARING
AAU, the American Council on Education, and five other higher education associations on September 21 submitted a statement for the record to the House Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee as a follow-up to the Subcommittee’s September 13 hearing, " Back to School: Review of Tax-Exempt College and University Endowments ." As previously noted, the hearing, despite its title, focused largely on tuition and student debt. However, the role that institutional endowments play or should play in making college more affordable was also discussed.
The associations’ statement explains the role that institutional endowments play in college and university financing. It notes that, contrary to popular opinion, universities are not “hoarding” their endowment resources, but are using them prudently to support and further their public service missions.
The statement also corrects common misperceptions, including claims that salaries of college presidents and football coaches and investments in campus amenities contribute significantly to higher overall tuition costs. Finally, the statement emphasizes that the so-called Bennett Hypothesis, which posits a direct correlation between federal financial aid and increased tuition, has never been confirmed.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
NEW FEDERAL RULES TIGHTEN REPORTING OF CLINICAL TRIALS
Under new government rules announced September 16, researchers will be required to report the results of many more clinical trials, including some for drugs and devices that never reach the market. The new rules, which are meant to improve compliance with requirements for public registration of trials and posting of data on the ClinicalTrials.gov website, take effect January 18, 2017.
The new rules leave in place many reporting exemptions for privately funded studies, including small trials examining just the safety of a new drug, small feasibility studies of medical devices, and behavioral intervention studies. However, those types of projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) must report results, based on a separate NIH policy.
The new rules also will require researchers to submit the race and ethnic background of trial volunteers if the information is collected, and show more details about adverse events that occur more than five percent of the time. Any entity sponsoring a clinical trial will have to update the status of that trial annually on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Both NIH and the Food and Drug Administration will automate compliance checks to ensure trials are properly registered, results reported, and institutions contacted if there are any issues.
NIH Issues New Guidance on Clinical Trial Proposals
NIH also has announced new guidance for submitting clinical trial proposals. Rather than investigators submitting clinical trial proposals as investigator-initiated grant applications, they will submit them in response to funding opportunity announcements (FOA).
The goal is to improve the agency’s review of proposed clinical trials by including criteria on their rationale, design, and operational and analysis plans. The change also aims to ensure that proposed trials are routed to peer review panels with the expertise to evaluate those technical details.
OTHER
GOLDEN GOOSE AWARD CEREMONY HONORS 2016 WINNERS
Three groups of researchers were honored last night at the fifth annual Golden Goose Awards for their groundbreaking research that might have sounded odd or obscure when first proposed, but which has created significant benefits for society.
Last night’s award ceremony, held at the Library of Congress, featured remarks by several Members of Congress, a video about the award winners’ research, and a conversation onstage with the winners and moderator Frank Sesno. The program was webcast.
Those being honored were five scientists and engineers whose work on honey bee foraging patterns led to development of a powerful web-hosting tool, five researchers behind a landmark longitudinal adolescent and adult health study, and two scientists whose work on the sex life of the screwworm led to control of a major livestock pest.
The Golden Goose Award is supported by a bipartisan group of Members of Congress, including Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), who originally had the idea for the award. Along with Rep. Cooper, the Members speaking last night were Reps. Randy Hultgren (R-IL), Robert Dold (R-IL), and Bill Foster (D-IL). Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) also attended, and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) spoke to the capacity crowd via video.
AAU is among the nine founding organizations of the award, which was created in 2012.
Two Op-eds Reinforce Importance of Basic Research
In concert with the Golden Goose Awards, leaders in the scientific and higher education communities published two op-eds on the importance of federally funded basic research.
AAU President Mary Sue Coleman and AAAS President Rush Holt co-authored an op-ed,Why Science Shouldn’t Be a Political Punchline, published in The Hill.
Cornell University Interim President Hunter Rawlings and Georgia Institute of Technology President G.P. “Bud” Peterson wrote the op-ed, How Honeybee Research Improved Your Internet Experience , for the higher education blog of the Washington Post.