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| FYI: Science Policy News from AIP |
| THIS WEEK |
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What’s Ahead
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| Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) has been selected to lead a subcommittee that oversees most Defense Department R&D programs as well as a select committee focused on strategic competition between the U.S. and China. (Image credit – U.S. Army Sgt. James K. McCann / DOD) |
Organization of Key Congressional Committees Continues
The House and Senate are still working to finish organizing their committees for the new Congress. Senate Republicans are expected to announce their full slate of committee assignments soon, following Democrats’ announcement of their own assignments last week. Conversely, House Republicans are ahead of their Democratic colleagues. Last week, Republicans announced rosters for the appropriations subcommittees that draft annual spending legislation, the newly formed China committee, and a panel on the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee also named their subcommittee leaders: Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) is returning as the top Republican on the Strategic Forces Committee, which oversees the National Nuclear Security Administration, and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) is replacing Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) as the top Republican on the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee, which oversees most R&D programs of the Defense Department.
Science Committee Rosters Filling Out
The House Science Committee has yet to name its subcommittee leaders for either side of the aisle. The Democrats appointed 15 members to the committee last week to work under Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and have two remaining seats to fill. The roster currently does not include several previous members who have been particularly active on the committee: Reps. Bill Foster (D-IL), Don Beyer (D-VA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Sean Casten (D-IL). The Republicans have appointed 15 members and have six open seats. Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) has not yet scheduled a hearing but has kickstarted oversight activities, reissuing inquiries first sent to the Biden administration last year, including one asking the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy how it has handled a scientific integrity violation by Deputy Director for Climate and Environment Jane Lubchenco. The violation, which involved her work as a journal editor prior to joining OSTP, has drawn scrutiny given her role in overseeing work to strengthen scientific integrity policies across the government. (Correction: This item initially stated incorrectly that there were three open Democratic seats on the committee.)
House Energy and Commerce Committee Begins Business
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is starting work this week with hearings focused on energy policy, economic competition with China, the origins of the pandemic, and satellite telecommunications. Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) announced the Republican and Democratic rosters and subcommittee leaders last week. Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) will lead the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee, which oversees the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and certain DOE energy technology programs. Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) will lead the Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Minerals Subcommittee, which has responsibility for nuclear waste policy. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) will lead the Health Subcommittee, which oversees the National Institutes of Health.
Manchin Checks In on Infrastructure Act Implementation
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing on Thursday to examine the Biden administration’s implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which is providing the Department of Energy an extra $62 billion dollars over five years. Committee Chair Joe Manchin (D-WV) has been paying close attention to the administration’s implementation of the law and related energy initiatives, in part to ensure that the fossil fuel industry is not closed off from them. For instance, last year he persuaded DOE to reverse course to allow oil producers to compete for funding the law provided for carbon capture projects. Meanwhile, Committee Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) is probing DOE support for companies with ties to China, including a $200 million cost-sharing grant to battery manufacturer Microvast, which bases a large share of its operations in that country. DOE has responded that the company is American and the grant will help shift its operations toward the U.S. The hearing could also address DOE’s general ability to administer the funding. E&E News reported last week that the department has so far hired about one-third of the roughly 1,000 employees it is seeking to help implement the infrastructure law.
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In Case You Missed It
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| A conceptual illustration of a rocket with a nuclear thermal propulsion system. (Image credit – DARPA) |
NASA and DARPA Team Up on DRACO Nuclear Propulsion Project
NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced a collaboration last week to conduct an in-space demonstration of a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system, potentially as early as 2027. NTP entails using a nuclear fission reactor to heat a liquid propellant, which expands and is exhausted through a nozzle to create thrust. The method promises more efficient propulsion than existing systems and NASA hopes to use it for quicker deep-space travel, while DARPA envisions building more maneuverable spacecraft that will remain inside the Moon’s orbit. Congress has provided over $100 million for NTP development efforts at NASA in each of the past five years, while DARPA has more recently begun its own, more modestly funded effort called DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations). Under their agreement, NASA will lead development of the nuclear thermal engine for the DRACO spacecraft. NASA is already working with the Department of Energy on a separate NTP effort that is focused on longer-term design development and will not factor into the DRACO effort.
DOE Kicks Off Competition for Fermilab Operations Contract
The Department of Energy Office of Science solicited input last week on an upcoming routine competition for the contract to operate Fermilab, with a focus on identifying “perceived barriers” facing prospective bidders. According to a report the Government Accountability Office released on Jan. 24, industry representatives have questioned whether DOE’s competitions for major contracts are fair. While GAO uncovered no evidence of unfairness, it observed the competitions often attract low numbers of bids and warned perceptions of unfairness can discourage potential bidders and that having fewer bids presents certain risks. Fermilab has been operated since 1967 by a consortium called the Universities Research Association and in 2007 URA partnered with the University of Chicago to form the lab’s current contracting entity, Fermi Research Alliance. In addition to operating its own facilities, the lab is responsible for multi-site projects, including the flagship Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. LBNF/DUNE has experienced major difficulties with its cost and schedule, which triggered a “reaffirmation” process with DOE. That process is expected to conclude soon and project plans have since stabilized.
US Issues Blueprint for AI Research Cyberinfrastructure
The National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force submitted its final report to Congress last week, sketching out plans for building a national cyberinfrastructure intended to “democratize the AI research and development landscape.” The task force, which was mandated under the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, recommends the NAIRR comprise a mix of computational resources, testbeds, software tools, and support services accessible to a broad range of users through a single portal. It proposes the resource be overseen by an interagency steering committee and led by an administrative “home agency,” adding that it is a “majority opinion” of the task force that the home agency be the National Science Foundation. The report estimates an initial budget of $2.6 billion over six years will be required. Addressing system safeguards, the task force recommends the resource have both an “open science zone” and a “secure zone” and stresses that the system should follow AI guidelines developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the White House.
NIST Releases AI Risk Management Framework
The National Institute of Standards and Technology released the first version of its AI Risk Management Framework last week, concluding an 18-month effort to develop voluntary guidelines aimed at improving the trustworthiness of products and systems that use AI. Developed in response to the 2020 National AI Initiative Act, the framework garnered praise from House Science Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK). However, Lucas has also argued the Biden administration is offering “conflicting guidance” on AI, noting differences between the NIST framework and the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in October. Lucas and House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) have asked OSTP to detail the process it used to develop the blueprint and clarify its intended use.
Howard University Wins Major DOD Research Center Award
The Department of Defense announced last week it has selected Howard University to lead its 15th university-affiliated research center (UARC). The center is a multi-institution consortium with a budget of $60 million over five years and will conduct research on the tactical applications of autonomous systems. It is the first UARC led by a Historically Black College or University and the first to be sponsored by the Air Force. In recent years, Congress has urged DOD to increase its engagement with HBCUs and commissioned a National Academies report that found DOD has provided proportionally less funding to HBCUs and Minority Institutions than agencies such as NASA and the Department of Energy. The most recent National Defense Authorization Act directs the department to establish a 10-year pilot program to build research capacity at institutions that enroll a large percentage of their students from minority groups, and in 2021 the House proposed creating a “Minority Institute for Defense Research” that would have the status of a UARC, though that provision was not enacted.
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Events This Week
All times are Eastern Standard Time, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement.
Monday, January 30
Tuesday, January 31
Wednesday, February 1
Thursday, February 2
Friday, February 3
Monday, February 6
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Opportunities DOE Biological and Environmental Research Office Seeking Director
The Department of Energy Office of Science is seeking a director for its Office of Biological and Environmental Research, which supports a $900 million portfolio of research that spans earth system modeling, genomics, and biosecurity. Responsibilities for the position include formulating budget requests, coordinating with other science agencies, and liaising with Congress and foreign research institutions. Applications are due Feb. 23.
NIST Engineering Lab Hiring Deputy Director
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is hiring a deputy director for its Engineering Laboratory. Candidates must have a degree in a STEM field as well as experience leading scientific organizations and conducting research in engineering or the physical sciences. Applications are due Feb. 15.
NSF R&D Statistics Office Hiring Deputy Director
The National Science Foundation is hiring a deputy director for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, which collects and analyzes data on U.S. scientific competitiveness and publishes the biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report. Candidates should have a doctoral degree or equivalent experience in a statistical research field and knowledge of program evaluation and federal agency operations. Applications are due Feb. 13.
Know of an upcoming science policy event either inside or outside the Beltway? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
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