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What’s Ahead
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| Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary of health and human services for preparedness and response, testifying at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing in 2018. Rick Bright, the recently removed director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, has filed a whistleblower complaint that accuses Kadlec of subordinating public health to commercial interests during the pandemic. The committee has asked Bright and Kadlec to testify on the matter this week, but it has not indicated whether Kadlec has accepted his invitation. (Image credit – House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans) |
BARDA Whistleblower to Testify on Scientific Integrity Allegations
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is holding a subcommittee hearing on Thursday titled, “Protecting Scientific Integrity in the COVID-19 Response.” Subcommittee Chair Anna Eshoo (D-CA) has said it will focus on the whistleblower complaint filed last week by Rick Bright, the recently ousted head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, who is expected to testify. Bright’s complaint asserts that over the past two years he clashed repeatedly with his immediate supervisor, Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, who allegedly allowed industry consultants to play an “outsized role” in securing contracts that Bright and other scientists “determined were not meritorious.” According to the complaint, those conflicts intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic when Bright was pressured to make chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine widely available as treatments. Bright alleges that Kadlec then maneuvered to transfer him to a position at the National Institutes of Health after Congress appropriated $3.5 billion directly to BARDA through coronavirus response legislation. An independent agency investigating the complaint has determined there are “reasonable grounds” to believe Bright’s removal was retaliatory and recommends he be reinstated pending a fuller investigation. The Department of Health and Human Services has denied Bright’s characterization of events, and Acting BARDA Director Gary Disbrow declined to answer questions on the subject at a Senate hearing last week.
Coronavirus Task Force Members to Testify Remotely as Precaution
Four members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force will testify via video for a Senate hearing on Tuesday because they recently attended meetings with a top aide to Vice President Pence who tested positive for the virus. The witnesses include National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, whom the White House blocked from appearing at a House hearing last week. All members of the task force have been prohibited from testifying before Congress this month without prior approval from White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. This week’s hearing will focus on the response efforts by public health agencies and the path toward reopening schools and businesses. The hearing will be chaired by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who is also participating remotely, having chosen to self-quarantine for two weeks as a precaution after one of his staff members tested positive for the virus.
Think Tank Pitching Proposal for DOE Foundation
On Wednesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation is hosting a webinar to spotlight its new report calling for Congress to create a nonprofit Energy Technology Commercialization Foundation that would work with the Department of Energy and private industry to bring new technologies more quickly to market. Congress has established analogous foundations for a handful of other agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, and lawmakers have already proposed to create such a foundation for DOE in bipartisan legislation introduced in the House and Senate last year. The report’s authors are ITIF senior fellows David Hart and Jetta Wong, who served as the inaugural director of DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions.
Panel to Discuss Pandemic Impacts on International Students
The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a coalition of U.S. university leaders, is holding a briefing on Tuesday on the coronavirus pandemic’s legal and policy implications for international students and researchers. The alliance has urged the Departments of Homeland Security and State to adopt temporary measures for visa screenings as well as provide guidance that ensures students can retain their immigration status. It has also raised concerns that the administration may expand immigration restrictions to encompass non-immigrant visa programs, such as Optional Practical Training, which permits individuals to work in the U.S. for a period after graduation. The administration has indicated it may seek to restrict that program and it reportedly is considering changes to a broader set of visa categories, including H-1B visas, which are for high-skilled immigrants.
Optics Conference Convenes Online
The Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) is taking place as scheduled this week as a virtual event with registration fees waived. Among the special sessions are briefings on the National Academies’ latest decadal survey for Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science as well as the Brightest Light Initiative, which seeks to increase U.S. competitiveness in high-intensity laser research through investments in new facilities. The Optoelectronics Industry Development Association will also present highlights from its Quantum Photonics Roadmap, which outlines advancements needed to spur the commercialization of quantum sensing, communications, and computing technologies. The roadmap will be publicly released on June 1.
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In Case You Missed It
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| House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX) delivering a major speech on U.S.–China relations at the American Enterprise Institute in February. Last week, McCaul was named chair of a new “China Task Force” created by House Republicans. (Image credit – Office of Rep. Michael McCaul) |
Research Ties a Target of House Republican China Campaign
The House Republican Caucus announced on May 7 that it has organized a China Task Force chaired by Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX) to lead the party’s efforts to harden the U.S. stance toward China in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said in a statement that the new group will review a broad range issues, including “influence operations targeting the U.S., the economic threat to our government and allies, efforts to gain the technological advantage, and China’s role in the origin and spread of COVID-19.” In one emerging line of effort, on May 4 McCaul and the top Republicans on six other House committees requested details from the Department of Education’s ongoing probe into universities’ underreporting of funding from foreign sources, singling out China. Reciting past allegations about the Chinese government’s exploitation of the U.S. research system and adding new grievances about its actions during the pandemic, the letter questions whether universities should be allowed to accept funding from Chinese sources going forward. The letter also highlights how the department’s latest investigation, targeting the University of Texas System, focuses on ties with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which the letter calls a “possible origin point” of the pandemic. Although some Republicans have asserted the virus underlying COVID-19 may have accidentally escaped from the institute, there is no evidence the virus was under study prior to its spread and disease researchers have said it is very likely that animals transmitted it to humans in an uncontrolled environment.
APS Offers Principles for Securing International Collaborations
The presidential line of the American Physical Society published a joint statement this month calling on scientists to intensify their commitment to research integrity principles in light of heightened concerns about the Chinese government exploiting the U.S. research system. They state that a recent Senate investigation of Chinese talent recruitment programs offers a “chilling story that calls into question our principles of open science, and also the integrity of the scientists themselves, who are characterized as at best naïve, and at worst, greedy and complicit in unethical contracts and deep conflicts of commitment.” At the same time, they warn the report’s conclusions “discount the very values that are intrinsic to progress in fundamental science” and encourage new policies that could ultimately compromise the openness and strength of the U.S. research system. As an alternative to placing new restrictions on international engagements in science, APS calls for researchers to commit to increased transparency measures, safeguard research information prior to publication, and ensure that collaborations offer reciprocal benefits. To encourage adherence, APS is implementing policies that will require its members to abide by these principles in order to “receive or retain” honors, awards, or fellowships from the society. “Those who choose to ignore these ethical guidelines, rare outliers in our opinion, should be shunned by our research community,” the authors write.
Research Groups Stake Out Open Access Positions
Several stakeholder groups have publicly posted their responses to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s request for information on options for increasing public access to research papers, data, and code. The submissions illustrate the tensions within the scientific community on the topic, with some groups supporting immediate open access to publications while others warn of unintended consequences. For instance, the Association of Research Libraries argues many institutions cannot afford to access the scientific literature under the current model and that the time is right for a “new paradigm” of immediate free access to publications, while the Association of American Publishers argues against instituting a one-size-fits-all framework that would “force all publishers into one business model that may work for some author and reader communities, but not for others.” The Council on Governmental Relations, an association representing universities, does not weigh in directly on the zero embargo proposal in its response, but more generally supports exploration of “new research dissemination models where peer-review is managed more directly by the academy.” Among the scientific societies to post responses include the journal publishing arm of AIP, the American Astronomical Society, the American Geophysical Union, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Many of the society responses comment on the role of preprints versus final journal publications in science. For instance, AIP Publishing suggests a “preprint first” approach — with federal agencies requiring that preprints ultimately be submitted to an appropriate repository — would be “more sustainable” than reducing the journal embargo period to zero days, combining the benefits of immediate access and the value added by traditional publishers.
DOD Details GPS Spectrum Interference Concerns
At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week, the Department of Defense made its case against the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to grant the company Ligado Networks access to a spectrum band adjacent to one used by U.S. global positioning satellites. Mike Griffin, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, asserted that detecting GPS signals amid the estimated interference from Ligado equipment would be akin to hearing “the sound of leaves rustling through the noise of 100 jets taking off all at once.” Griffin also argued that undermining the U.S. GPS system could drive people to use competing systems operated by rival governments, and that it is a “myth” that Ligado’s plans support the buildout of 5G technologies. While leaders of the committee and its House counterpart have aligned against FCC’s move, some senators from both parties aired skepticism at the hearing about DOD’s concerns, citing the unanimity among Republican and Democratic appointees to the commission in favor of the decision. For its part, FCC issued a statement last week defending the move, saying it will not be “dissuaded by baseless fear mongering.”
Universities Blast Overhaul of Title IX Harassment Rules
The Department of Education released new regulations last week governing the investigation of sexual misconduct complaints under Title IX, drawing sharp criticism from university associations, who have objected to the rule on substantive and procedural grounds. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities issued a statement arguing the rule represents a “deeply flawed, federally micromanaged approach” to adjudicating harassment claims and “inappropriately shifts the campus process into more like a criminal proceeding.” It also criticizes the timing of the change, stating that amid the pandemic it is unreasonable to expect universities to come into compliance with “complex and massively expensive new requirements” by the August 14 deadline. The American Council on Education likewise issued a statement calling the deadline “as cruel as it is counterproductive.” For its part, the department argues the changes provide necessary due process protections for those accused of harassment. Many scientific societies raised concerns about other aspects of the changes during the rulemaking process, such as a narrowing of the federal definition of sexual harassment.
National Science Board Releases Vision 2030 Report
Last week, the National Science Board released its Vision 2030 report, which identifies threats and opportunities facing the U.S. science and engineering enterprise over the next decade. The report recommends urgent action to maintain U.S. scientific leadership as other nations increase their investments in R&D. The board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, outlines four main areas of effort the agency and other stakeholders should prioritize: delivering social and economic benefits from NSF-funded research, developing a strong and diverse STEM workforce, expanding research infrastructure across the country, and fostering a global scientific community. Recommendations for more specific actions include undertaking an organizational review of NSF’s directorate structure and funding models, considering creating a directorate focused on translating research into applications, and evaluating NSF’s broader impacts criteria.
Ellen Ochoa Elected to Succeed Diane Souvaine as NSB Chair
Last week, the National Science Board elected its vice chair Ellen Ochoa to take over as chair from Diane Souvaine, who was in the position for two years and is departing the board after serving two six-year terms. Ochoa, an astronaut who was the first Hispanic woman in space, most recently served as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center until she retired in 2018. She holds a doctorate in electrical engineering and has also worked as an engineer at Sandia National Laboratories and NASA Ames Research Center. Victor McCrary, the vice president for research and graduate programs at the University of the District of Columbia, will take over as vice chair. McCrary received his doctorate in chemistry and has held administrative positions at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Morgan State University. NSB chairs and vice chairs serve for two-year terms, which may be renewed.
NASA Picks Karen St. Germain as Earth Science Director
NASA announced last week that it has chosen Karen St. Germain to lead its Earth Science Division. St. Germain will join the agency on June 8 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where she is the deputy head of the agency’s satellite programs. In that role, she has guided the procurement of the agency’s next-generation weather satellite systems, the COSMIC-2 mission, and Space Weather Follow-On program. She previously worked in the Space, Strategic and Intelligence Systems Office in the Defense Department, where she led its 2014 Strategic Portfolio Review for Space. St. Germain succeeds Michael Freilich as division director and will take over from Sandra Cauffman, who has been filling the role on an acting basis for the past year.
White House Science Policy Shop Names New Director
The Science and Technology Policy Institute announced last week that it has hired Kristen Kulinowski as its new director, effective May 4. Kulinowski, who holds a doctorate in chemistry, previously worked at the institute from 2011 to 2015 and served most recently as a member and then acting chair of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. STPI is operated by the Institute for Defense Analyses and performs studies for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal science agencies. Its former director, Mark Lewis, departed last year and now serves as the Defense Department’s director of defense research and engineering for modernization.
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Events This Week Monday, May 11
Tuesday, May 12
Wednesday, May 13
Thursday, May 14
Friday, May 15
Monday, May 18
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Opportunities Competition on STEM Ed Futures Accepting Submissions
The National Academies is seeking submissions for an “idea competition” that will inform its Symposium on Imagining the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education to be held in November 2020. Entries must address “what people will need to know to navigate the world of 2040 and beyond [and] describe a novel approach to a particular aspect of undergraduate STEM education that could help prepare learners for that world.” Written or video responses are due June 30.
NIST Advisory Committees Seeking Members
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is accepting nominations for members to serve on its Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, which provides broad programmatic and budget advice to the agency. NIST is also accepting nominations for its more specialized advisory committees on earthquake hazards reduction, construction safety, information security, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Nominations are accepted on a rolling basis.
UCAR Seeking Public Policy Fellow
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is accepting applications for its Next Generation Fellowship program, which provides three graduate students with two years of financial support focused on earth system science, diversity and inclusion, and public policy. The policy fellow will support UCAR’s advocacy team during summer visits in Washington, D.C. Applications are due June 30.
Know of an upcoming science policy event either inside or outside the Beltway? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
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