FYI: Science Policy News from AIP
THIS WEEK
What’s Ahead
House Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request Hearing
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), chair of the House appropriations subcommittee for NASA and the National Science Foundation. His subcommittee is advancing its spending proposals for fiscal year 2025 this week. (Bill Ingalls / NASA)

House to Reveal Science Budget Proposals for FY25

House Republicans will release their topline spending proposals for many science agencies this week. The appropriations subcommittee covering NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Commerce Department will meet on Wednesday to advance its draft bill for fiscal year 2025, followed by the National Institutes of Health subcommittee on Thursday, and the Department of Energy subcommittee on Friday. Program-level details will not be made public until the subcommittees release the accompanying explanatory reports, which are typically published around the time the full Appropriations Committee meets to consider each bill. Figures for select programs will be collected in FYI’s Federal Science Budget Tracker as they become available.
So far the committee has approved bills covering the Department of Defense, State Department, and Department of Homeland Security, among others. The full House plans to vote on this trio of bills this week after the Rules Committee meets Tuesday to determine what amendments will be permitted. House Democrats have opposed the bills advanced so far this budget cycle, in part because they seek spending cuts to non-defense programs despite current law permitting a 1% overall increase. Meanwhile, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) argued in a speech last week that Congress should revise the law to permit an increase greater than 1%. She also announced that her committee will begin advancing its spending proposals when Congress returns after its 4th of July recess. These actions represent opening moves in lengthy negotiations over the budget, which Congress is unlikely to finalize before the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.

US Drafts Limits on Investment in Quantum Industry in China

Responding to a 2023 executive order restricting U.S. persons from investing in sensitive technology sectors in China, the Treasury Department released a draft rule last week that elaborates on what types of transactions will be prohibited. The restrictions focus on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum information technologies. The draft rule details types of technologies within each category that will be affected and outlines exemptions for civilian uses. For instance, the rule states it applies to quantum technologies that “enable capabilities that could compromise encryption and other cybersecurity controls and jeopardize military communications, among other things.” It then adds, “In the case of a quantum sensing platform or quantum network, the end-use provision avoids covering use cases in strictly civilian fields.” Public comments on the rule are due Aug. 4.

NAS Delivers Inaugural ‘State of the Science Address’

On Wednesday, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt will deliver the first “State of the Science Address,” modeled on the annual State of the Union speech given by U.S. presidents. McNutt said in a statement the address will “provide policymakers and the public with a clear picture of the overall direction of the U.S. research enterprise — including its strengths, potential shortcomings, and possible pathways for the future.” Her address will be followed by a panel discussion with prominent scientists. Topics to be explored at the event include “how realignment in public and private R&D funding is affecting science and innovation; the distribution of AI research and talent and potential impacts for the future; the status of STEMM education in the U.S.; and public trust in science in an era of misinformation and disinformation.”

Also On Our Radar

  • Legislation that proposes to channel a portion of spectrum auction funds toward science programs has stalled in the Senate. The Senate Commerce Committee canceled a vote planned on the bill last week, with Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) stating that Republicans planned to offer controversial amendments.
  • The director of the ITER fusion facility will explain major proposed changes to the construction schedule at a press conference on July 3.
  • Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk will testify on DOE’s budget request before the House Science Committee on Wednesday.
  • The Government Accountability Office has released its latest annual assessments of major projects underway at NASA and NSF.
In Case You Missed It

US Lawmakers Aim to Limit Citizens of China and Russia from Accessing DOE Labs

JUN 17, 2024

Legislation advancing in the Senate and House would restrict Chinese and Russian citizens from using national labs of the Department of Energy.

Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Expires Amid Debate Over Eligibility Expansion

JUN 21, 2024

Congress is struggling to reach consensus on whether to expand a law that compensates victims of exposures related to the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

Effort to Create Fundraising Arm for NIST Advances in House

JUN 21, 2024

A non-profit foundation affiliated with NIST would mirror similar operations at other research agencies.
Upcoming Events
All events are Eastern Time, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement. Events beyond this week are listed on our website.

Monday, June 24

NDIA: 2024 CBRN Defense Conference and Exhibition
(continues through Wednesday)

Tuesday, June 25

World Resources Institute: Next generation NDCs: Setting sectoral targets to maximize impact
10:00 - 11:30 am

Wednesday, June 26

Exchange Monitor: Nuclear Energy Summit
(continues Thursday)
DOD: Defense Science Board meeting (closed)
(continues Thursday)
House: Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee bill markup
8:30 am, Appropriations Committee
NASA: Aeronautics Committee meeting
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
House: Commerce Department budget request hearing
10:00 am, Energy and Commerce Committee
House: DOE budget request hearing
10:00 am, Science Committee
NDIA: Tech 101: Trustworthy AI
1:00 - 2:00 pm
National Academies: The State of the Science Address
3:00 - 5:00 pm

Thursday, June 27

House: Labor-HHS-Education subcommittee bill markup
8:00 am, Appropriations Committee
CHORUS: Linking datasets to content
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
National Nanotechnology Initiative: What’s next in NanoEHS: Risk assessment and risk management
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Friday, June 28

House: Interior-Environment subcommittee bill markup
8:00 am, Appropriations Committee
House: Energy-Water subcommittee bill markup
8:30 am, Appropriations Committee
National Academies: Climate conversations: Hydrogen
12:30 - 1:45 pm
National Academies: Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics meeting
3:30 - 4:15 pm

Monday, July 1

Know of an upcoming science policy event either inside or outside the Beltway? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
Opportunities
Deadlines indicated in parentheses. Newly added opportunities are marked with a diamond.

Job Openings

Solicitations

Issues in S&T: Survey on who does S&T policy (ongoing)
◆NOAA: Nominations for membership on the Space Weather Advisory Group (June 30)
◆National Academies: Nominations for experts on institutional change to support STEM underrepresented faculty success (July 3)
USPTO: Nominations for Patent Public Advisory Committee (July 5)
NSF: RFC on draft South Pole Station Master Plan (July 17)
Commerce Department: RFI on AI and open government data (July 16)
DOE: RFI on Fusion Energy Public-Private Consortium Framework (July 22)
OSTP: RFC on the National Nanotechnology Initiative environmental, health, and safety research strategy (July 22)
NIH: RFI on draft policy to promote access to products stemming from taxpayer-funded inventions (July 22)
◆NSF: RFI on digital twins research and development (July 28)
NOAA: RFI on the NOAA Space Weather Scales (July 31)
DOE: RFI on DOE’s Environmental Justice Strategic Plan (July 31)
House: RFC on NIH reform (Aug. 16)
Know of an opportunity for scientists to engage in science policy? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
Around the Web

White House

Congress

Science, Society, and the Economy

Education and Workforce

Chemical and Engineering News: Gaza’s universities are gone. What’s next for science education?
Chemical and Engineering News: The chemist who stayed in Gaza
Chemical and Engineering News: Antisemitism impoverishes science education and research (perspective by Nick Ishmael-Perkins and Mitch Jacoby)
Nature: Boycotting academics in Israel is counterproductive (perspective by Simone Shamay-Tsoory, et al.)
Nature: I was prevented from attending my own conference: Visa processes need urgent reform (perspective by Felix Moronta-Barrios)
Nature: What’s the state of hiring researchers in science? Share your insights with Nature
Physics Today: Fixing the PhD qualifying exam (perspective by Timothy DelSole and Paul Dirmeyer)

Research Management

Labs and Facilities

Computing and Communications

Space

Weather, Climate, and Environment

Energy

Defense

C4ISRNET: Pentagon tech hub to launch dozens of new projects with FY24 funding
CSIS: Nuclear weapons and foreign policy: A conversation with HPSCI Chairman Mike Turner (interview)
SpacePolicyOnline: Turner doubles down on Russian nuclear ASAT threat
Times of Israel: Israel modernizing nuclear capabilities, upgrading production facilities – report
National Academies: New reports evaluate US readiness to prevent, counter, and respond to threats of nuclear and chemical weapons of mass destruction
New York Times: Where the world plans to test nuclear weapons next (perspective by Kathleen Kingsbury)
Science: Reducing nuclear dangers (perspective by Matthew Bunn)
Breaking Defense: Missile Defense Agency has new hope for airborne lasers
Science|Business: NATO announces first investments from its €1B innovation fund

Biomedical

International Affairs

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