Strong workforce and science-based decision making are key issues for new FDA Commissioner  On March 4, the Senate Appropriations subcommittee listened to Dr. Califf’s first testimony as FDA Commissioner. The hearing was short, lasting only 45 minutes, because of scheduled Senate votes but Dr. Califf made clear that he had two priorities: building a strong, professional, well-supported FDA wo…

New legislation to increase funding for targeted biomedical research initiatives  Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led by Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Patty Murray (Wash.), March 3 introduced the National Biomedical Research Act (S. 2624) to increase funding for targeted biomedical research initiatives through a new, reliable funding stream …

Research sciences are high priority in budget and appropriations talks  House Republicans Clash Over Budget Response and Look Ahead to Appropriations Process:  House GOP conservatives continue to balk at the budget framework negotiated last year by former Speaker John Boehner and Democrats, and are threatening to vote against the budget resolution unless it cuts $30 billion from agreed-upon sp…

Federal health agencies, including NIH, CDC, AHRQ and HRSA, have begun to release their FY 2016 "spend plans" National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Operating Plan  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Operating Plan  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) - Operating Plan  Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA)- Operating Plan 

Obama’s final budget request brings mixed news for science agencies  On February 9th the president released his final budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget. The administration proposes $4.23 trillion in budget authority and $3.64 trillion in revenue for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The administration projects $4.15 trillion in actual spending (outlays) in FY 2017, resulting i…

  Legislative Update: POTUS budget released Feb.9th; House Speaker still intent on regular order; Mandatory funding  Members of Congress will turn their attention to fiscal year (FY) 2017 when President Barack Obama sends his proposed budget to Capitol Hill on February 9. The administration's request is expected to include more details about initiatives for federal agencies next y…

  Congress is back; House Passes Reconciliation; POTUS’s Last Budget Request Projected to be released (one week late) According to a tweet posted by OMB Director Shaun Donovan today, the President's budget request, the last of his administration should be released on February 9th; that makes the budget about a week and a day late, according to the statutory deadline (it requires the president subm…

Omnibus spending bill passes both chambers; POTUS signs into law  President Obama on Friday, December 18th, signed a $1.1 trillion funding bill that will keep the federal government running until Sept. 30, 2016. Earlier on Friday, the House of Representatives passed the spending package with a vote of 316-113. A total of 150 Republicans joined with 166 Democrats to vote yes, while 95 Republic…

  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today released the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan, Fiscal Years 2016–2020: Turning Discovery Into Health, which will ensure the agency remains well positioned to capitalize on new opportunities for scientific exploration and address new challenges for human health. Developed after hearing from hundreds of stakeholders and scientific advisers, and in collaboration…

  Omnibus drama continues…  Earlier this week Democrats rejected Republicans’ first omnibus offer which, according to The Hill, included 30 policy riders that Democrats objected to, including the language passed in the House two weeks ago that would functionally halt Syrian and Iraqi refugees from coming to the United States. The inclusion of the riders, combined with the surprise timing of the pr…