Federal R&D Investment as a Tool for Global Competition

Federal policy discussions about global competition increasingly include the importance of basic research. China’s continued emergence as an economic and military power in the world has generated bipartisan interest in revitalizing the United States’ federal research and development investments as a tool to ensure American global competitiveness in the years ahead. Two recent meetings brought experts together to discuss opportunities for such a policy response.

Task Force on American

New Legislation Would Create National Gun Violence Research Program

Last week, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Chair of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, reintroduced the National Gun Violence Research Act that would create a comprehensive approach to gun violence research involving multiple agencies. The bill would authorize additional funding for the National Science Foundation ($15M), the National Institute of Standards and Technology ($1M), the Department of Health and Human Services ($25M), and the Department of Justice ($3M)

Bipartisan Group Proposes Funding for Research on Mental Health Effects of COVID-19

FABBS is monitoring new legislation recently introduced by a bipartisan and bicameral group of Members of Congress: the COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act. Senators Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kaine (D-VA) introduced the bill in the Senate, while Representatives Tonko (D-NY) and Katko (R-NY) are sponsoring the House Version.

The bill would direct $100 million annually for five years to the National Institute of Mental Health to fund research on the mental health consequences of the pandemic, with

House Science Committee Holds Hearing on Building Back the U.S. Research Enterprise: COVID Impacts and Recovery

The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee met on Thursday, February 25th to discuss the impact that COVID-19 is having on research and researcher productivity, including the science pipeline. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) began the hearing by outlining challenges to researchers caused by the pandemic including: time and financial constraints; losing graduate and future researchers; a reduction in productivity; the challenges of resuming paused research; and elevated stress