Budget Update

March 29, 2019

The budget process is in full swing on Capitol Hill. Earlier this week, House Appropriations subcommittees held numerous hearings with federal agency leadership including the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education. The tone of the two hearings could not have been more different. Dr. France Cordova was warmly received when she provided testimony to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations subcommittee. Committee members from both sides of the aisle

Budget Update

On March 11 the administration delivered a “skinny budget” recommending cuts to research programs across the government. Typically shared the first Tuesday of February, the budget request was delayed and incomplete due to the 35-day partial government shutdown.

Here is what the administration requested for key agencies supporting behavioral and brain sciences:

National Institutes of Health – $34.4 billion, a $4.94 billion (12 percent) cut from fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget of $39.3

Friends of NIDA Present Cannabinoid Research on the Hill

March 1, 2019

On February 27th, FABBS co-sponsored a congressional briefing held by the Friends of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on “Opportunities and Challenges in Cannabinoid Research”.  

The well-attended briefing began with an overview of the
state of cannabis research, presented by NIDA Director, Nora Volkow, MD. Volkow
mentioned that though much attention has been placed on the opioid epidemic, research
on marijuana and its effects is still urgently needed. A

Deal Reached to Keep Government Open; Administration FY 2020 Budget Request Delayed

February 15, 2019

At press time, a budget deal to avoid another partial shutdown awaited the President’s signature. The conference report provides budgets for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2019 to nine departments and dozens of agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF). The bill would give $8.075 billion to NSF, a $308 million increase from FY 2018, reflecting $6.52 billion for research and related activities and $910 million for the Education and Human