FABBS reports on items of interest to many communities – scientists, policymakers, and the public. In our news, you will see updates on science funding and policy, articles that translate research for policy, and descriptions of the research contributions of scientists at all stages of their research careers.
Congress and White House Agree to “Raise the Caps” and Fund the Government
February 16, 2018
In the early hours of February 9, Congress passed and the President into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (H.R. 1892). The bill’s passage, which was preceded by a brief five-hour federal government shutdown, accomplished several important goals. First, the bill extends current fiscal year (FY) 2018 funding through March 23, giving lawmakers six weeks to negotiate a final FY 2018 omnibus funding measure. Second, it suspends the debt limit until March 2019.
read moreScience Societies Push for Science-Based Decision Making
January 9, 2018
There was a flurry of activity among science societies when it was first reported that the Administration had banned the use of seven words in budget documents by officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency’s director, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, was quick to respond that no words were banned, and others at CDC characterized the effort as an attempt to ensure approval of their budget with a Republican Congress. Last week she also sent a letter
read moreTo End the Cycle of Poverty, Begin in the Womb
January 9, 2018
We have long known that environmental toxins can have an adverse impact on pregnant mothers and their infants, but it turns out the environment can have a subtler impact than once thought. Chronic, pronounced stress during pregnancy impacts a baby’s brain development in ways that can negatively affect attention, self-control, and behavior for years to come. That kind of stress is more commonly experienced by people living in poverty, and may help to explain the notoriously
read moreNIH Hosts Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival
January 9, 2018
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) and the NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee (BSSR-CC) held a research festival, Connecting People to Advance Health, on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, on December 8th. The festival featured NIH-funded research and provided the opportunity for NIH extramural and intramural behavioral and social scientists to network, exchange ideas, and
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