The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 1806) tomorrow, May 20. The bill, which authorizes funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other science agencies, has faced criticism from the scientific community. COSSA has published an analysis of the bill, as well as a statement opposing it. Click here to read all of our COMPETES coverage.

On May 14, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee approved by voice vote its discussion draft of the 21^st Century Cures Act.  An amendment to an earlier discussion draft was introduced by full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA), full committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Gene Green (D-TX).  The bipartisan amendment incorporated federal agency and scientific community feedback to a draft bill the preceding day.

The legislation is scheduled to be considered by the full Energy and Commerce Committee the week of May 18; the Committee will convene for opening statements only on May 19 and on May 20 to mark up the bill.

Read on for COSSA's full analysis of the bill.

On May 13, a draft of the fiscal year (FY) 2016 House Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill was publicly released in anticipation of the CJS Subcommittee markup scheduled for Thursday, May 14.  This is the bill that provides annual appropriations to the National Science Foundation (NSF), Census Bureau and other statistical agencies, and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). [It should not be confused with the NSF reauthorization (COMPETES) bill that we have also been reporting on in recent weeks.]

Read on for preliminary details on the contents of the draft bill as it pertains to federal agencies important to the social and behavioral science research community. We will know more, such as whether there are any provisions specifically targeting social science, once the Committee Report is released.

Although Congress is just beginning the process of working to enact fiscal year (FY) 2016 appropriations for federal agencies and programs, agency officials are beginning their work on the FY 2017 budget request. In a memo from Shaun Donovan, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), federal agencies have been advised to prepare their FY 2017 budget proposals with a five percent reduction below the net discretionary total provided in the FY 2016 President's budget request. The scenario is meant to assist the Administration in its efforts to "deliver a Government that is more effective, efficient, and supportive of economic growth." This is a common exercise in the annual federal budget preparation process. Additional details and guidance for FY 2017 can be viewed in the OMB memo. 

On May 15, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) received an interim report on the President's proposed Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI). Opening the meeting, PCAST co-chair and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) John Holdren discussed the ongoing budget process and the challenges associated with the FY 2016 budget. Despite these challenges, Holdren noted, there are a number of exciting initiatives in progress, including the Precision Medicine Initiative.

PCAST co-chair Eric Lander reminded members that President Obama announced his Precision Medicine Initiative on January 30. It is designed to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities that are available in medicine, including the ability to gather a large amount of data as the result of technology along with the opportunity to turn the health care system into a learning system. Lander noted that the President's introduction of the Precision Medicine Initiative recognized the scientific opportunities across the health care spectrum with regard to common diseases that affect everyone. He pointed out, however, that there has been a considerable amount of work to follow up on the President's broad direction.

Read on for more details.

The National Centers for Health Statistics (NCHS) has released the 2014 edition of its annual report, Health, United States, which compiles data on Americans' health, including life expectancy, fertility, disease prevalence, use of health care, and health expenditures. The 2014 edition includes a special feature on adults aged 55-64-baby boomers who are about to become eligible for Medicare, and whose aging is expected to have a significant impact on the U.S. health care system. 

The National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality, which advises the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is seeking nominations for new members to serve terms beginning in spring 2016. The Council is interested in individuals whose background includes: "(1) The conduct of research, demonstration projects, and evaluations with respect to health care; (2) the fields of health care quality research or health care improvement; (3) the practice of medicine; (4) other health professions; (5) representing the private health care sector (including health plans, providers, and purchasers) or administrators of health care delivery systems; (6) the fields of health care economics, information systems, law, ethics, business, or public policy; and, (7) representing the interests of patients and consumers of health care." More information is available in the Federal Register notice. Nominations must be received by July 6, 2015.

Given the increasing number of scientists engaged in collaborative research, referred to as "team science," the National Research Council (NRC) appointed the Committee on the Science of Team Science, chaired by Nancy J. Cooke, Arizona State University, to conduct and release a consensus study to provide guidance for these science teams or groups. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Elsevier, and the final report, entitled Enhancing the Effectiveness of Team Science, was released on April 24.

Read on for more details.

The Division of AIDS Research (DAR) within the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking applications for Center Core grants to support an HIV/AIDS Research Center (ARC) (PAR-15-197) and applications to support Developmental AIDS Research Centers (D-ARC) (PAR-15-196). ARC supports innovative, interdisciplinary research in the areas of basic research, neuro-AIDS, behavioral and social, integrated biobehavioral, clinical, translational, and implementation science. D-ARC provides infrastructure support that facilitates the development of high impact science in HIV/AIDS and mental health that is relevant to the NIMH mission.

NIMH's intent is to support research that addresses the most current research priorities in the field. Accordingly, the proposed ARC priorities should align with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and international research directions outlined in guidance from the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR). The Centers must have the potential to support research in a variety of areas: biological, biomedical, behavioral, neuroscience, mental health, prevention, clinical sciences, and implementation science research. ARCs are expected to serve as local, regional, national, and global resources for rigorous HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and implementation science. D-ARCs have the potential to assemble the evidence base critical to health policy decisions-making pertaining to resource allocation, strategic priorities, and best practices.

Applications are due September 14, 2015.