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the Bush administration in August 2001. The new policy permits
federal funding to be used for embryonic stem cell research and instructs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop new guidelines
within 120 days to assure that the research will meet the highest ethical standards.
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Inside (The Beltway) Scoop
After adopting another temporary “continuing resolution” that allowed for several additional days of debate, the U.S. Senate finally passed
the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations bill (HR 1105) the evening of
March 10th by a voice vote. Final adoption of the legislation came after more than 20 amendments were defeated, mostly along partisan
lines. President Obama quietly signed the bill into law (Public Law 111-008) on March 11th, bringing the FY 2009 appropriations cycle to a
close six months in to new the fiscal year.
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House Committee Holds Science Accountable for Stimulus Funds
Yesterday, the House Science and Technology Committee Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing featuring two panels of
representatives from science agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction to discuss accountability, transparency and oversight within each
agency with respect to the funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The hearing, "Follow the Money: Accountability and
Transparency in Recovery Act Science Funding," featured testimony from the “senior accountability officers” and Inspectors General (IGs)
from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), Commerce Department and National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA). The tone of the hearing was probative if generally supportive.
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Energy Secretary Chu Testifies at Senate Hearings
Over the past month, Energy Secretary Steven Chu has appeared several times before Congress to discuss the budget, goals, and structure
of the Department of Energy (DOE). His most recent appearance was at a hearing of the House Committee on Science and Technology, where,
during a discussion of DOE plans and oversight for spending Recovery Act funds, Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) remarked, “The funding will
make critical investments in a wide range of activities spanning the innovation spectrum from basic research to supporting the market
for new energy technologies.” He added, “It presents a historic opportunity to put people to work building a more sustainable future for
the country. However, when it comes to the taxpayers’ money we must work together to ensure these funds are spent wisely.”
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Holdren and Lubchenco Confirmed
Yesterday, John P. Holdren, Ph. D., President Obama’s nominee to lead the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and
Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., nominated to be Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at the U.S. Department of Commerce (also known
as the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - NOAA), were finally confirmed by the Senate by a
vote of 61 to
31. The confirmation came after a protracted and confusing series of delays that raised the ire of some in the scientific community.
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FASEB Encourages OMB to Reduce Regulatory Burden
FASEB sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging a reduction in the regulatory burden shouldered by the scientific
community. The letter was submitted in response to an OMB request for information intended to inform the development of a set of
recommendations for a new Executive Order on federal regulatory review. Responding to a directive from President Obama, OMB’s
recommendations are to offer suggestions related to the disclosure and transparency of regulations, the role of cost-benefit analysis in the
development of regulations, public participation in agency regulatory processes, and identification of methods to ensure that regulatory
review does not produce undue delay, among other issues.
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