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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><span style="font-size: large;">AIBS Public Policy Report</span></span><br>
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<p><strong>AIBS Public Policy Report, Volume 15, Issue 24, December 1, 2014</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>House Announces New Committee Leadership </li><li>Leadership Changes Anticipated for Key Senate Committees in 2015 </li><li>House Passes Two Bills that Target EPA Science </li><li>Nominations Sought for Gulf of Mexico Restoration Monitoring Panel </li><li>Join Us for the 2015 BESC Congressional Visits Day </li><li>Graduate Student Leaders Sought to Shape Science Policy </li><li>Now in <em>BioScience</em>: White House Takes Steps on Climate Adaptation, but Path Forward is Unclear
</li><li>From the Federal Register </li><li>Become an Advocate for Science: Join the AIBS Legislative Action Center </li></ul>
<hr>
<p>The AIBS Public Policy Report is distributed broadly by email every two weeks to the AIBS membership. Any interested party may self-subscribe to receive these free reports by email or RSS news feed, by going to
<a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=aeedb7970f&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
www.aibs.org/public-policy-reports</a>.<br>
<br>
With proper attribution to AIBS, all material from these reports may be reproduced or forwarded. AIBS staff appreciates receiving copies of materials used. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact the AIBS Director of Public Policy, Robert
Gropp, at 202-628-1500 x 250.</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>House Announces New Committee Leadership</strong><br>
<br>
The House of Representatives has finalized the roster of committee leaders for the next Congress. Although many familiar faces are returning to their positions, some changes are coming.<br>
<br>
The top spot on House Appropriations Committee is not changing, but several appropriations subcommittees with jurisdiction over science funding will have new chairs. The retirement of Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA) opened a spot for Rep. John Culberson (R-TX)
to take the helm of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Culberson has
said that as chairman, “I will do everything in my power to ensure that NASA and the National Science Foundation have what they need to ensure America’s unchallenged leadership in space exploration and scientific discovery.” Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) will take
the gavel for the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the National Institutes of Health.<br>
<br>
The Natural Resources Committee will have a new pair of leaders due to the retirement of the current chair and the move of the current ranking member to another committee. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) will lead the committee and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) will serve
as top Democrat on the panel.<br>
<br>
Representative Mike Conaway (R-TX) was selected as the new chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. He replaces Frank Lucas (R-OK), who had reached the six-year term limit House Republicans have put on their committee chairs. The Democratic caucus does
not have a similar rule.<br>
<br>
No changes in leadership will occur on the Science, Space and Technology Committee, where Representatives Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) will continue to oversee policy related to NSF and other science programs.<br>
<br>
<strong>Leadership Changes Anticipated for Key Senate Committees in 2015</strong><br>
<br>
Senate leadership in the 114th Congress will change significantly as a result of the Republican gains in the November mid-term elections. Although committee chairs and ranking members have not yet been officially announced, the following changes are widely
anticipated.<br>
<br>
The Senate Appropriations Committee will have a new chair. Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) is expected to replace Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) as the top Republican on the committee due to his seniority. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) will likely remain as the
most senior Democrat. Mikulski has been a vocal supporter of federal research from her current position as chair of the full committee and the subcommittee that oversees several science agencies.<br>
<br>
Senator John Thune (R-SD) is expected to chair the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Thune currently serves as Ranking Member of the Committee. With the retirement of Chairman John Rockefeller (D-WV), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) is expected to
become Ranking Member next year. Nelson serves as chair of the Science and Space Subcommittee, a position he has used to advance policy issues at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Rockefeller’s departure from Congress after thirty years will
leave a void in the science policy community, as the Senator has been a solid supporter of efforts to invest in research and has sponsored legislation to reauthorize research and education programs at the National Science Foundation.<br>
<br>
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will likely lead the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the Department of the Interior and Department of Energy. Murkowski has a reputation as a more moderate member of her party and has led a number of bipartisan
legislative initiatives. The future ranking member is harder to predict, as the Democrat who currently reigns over the committee—Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)—is facing a tight runoff election on 6 December. If Landrieu is not reelected, Senator Maria Cantwell
(D-WA) might succeed her as the top Democrat on the panel.<br>
<br>
The Environment and Public Works Committee will likely return to a familiar leadership line up: Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Boxer is currently chair. Inhofe previously served as ranking member until 2013 and chaired the committee when
Republicans controlled the Senate in the mid-2000s. The duo has clashed over a number of environmental issues, including climate change.<br>
<br>
<strong>House Passes Two Bills that Target EPA Science</strong><br>
<br>
Scientific endeavors at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are the subject of two pieces of legislation recently passed by the House of Representatives. The votes were largely along party lines, with only one Republican voting against both bills and
a handful of Democrats voting in favor of the legislation.<br>
<br>
If enacted, H.R. 4012 would prohibit EPA from proposing or finalizing any rule that utilizes research findings that are not “transparent or reproducible.” The “Secret Science Reform Act,” is sponsored by Representative David Schweikert (R-AZ) and arose because
of a dispute between the House Science Committee and the EPA over availability of data underlying certain air pollution regulations. The agency would not turn over the data to lawmakers because university scientists, not EPA employees, collected it.<br>
<br>
The “EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013” would allow industry-associated scientists to join the agency’s Science Advisory Board. The bill would not bar “persons with substantial and relevant expertise” from serving on the Board “due to affiliation
with or representation of entities that may have a potential interest in the Board’s advisory activities.” The bill would also direct the Science Advisory Board to “avoid making policy determinations or recommendations,” and to “distinguish between scientific
determinations and policy advice.” H.R. 1422 is sponsored by Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT).<br>
<br>
The White House has issued a veto threat against H.R. 1422.<br>
<br>
<strong>Nominations Sought for Gulf of Mexico Restoration Monitoring Panel</strong><br>
<br>
The National Research Council is seeking experts to serve on a study on “Effective Approaches for Monitoring and Assessing Gulf of Mexico Restoration Activities.” The study will provide guidance to ensure restoration efforts are meeting their goals. Experts
are needed in ecology, ecosystem restoration, ecosystem services, water quality, adaptive management, and other areas. Nominations are due by 1 December 2014 at
<a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=28ac0be902&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1891672/Gulf-Restoration-Study-Call-for-Nominations</a>.<br>
<br>
<strong>Join Us for the 2015 BESC Congressional Visits Day</strong><br>
<br>
Scientists and graduate students who are interested in communicating the importance of federal investments in scientific research and education to lawmakers are invited to participate in the Biological and Ecological Sciences Coalition (BESC) Congressional
Visits Day in Washington, DC.<br>
<br>
This event is an opportunity for scientists to meet with their members of Congress to discuss the importance of federal funding for biological research and education. Event participants advocate for federal investments in biological sciences research, with
a primary focus on the National Science Foundation, as well as other federal agencies.<br>
<br>
BESC is co-chaired by the American Institute of Biological Sciences and the Ecological Society of America.<br>
<br>
This year’s event will be held in late spring 2015 in Washington, DC. The first day of the program is a training program that will prepare participants for meetings with congressional offices. The second day is spent on Capitol Hill meeting with members of
Congress and their staff.<br>
<br>
There is no cost to participate in this event, but space is limited. BESC and its member organizations are not able to pay/reimburse participants for their travel expenses.<br>
<br>
Learn more about the event and express your interest in participating at <a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=4e35eb329b&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/congressional_visits_day.html</a>. The deadline to sign up is 13 March 2015.<br>
<br>
<strong>Graduate Student Leaders Sought to Shape Science Policy</strong><br>
<br>
Applications are being accepted for the 2015 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award. This award recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences who have demonstrated initiative and leadership in science policy. Recipients receive first-hand experience
at the interface of science and public policy.<br>
<br>
Winners receive:</p>
<ul>
<li>A trip to Washington, DC, to participate in the Biological and Ecological Sciences Coalition Congressional Visits Day, an annual event that brings scientists to the nation’s capital to advocate for federal investment in the biological sciences, with a primary
focus on the National Science Foundation. The event will be held in late spring 2015. Domestic travel and hotel expenses will be paid for the winners.
</li><li>Policy and communications training, including information on the legislative process and trends in federal science funding.
</li><li>Meetings with congressional policymakers to discuss the importance of federal investments in the biological sciences.
</li><li>A one-year AIBS membership, including a subscription to the journal <em>BioScience</em> and a copy of “Communicating Science: A Primer for Working with the Media.”
</li><li>An award certificate and membership in the EPPLA alumni network. </li></ul>
<p>The 2015 award is open to U.S. citizens enrolled in a graduate degree program in the biological sciences, science education, or a closely allied field. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in and commitment to science policy and/or science education
policy. Prior EPPLA winners and AIBS science policy interns/fellows are not eligible.<br>
<br>
Applications are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, 18 January 2015. The application can be downloaded at
<a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=2ded09f71f&e=6708ed45cf" target="_blank" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/eppla.html</a>.<br>
<br>
<strong>Now in <em>BioScience</em>: White House Takes Steps on Climate Adaptation, but Path Forward is Unclear
</strong><br>
<br>
In the Washington Watch column in the November 2014 issue of the journal <em>BioScience</em>, Kevin Todd highlights congressional recent efforts by the federal government to address climate change.<br>
<br>
The following is an excerpt from the article:<br>
<br>
At the start of the Obama presidency, many climate change advocates felt that they had an opportunity to achieve meaningful government action on global warming. Although the House of Representatives passed a cap-and-trade bill in 2009, there was little White
House action on this issue during President Obama's first term. Instead, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change largely took a back seat as the president pursued health-care reform. In his second inaugural address, Obama signaled a shift in focus,
stating, "We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that failure to do so would betray our children and future generations."<br>
<br>
Continue reading the article for free at <a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=066dd4e4a6&e=6708ed45cf" target="_blank" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/64/11/970.full</a>.<br>
<br>
<strong>From the Federal Register</strong><br>
<br>
The following items appeared in the Federal Register from 17 to 28 November 2014. For more information on these or other recent items, please visit the AIBS Federal Register Resource at
<a a="" href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=a1e82996f7&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
www.aibs.org/federal-register-resource/index.html</a>.<br>
<br>
<strong>Week Ending 28 November 2014</strong><br>
<br>
<strong>Environmental Protection Agency</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Notification of a Public Teleconference of the Great Lakes Advisory Board </li><li>Regional Monitoring Networks To Detect Climate Change Effects in Stream Ecosystems
</li><li>Request for Nominations of Candidates for EPA's Science Advisory Board 2015; Scientific and Technological Achievement Awards Committee
</li><li>SFIREG Full Committee; Notice of Public Meeting </li></ul>
<strong>Energy</strong>
<ul>
<li>Commission To Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories </li></ul>
<strong>Executive Office of the President</strong>
<ul>
<li>Modernizing and Streamlining the U.S. Immigrant Visa System for the 21st Century
</li></ul>
<strong>Health and Human Services</strong>
<ul>
<li>Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting </li></ul>
<strong>Interior</strong>
<ul>
<li>Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Revision to the Regulations for the Nonessential Experimental Population of the Mexican Wolf
</li></ul>
<strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration</strong>
<ul>
<li>NASA Advisory Council; Science Committee; Meeting Postponement </li></ul>
<strong>National Science Foundation</strong>
<ul>
<li>Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education; Notice of Meeting
</li></ul>
<strong>Week Ending 21 November 2014</strong><br>
<br>
<strong>Commerce</strong>
<ul>
<li>Establishment of Commerce Data Advisory Council; Solicitation of Nominations for Membership
</li><li>Final Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Management-Based Research Needs and Priorities Document
</li></ul>
<strong>Defense</strong>
<ul>
<li>Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Initiate the Public Scoping Period and Host Public Scoping Meetings for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study ("GLMRIS")--Evaluation of Aquatic Nuisance Species
</li></ul>
<strong>Environmental Protection Agency</strong>
<ul>
<li>Notice of Meeting of the EPA's Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC)
</li><li>Notification of a Public Meeting of the Science Advisory Board, Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives Review Panel
</li><li>Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee; Notice of Public Meeting </li></ul>
<strong>Health and Human Services</strong>
<ul>
<li>Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting </li></ul>
<strong>Interior</strong>
<ul>
<li>Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee: Meeting </li><li>Notice of December 5, 2014, Teleconference Meeting of the National Park System Advisory Board
</li></ul>
<br>
<strong>Become an Advocate for Science: Join the AIBS Legislative Action Center</strong><br>
<br>
Quick, free, easy, effective, impactful! Join the <a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=c410c6716a&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
AIBS Legislative Action Center</a>.<br>
<br>
The Legislative Action Center is a one-stop shop for learning about and influencing science policy. Through the website, users can contact elected officials and sign-up to interact with lawmakers.<br>
<br>
The website offers tools and resources to inform researchers about recent policy developments. The site also announces opportunities to serve on federal advisory boards and to comment on federal regulations.<br>
<br>
This new tool is made possible through contributions from the Society for the Study of Evolution, Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, and the Botanical Society of America.<br>
<br>
AIBS and our partner organizations invite scientists and science educators to become policy advocates today. Simply go to
<a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=68f3f3af77&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
policy.aibs.org</a> to get started.<br>
<hr>
<ul>
<li>Give your society or organization a voice in public policy. See <a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=fffc260611&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/funding_contributors.html</a>. <br>
</li><li>Become an AIBS Individual Member and lend your voice to a national effort to advance the biological sciences through public policy, education, and science programs. Visit
<a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=ac8e0cd0f2&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://www.access.aibs.org/?page=IndMem</a> to join AIBS. <br>
</li><li>Become an advocate for science, visit the AIBS Legislative Action Center at <a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=581e1e65c2&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
http://policy.aibs.org</a>. <br>
</li><li>Know the news as it happens, sign-up to receive AIBS press releases and policy statements (<a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=93fd2752d6&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">http://www.aibs.org/mailing-lists/mediaisu.html</a>).
</li></ul>
<p>The American Institute of Biological Sciences is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and education for the welfare of society. AIBS works to ensure that the public, legislators, funders, and the community
of biologists have access to and use information that will guide them in making informed decisions about matters that require biological knowledge. The organization does this through informing decisions by providing peer-reviewed or vetted information about
the biology field and profession and by catalyzing action through building the capacity and the leadership of the community to address matters of common concern.<br>
<br>
Founded in 1947 as a part of the National Academy of Sciences, AIBS became an independent, member-governed organization in the 1950s. Today, AIBS has over 140 member organizations and is headquartered in Reston, VA, with a Public Policy Office in Washington,
DC. Its approximately 40 staff members work to achieve its mission by publishing the peer-reviewed journal
<em>BioScience</em> and the education Web site <em>ActionBioscience.org</em>, by providing scientific peer-review and advisory services to government agencies and other clients, and by collaborating with scientific organizations to advance public policy, education,
and the public understanding of science.<br>
<br>
Website: <a href="http://aibs.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2886d199362c2554974f78af&id=9e88b8e9bc&e=6708ed45cf" style="color: #800000;text-decoration: underline;font-weight: normal;">
www.aibs.org</a>.</p>
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