On April 9, 2021, the White House released President Biden’s much awaited budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2022, outlining the Administration’s priorities and proposing large increases for several federal science agencies.

New legislation introduced by House Science Committee leadership proposes doubling the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) budget over five years and creating a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions (SES) that will enable NSF to accelerate the translation of science and technology into solutions to society’s major challenges.

The House Science Committee has advanced the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act (H.R. 144), which would authorize $250 million for the National Science Foundation over fiscal years 2021 and 2022 “to prevent the loss of research talent due to job market disruptions caused by any economic decline during and after the pandemic.”

A new report by Democratic lawmakers on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology warns about a “dangerously diminished” federal science workforce.

President Biden has nominated former Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) to serve as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a position that requires Senate confirmation.

A coalition of more than 200 scientific and academic stakeholder groups have asked President Biden to champion the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act (H.R.869, S.289) and support full funding for the initiatives the legislation would create.

AIBS has submitted a letter of support to lawmakers for the confirmation of Dr. Eric Lander to the position of Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

More than 90 stakeholder groups, including AIBS, have called on legislators to increase overall funding allocations for Appropriations Committees in Fiscal Year 2022, as well as the respective allocations for Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees, in order to significantly increase discretionary funding for crucial U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 220-211, along party lines, to approve the American Rescue Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) on March 10, 2021. The Senate had earlier passed the bill on a 50-49 vote, also along party lines. President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion measure into law on March 11.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) presents preliminary evidence indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted women in academic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) fields in a number of areas, including productivity, work-life boundary control, networking and community building, and mental well-being.