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AIBS Position Statements

Position statements adopted by the American Institute of Biological Sciences.

Contact: Robert Gropp, Director of Public Policy, , 202-628-1500 x 250

Statements

May 2008 - AIBS Sends Letter to House Regarding Bioenergy Research

The Honorable Bart Gordon House Committee on Science and Technology 2320 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Gordon: At the recent Council on Undergraduate Research exhibition and reception on Capitol Hill, you spoke about a planned visit......

May 2008 - AIBS Writes Oklahoma Governor about Science Education

The Honorable Brad Henry 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Telephone: (405) 521-2342 Fax: (405) 521-3353 Dear Governor Henry: I am writing today on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) to express concern......

April 2008 - AIBS Sends Letter to Hill Regarding SBIR and STTR Reauthorization Act

The Honorable Vernon Ehlers United States House of Representatives 2182 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Mr. Ehlers: The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) opposes the increases in mandatory set-asides required by federal extramural granting agencies proposed......

April 2008 - Senate Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the EPA

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the Environmental Protection Agency April 21, 2008 Submitted by: Megan Kelhart Senior Policy Associate and Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 I (Eye) Street,......

March 2008 - AIBS Letter to Oklahoma Senate Rules Committee

The Honorable ______ 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Dear Senator _______: I am writing today on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) to express grave concern about HB 2211, the Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination......

March 2008 - House Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the NSF

Submitted by: Holly Menninger, Ph.D. Senior Public Affairs Associate and Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC, 20005 Phone: 202-628-1500 Fax: 202-628-1509 www.aibs.org Submitted to: Subcommittee......

March 2008 - Senate Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the NSF

Submitted by: Holly Menninger, Ph.D. Senior Public Affairs Associate and Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC, 20005 Phone: 202-628-1500 Fax: 202-628-1509 www.aibs.org Submitted to: Subcommittee......

March 2008 - House Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the EPA

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the Environmental Protection Agency March 13, 2008 Submitted by: Megan Kelhart Senior Policy Associate and Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 I (Eye) Street,......

March 2008 - House Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for the USGS

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2009 Funding for United States Geological Survey March 13, 2008 Submitted by: Megan Kelhart Senior Policy Associate and Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 I (Eye) Street,......

March 2008 - AIBS Sends Letter to House Budget Committee

The Honorable John Spratt, Chairman House Committee on the Budget 207 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-6065 Dear Mr. Chairman: The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) encourages the Budget Committee to support increased funding for the sciences across......

February 2008 - AIBS Letter to Florida State Board of Education

Dear Florida State Board of Education Member: The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) supports the draft Florida science standards released by the State Board of Education writing committee on February 1, 2008. We encourage you to approve these......

December 2007 - AIBS Letter to Texas Commissioner of Higher Education

Dr. Raymund Paredes, Commissioner Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board P.O. Box 12788 Austin, TX 78711-2788 Dear Commissioner Paredes: On behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences, I write to express sincere concern with the request submitted by the......

December 2007 - Letter to NRC Regarding the Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs Study

Ms. Charlotte Kuh, Ph.D. Deputy Executive Director, Division on Policy and Global Affairs Study Director, Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs National Research Council Re: Awards and Honors Section for the Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs Dear Dr. Kuh: Members of......

December 2007 - AIBS President Comments on Evolution Controversy in Texas

WASHINGTON, DC - Despite state high-school biology standards that require that "the student knows the theory of biological evolution," the latest actions by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) suggest that Texas will become the next battleground for evolution education....

November 2007 - AIBS Letter to House in Support of NBII

The Honorable Norman Dicks, Chairman House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations B-308 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Todd Tiahrt, Ranking Member House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations 1016 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Dicks......

November 2007 - AIBS Letter to Senate in Support of NBII

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, Chairman Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations 131 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Feinstein: Thank you for your support of the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) program. As......

August 2007 - AIBS Comments on National Science Board STEM Education Plan

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the National Science Board's (NSB) draft report, "A National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education System."...

April 2007 - Senate Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding for USGS

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding for United States Geological Survey April 27, 2007 Submitted by: Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 I (Eye) Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005......

April 2007 - House Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding for the USGS

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding for United States Geological Survey April 19, 2007 Submitted by: Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 I (Eye) Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005......

April 2007 - Senate Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding for the NSF

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding forthe National Science Foundation April 13, 2007 Submitted by: Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC, 20005 Phone:......

April 2007 - House Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding for the NSF

Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2008 Funding forthe National Science Foundation April 13, 2007 Submitted by: Robert Gropp, Ph.D. Director of Public Policy American Institute of Biological Sciences 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC, 20005 Phone:......

February 2007 - AIBS Names 2007 Emerging Public Policy Leaders

Contact: Holly Menninger Public Policy Associate hmenninger@aibs.org 202-628-1500 x 229 Moss Landing Marine Labs student and UW Botany student will travel to Washington, D.C. to speak to lawmakers about science policy WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 27, 2007) - The American......

November 2006 - Biologists Celebrate Evolution Education Victory in Ohio; Warn Scientists Not to Become Complacent

For Immediate Release Contact: Robert Gropp, 202-628-1500 x 250 Washington, DC (November 9, 2006) — Election results from Ohio represent the latest victory in the battle to ensure that all students receive a quality science education, which includes evolutionary......

November 2006 - AIBS President Reacts to Kansas Board of Education Election Results

Biologists Respond to Kansas Board of Education Election Results Contact: Robert Gropp 202-628-1500 x 250 Washington, DC (November 8, 2006) — On Tuesday, November 7, 2006, voters in Kansas sent a strong message when they placed control of the state......

October 2006 - AIBS Comments to JSOST on “Charting the Course for Ocean Science”

National Science and Technology Council Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology Via e-mail: public-comment@jsost.org RE: Request for comment on "Charting the Course for Ocean Science" Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the August 2006 draft......

August 2006 - Biologists Respond to Kansas Board of Education Primary Election Results

Outcome offers hope for quality science education in Kansas WASHINGTON, DC—On August 1, 2006, Kansas primary voters demonstrated their commitment to Kansas students. Of the five Kansas Board of Education seats contested Tuesday, evolution education supporters appear to have won......

July 2006 - Comments on Draft NSF Strategic Plan for 2006-2011

The American Institute of Biological Siences (AIBS) submits the following in response to the National Science Foundation (NSF) request for public comment on "Investing in America's Future," NSF's draft strategic plan for 2006-2011. ...

May 2006 - AIBS and ESA Letter to House Appropriators in Support of FY 2007 NSF Appropriations

We are writing to encourage you to do all that you can to fund the Administration's fiscal year 2007 budget request of $6.02 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF)....

April 2006 - AIBS Letter to Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Regarding the Importance of Evolution

Recently, the science journal Nature reported that the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) denied a grant that would have investigated the potential impact of anti-evolution movements on the teaching of science....

April 2006 - AIBS Senate Appropriations Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2007 Funding at the US Geological Survey

The American Institute of Biological Sciences requests that Congress provide the United States Geological Survey (USGS) with $1.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2007, with at least $200 million for the Biological Resources Discipline. The funding we request would restore......

April 2006 - AIBS Senate Appropriations Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2007 Funding at the National Science Foundation

The American Institute of Biological Sciences encourages Congress to support the President's fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget request of $6.02 billion for the National Science Foundation. The Administration's request reflects the recognition of the important role that fundamental, peer-reviewed scientific......

March 2006 - AIBS House Appropriations Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2007 Funding for the National Science Foundation

The American Institute of Biological Sciences encourages Congress to support the President's fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget request of $6.02 billion for the National Science Foundation. The Administration's request reflects the recognition of the important role that fundamental, peer-reviewed scientific......

March 2006 - AIBS House Appropriations Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2007 Funding for the US Geological Survey

The American Institute of Biological Sciences requests that Congress provide the United States Geological Survey (USGS) with $1.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2007, with at least $200 million for the Biological Resources Discipline. The funding we request would restore......

December 2005 - Biologists Applaud Dover Decision

Washington, DC - The precedent has been set in the case of Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District, and teachers in Dover, PA, are now free to keep science in the science class. Today Judge John E. Jones......

November 2005 - Kansas Board of Education Adopts Standards That Demean Science

The Kansas State Board of Education has done a disservice to the state's K-12 students by voting today to adopt a curriculum that redefines science such that intelligent design/creationism and other supernatural concepts could be taught in science classes....

August 2005 - Intersociety letter to Representative Joe Barton (R-TX)

AIBS joined 30 other scientific and educational organizations to send a letter to Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The letter expresses the scientific communities concerns with the approach that Rep. Barton took in seeking to gather information about climate change research from scientists supported by federal grants. ...

August 2005 - Biologists Speak Out Against Vote by Kansas Board of Education

The Kansas State Board of Education is doing a disservice to the state’s K-12 students by adopting a curriculum that redefines science such that intelligent design/creationism and other non-scientific concepts could be taught in science classes....

August 2005 - AIBS Criticizes President's Statement on Intelligent Design

The American Institute of Biological Sciences is concerned with President Bush’s recent statement suggesting that it would be appropriate to teach the concept of intelligent design/creationism alongside the well-established theory of evolution. ... “Intelligent design is not a scientific theory and must not be taught in science classes,” said AIBS president Dr. Marvalee Wake, a perspective shared by President Bush’s science advisor, Dr. John Marburger III....

June 2005 - AIBS Thank-You Letter to Representatives Who Helped Defeat Amendment Seeking to Remove Funding from the National Science Foundation

On 17 June AIBS sent a letter to six representatives thanking them for speaking out on the House floor against an amendment that sought to transfer funds from NSF to a Justice Department program. Rep. Anthony D. Weiner, D-NY, sponsored the amendment to the Science-State-Justice-Commerce appropriations bill, which would have diverted $126 million from the NSF—roughly three-fourths of the proposed increase for FY 2006. Following the floor debate, the House rejected the amendment. ...

April 2005 - AIBS Testimony in Support of Increased FY 2006 Funding for the US Geological Survey

On 29 April AIBS submitted testimony to the Senate’s Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies – the Senate panel responsible for determining the fiscal year 2006 spending level for the United States Geological Survey (USGS). AIBS requested that the panel provide at least $1 billion to restore administration proposed cuts and to provide the agency with a much needed, albeit small, inflation adjustment. Through the Biological Resources Discipline, the USGS conducts wide ranging biological, environmental, and natural resources research of vital importance to the public and private sectors. ...

November 2004 - AIBS Letter to House Resources Committee Requesting House Passage of H. Res. 556

Dear Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall:
The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) thanks you and the members of the Resources Committee for your prompt passage of H. Res. 556, "Congratulating the United States Geological Survey on its 125th Anniversary." We recognize that there is limited time remaining in the 108th Congress, but request that you work with House leadership to secure full passage of H.Res. 556 prior to adjournment. ...

July 2004 - Scientific Peer Review in Policy Making

...It is critical that scientific peer review programs be carefully designed to maintain objectivity, quality and thoroughness. While scientific peer review is an important tool for decision makers, a poorly designed process can do more harm than good. It is for this reason that we endorse the following list of important considerations for government scientific peer review of agency-produced science and the body of science underlying management decisions....

June 2004 - AIBS Comments to National Academies of Science on Presidential and Advisory Committee Science and Technology Appointments

In November 2004, the National Academies of Science will issue a report providing the president and federal officials with advice on how they may ensure the integrity of presidential and federal appointments in science and technology. The American Institute of Biological Sciences provided the NAS with suggestions....

March 2004 - AIBS testimony in support of increased funding for USGS

The American Institute of Biological Sciences submitted the following testimony to the House and Senate appropriations subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies. AIBS called for Congress to provide the United States Geological Survey with at least $1 billion in fiscal year 2005 funding. The USGS is the Department of the Interior's science agency and is responsible for conducting biological, geographical, geological, and hydrological research to support informed decision making....

March 2004 - AIBS letter to House Science Committee leaders concerning funding for NSF, natural history collections, and collections-based research

On 30 March 2004 the American Institute of Biological Sciences sent a letter to House Science Committee leaders alerting them to the need for increased funding for NSF programs that support natural history collections and collections-based research. The letter should help NSF supporters in Congress illustrate why increased funding for basic biological research supported by the National Science Foundation is important. ...

December 2003 - AIBS letter to National Park Service concerning the sale of a young-Earth creationist book at Grand Canyon National Park

In response to concerns raised by scientists that a young-Earth creationist picture book was being sold amidst geology and other science books within Grand Canyon National Park bookstores, AIBS joined with seven geoscience society leaders in requesting that National Park Service officials review sales guidelines....

December 2003 - AIBS comments to OMB on use of peer review in the federal regulatory process

AIBS submitted comments raising concerns with an Office of Management and Budget proposal that could slow the implementation of environmental and public health regulations. The plan could bottleneck important regulatory actions by empowering officials from the Office of Management and Budget on a case-by-case basis to establish a new level of bureaucracy that would determine what constitutes good science....

November 2003 - Letter to Texas State Board of Education

Dear Texas State Board of Education Member: The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of over 80 science and education professional societies and organizations, and roughly 6,000 individual scientists and educators. Collectively, AIBS represents roughly......

September 2003 - USGS Coalition letters

On September 30th, the USGS Coalition sent a joint letter signed by 33 coalition organizations to members of the conference committe for the Fiscal Year 2004 Interior and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The letter thanks conferees for restoring proposed cuts......

August 2003 - Letter to New Mexico State Board of Education

Dear New Mexico State Board of Education: The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) would like to express strong support for the New Mexicos revised science standards. In 1947, American Institute of Biological Sciences was federally chartered as a non-profit......

May 2003 - Letter to the House Science Committee

Dear Chairman Boehlert, Representative Smith, and members of the House Science Committee: As President of the American Institute of Biological Sciences, I would like to express appreciation for the Committee's diligent efforts to provide sufficient funding for basic scientific research,......

February 2003 - AIBS' Comments on Draft Taxonomy of Life Sciences

Dr. Charlotte Kuh Deputy Executive Director, Division of Policy and Global Affairs, and Study Director, Research Doctorate Programs: Study on Methodology and Assessments National Academy of Sciences Re: American Institute of Biological Sciences' Comments on Draft Taxonomy of Life Sciences......

June 1998 - AIBS Endorsed Statement on Evolution, Science, and Society: Evolutionary Biology and the National Research Agenda

AIBS has endorsed the 1998 report, Evolution, Science, and Society: Evolutionary Biology and the National Research Agenda, from the American Society of Naturalists, the Society for the Study of Evolution, the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, the Ecological Society of America, the Society of Systematic Biologists, the Genetics Society of America, the Animal Behavior Society, and the Paleontological Society. This statement and other policy materials related to the teaching of evolution may be found on AIBS’ Policy Issues Related to the Teaching of Evolution site. ...

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