Public Policy Reports

The AIBS Public Policy Office provides analysis and communication for the AIBS Board, Headquarters Office, and Public Policy Review Committee on issues of import to the AIBS membership and the larger scientific community. Reports are broadly disseminated by email every two weeks to AIBS membership leaders and contacts. Special reports are sent more frequently as needed.

For access to all reports back to March 2000, see our Public Policy Reports archive.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about AIBS public policy activities, please contact the AIBS Public Policy Office ().

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28 April 2008

• AIBS Supports Amendment to Protect Federal Research Budgets
• Rejected: Creationists Lose Bid to Offer Education Degree in Texas
• AIBS Testimony Supports EPA Research Funding
• Evolution Threat Persists in Louisiana
• Fisheries Society Issues Evolution Statement
• Unemployment Rate Drops for Most Scientists, Slight Increase for Environmental life Scientists and Social Scientists
• Survey of EPA Scientists Finds Political Interference
• Soil Scientists Seek Input on Research Priorities
• New in BioScience: "Political Science"
• AIBS Congressional Directory
• Communicating Science: A Primer for Working with the Media

14 April 2008

• Evolution, Science Education Still Under Attack
• Congressional Support for NSF Funding
• Biologists Visit Lawmakers, Advocate Greater Investment in Research
• Climate Hearings Focus on Public Health
• New in BioScience: "Political Science"

31 March 2008

• AIBS Provides Testimony to House Appropriations in Support of NSF
• Is Education Still OK in Oklahoma?
• Conference Considers Ecological Elements of Biofuels
• New in BioScience: "Theory and Funding for 21st Century Biology - Maybe"
• Communicating Science: A Primer for Working with the Media

17 March 2008

• AIBS Submits Congressional Testimony in Support of USGS, EPA
• Budget Process Moves Forward in Congress
• Senate Reviews FY 2009 Federal Science Budget, Regrets FY 2008
• Scientist Wins Special Election: Takes Former Speaker Hastert's Seat in Congress
• McCain Growls About Bear Research
• Now Available: AIBS Congressional Directory for the 110th Congress, Second Session
• New in BioScience: "Theory and Funding for 21st Century Biology - Maybe"
• Register Now for the 2008 AIBS Annual Meeting: "Climate, Environment, and Infectious Diseases"

3 March 2008

• Support NSF, Consider Calling Congress
• Science Committee Reviews NSF FY 09 Budget, Questions Disparity Among Directorates
• AIBS Names 2008 Emerging Public Policy Leaders
• Political Science: Physicist Makes Real Run for House
• Harvard Endorses Open Access
• New in BioScience: "Theory and Funding for 21st Century Biology - Maybe"

19 February 2008

• Florida Science Standards Evolve
• Science in the Federal Budget, A Closer Look
• Science Gets an Energy Boost
• New AIBS Book Primes Scientists for Successful Media Interviews
• New in BioScience: "Fertilizing the Seas for Climate Mitigation--Promising Strategy or Sheer Folly?"

5 February 2008

• State of the Union Recap: Energy, Earmarks & Economy
• Bush Proposes Biggest Budget Ever, Will Science Suffer?
• A First Look at NSF in the FY 09 Budget: Physical Sciences Favored, Again
• USGS Budget is Mixed: NBII to Get Cut
• Decision on Texas Creationist Grad Program Delayed
• AIBS Joins Call for 2008 Presidential Debate on Science
• PPO Posts Annual Report - With a New Look!
• New in BioScience: "FYI: Threats Remain for Evolution Education"

22 January 2008

• Ecologists Issue Biofuels Statement
• NSB Releases 2008 Science and Engineering Indicators
• New Academies Book on Evolution
• Collections Community Workshop on Curating Small Collections
• New in BioScience

7 January 2008

• Bush Signs FY 2008 Appropriations: Science Community Disappointed
• AIBS Writes to Texas Commissioner of Higher Education
• New Resource from AIBS
• New in BioScience: "FYI: Threats Remain to Evolution Education"

21 December 2007

• Little Holiday Cheer for Federal Science Agencies: Congress Finishes FY 08 Appropriations
• More Trouble in Texas: Institute for Creation Research Seeks State Approval for Grad Program
• In Memoriam: Terry L. Yates
• New in BioScience: "Feds Seek to Ignite Bioenergy Research"

10 December 2007

• Appropriations Update: Omnibus on the Way
• E-mails Stir Up Evolution Controversy in Texas, Florida
• Members of Congress on the Move
• Climate Talks Get Underway in Bali
• New Green Schools Caucus in Congress
• Climate Legislation Proceeds in Senate
• New in BioScience: "Feds Seeks to Ignite Bioenergy Research"

26 November 2007

• Appropriations Hit a Wall
• AIBS Launches Web Resource on the Budget Process
• UN Warns of Emissions Growth
• House Member Calls for Changes to Smithsonian Governance
• New in BioScience "Ocean Acidification: The Biggest Threat to Our Oceans?"

12 November 2007

• National Academies to Host Symposium on the Interaction of Physical and Life Sciences Research
• AIBS, Member Societies Are Core Participants in New Collections Initiative
• New Agriculture Secretary Nominated, Farm Bill Stalled in Senate
• Federal Agencies Invite Input: Human Exposure Studies, Ecological Economics, and Energy
• GAO and NAS Report on Environmental Accounting
• Senate Confirms FWS Head
• New in BioScience: "Ocean Acidification: The Biggest Threat to Our Oceans?"

29 October 2007

• NSF Report Examines Decline in Research Funding Rates
• GAO Recommends Federal Data-Sharing Policy
• Senator Vitter Withdraws Creationism Earmark
• Senate Approves CJS Spending
• Senate Adopts Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Plan
• Proposed Revisions to Stream Buffer Zone Rule Draws Criticism from Stream Scientists
• White House Edits Warming Testimony
• New in BioScience: "Government Looks into Health of Federal Collections"

15 October 2007

• Feds Consider Security at US Bio Labs
• NSB Rolls out Stem Education Action Plan
• New Law Forgives Some Student Loan Debt for Non-Profit Workers
• New in BioScience: "Government Looks into Health of Federal Science Collections"
• Science Policy Survey for Youth Voters

1 October 2007

• Federal Funding Update
• Ecosystem Researchers Discuss Bioenergy on Capitol Hill
• NRC Reports on the Role of Theory in Biology
• Is It Time For a Creationism Museum in Wisconsin?
• Expelled Producers Dishonest with Pro-Evolution Scientists
• Global Extinction Crisis Escalating
• NIGMS Requests Comments on Draft Strategic Plan
• Endangered Species Get a Tax Break
• USGS Coalition Holds Capitol Hill Reception
• Education Releases Latest Assessment of Math and Reading Performance
• AIBS Board Elections Underway
• New in Bioscience: "Government Looks into Health"

17 September 2007

• Reports Question Federal Management of Climate Change
• Appropriations Update
• Census Bureau Launches New S&E Workforce Database
• Court Rejects Creationist Lawsuit, Again
• Report Calls for Great Lakes Clean-Up
• New in BioScience: "Congress Advances Multi-Year Science and Education Plan"

4 September 2007

• Feds Request Comments on Climate Change Plan
• AIBS Comments on NSB Stem ED Plan
• Intelligent Design/Creationism Goes Hollywood
• William McComas Wins NABT Evolution Education Award
• House Passes Energy Legislation
• New in BioScience: "Congress Advances Multiyear Science and Education Plan"
• Bush Announces Executive Order Promoting Hunting

20 August 2007

• Administration Releases FY 2009 R&D Budget Priorities
• Former House Speaker Hopes to Leave Mark with Carbon Cap and Trade Legislation
• President Signs Competitiveness Bill Despite Reservations
• Science Education Advocates Urged to Avoid Complacency
• Vertebrate Paleontologists Blast Creation Museum
• OSTP Releases National Land Imaging Program Plan
• EPA Requests Comments
• New in BioScience: "National Wildlife Refuges: Death by a Thousand Cuts?"
• COPUS Update

6 August 2007

• Congress Completes Competitiveness Legislation
• House Passes FY2008 Science Appropriations
• State Department Names New Science Adviser
• House Amends Financial Services Appropriations: Limits Administration Regulatory Policy
• House Subcommittees Continue Probe of SREL Closure
• New in BioScience: "National Wildlife Refuges: Death by a Thousand Cuts?"

24 July 2007

• Texas: A Mess Again
• Are You Sick of Politicization of Science? So Are Former Surgeon Generals
• Congress Moves Toward Conference on Competitiveness Legislation
• AIBS President-Elect to Receive 2006 National Medal of Science
• A Ten-Year Science Plan for USGS
• Interior Shuffle Continues
• New in BioScience: "National Wildlife Refuges: Death by a Thousand Cuts?"

9 July 2007

• President Bush Vetoes Another Stem Cell Bill, Congress and States Respond
• House Committee Approves Alternative Fuels Legislation
• Science Appropriations Update: NSF, NOAA, NASA
• Senate Committee Calls for EPA to Reopen Libraries
• Employment Opportunity: AIBS Public Affairs Representative
• New in BioScience: "National Wildlife Refuges: Death by a Thousand Cuts?"

25 June 2007

• Interior and Environment Appropriations Update
• Homeland Security Science Appropriations
• Business and Higher ED Call for Solutions to the STEM ED Teacher Problem
• GAO Confirms Cloudy Media Policies at Fed Agencies
• Employment Opportunity: AIBS Public Affairs Representative
• Weed Scientists: Sustain Efforts to Combat Invasive Species
• EPA Requests Input on Endocrine Disruptors List
• New in BioScience: "Congress Considers NSF Authorization"

11 June 2007

• FY 08 Science Funding Update
• It is Summertime: Meet with Your Member of Congress
• Bush Goes Global: Plenty of Talk, Any Action?
• Is There Still Room for Science At NASA
• More Problems for NASA
• Employment Opportunity: AIBS Public Affairs Representative
• New Director for NSF's Division of Environmental Biology
• Education Issues Condition of Education 2007 Report
• A Museum for Creationists
• New in BioScience: "Congress Considers NSF Authorization"

28 May 2007

• House interior appropriations subcommittee proposes increased funding for science and environment agencies
• Congress abuzz about pollinators
• House goes omnibus on innovation bills
• Massachusetts joins states advancing bio research
• New in BioScience: "Wildlife Triggers Change in Congressional Debate on Climate"

11 May 2007

• House Authorizes NSF, NIST
• Evolution Education Updates
• American Competitiveness Council Releases Final Report
• Savannah River Ecology Laboratory: Gone for Good?
• EPA Calls for Comment on 2007 Environment Report
• New in Bioscience: "Wildlife Triggers Change in Congressional Debate on Climate

30 April 2007

• A Big Week for Innovation Legislation
• NSF Reauthorization Included in America Competes Legislation
• NSB and NGA Hold Briefing on "Innovation America!"
• Commitment to Grad Education Vital to Competitiveness

16 April 2007

• AIBS PPO Congressional Testimony in Support of Increased FY 08 Funding for NSF
• Proposed Legislation Would Support Communications Training for Science Graduate Students
• GBIF Requests Input
• Tech-No Education
• Now Available: The AIBS Directory to the 110th Congress
• New in Bioscience: "Transforming the Rules on Federal Regulations"
• Graduate Student Science Policy Internship At AIBS
• Plan to attend: 2007 AIBS Annual Meeting

2 April 2007

• House adopts budget
• Major changes at Smithsonian, NMNH
• Russian Academy asserts autonomy
• Education releases data about postsecondary faculty
• ESA, C-FARE, Tri-Societies brief Capitol Hill
• USGS releases report on streamflow and nutrient delivery from the MS River to the Gulf of Mexico
• New in BioScience: "Transforming the rules on federal regulations"
• Graduate student science policy internship
• Plan to attend: 2007 AIBS Annual Meeting

19 March 2007

• House committee approves four bills
• America COMPETES Act introduced in Senate
• EU launches new research funding organization
• Climate change and wildlife update
• SETAC-North America issues statement about science in the classroom
• New in BioScience: "Just Another Report, or a Sea Change for Ocean Research?"

5 March 2007

• Congress begins budget hearings, asks questions about funding balance
• Administration plants seeds for new farm bill
• 2007 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award recipients named
• New in BioScience: "Just Another Report, or a Sea Change for Ocean Research?"
• Reminder: AIBS evolution education policy information is available online

20 February 2007

• A Look at R&D in the FY 08 Budget Request
• NSF in the FY 2008 Budget
• Interior Science Budget Flat, at Best
• EPA Budget is in Hazardous Situation
• Forest Service Budget Cut
• Funding Sinks for Many NOAA Programs
• Rising to the Challenge: Scientists and Business Leaders Address Global Climate Change
• Kansas Board of Education Returns Evolution to State Science Curricula
• EPA at it Again
• New in BioScience: "Declining Amphibian Populations: What is the Next Step?"

6 February 2007

• An early look at the FY 2008 budget for biology
• Attention graduate students: 2007 AIBS EPPLA application deadline nears
• Politicization of science has an ear in new Congress
• New in BioScience: "Declining Amphibian Populations: What is the Next Step?"

22 January 2007

• Science community asks new Congress to support federal research funding
• Pelosi calls for increased federal funding for R&D
• Congress revisits stem cell research
• Scientists and evangelicals unite to protect the environment
• Climate change takes Congress by storm
• Year of Science 2009 and COPUS to promote public understanding of science
• Congress update
• GAO report recommends improvements for USDA management of key conservation programs
• New in BioScience: “Post Post-Doc: Are New Scientists Prepared for the Real World?”
• Graduate Student Opportunuty: Applications for the 2007 Emerging Public Policy Leader Award avaiable

8 January 2007

• New year, new Congress
• Public Policy Office welcomes new staff
• Cobb County evolution case finally resolved
• Climate change and the White House
• EPA requests nominations for ecosystems and resources advisory committee
• New in BioScience: "Post Post-Doc: Are New Scientists Prepared for the Real World?"

18 December 2006

• Congress adjourns having completed little work
• GAO report reviews Smithsonian-Showtime partnership
• New House committee chairs named
• Governors expand competitiveness initiative
• Gates confirmed as secretary of Defense
• New in BioScience: "Supreme Court Ruling Leaves Future of Clean Water Act Murky"
• Applications for 2007 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award now available

4 December 2006

• Supreme Court hears global warming case
• Appropriations update
• International students comeback to U.S.
• Changes in air travel on the horizon
• New in BioScience: "Supreme Court Ruling Leaves Future of Clean Water Act Murky"
• Applications for 2007 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award now available

20 November 2006

• Voters support evolution education
• Democrats take control of Congress: New leadership for science and environment committees
• Climate change gets a "Stern" report
• New in BioScience: "National Academy of Sciences Issues Gender Equity Plan"
• Applications for 2007 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award now available

6 November 2006

• Applications for 2007 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award now available
• Reminder: November 7 is election day
• NSB seeks new members
• Hays confirmed as associate director for science at OSTP
• Employment opportunity: AIBS Education and Outreach Manager
• Predator control debate still alive in Alaska and British Columbia
• New in BioScience: "National Academy of Sciences Issues Gender Equity Plan"

23 October 2006

• AIBS comments on NSTC ocean research plan
• NPS gets new director
• House Democrats investigate EPA library plan
• Border fence could be barrier to wildlife
• New in BioScience — “Global Warming: Congress Still Stalled, States and Cities Act”

10 October 2006

• Science, congress and the midterm elections
• Plan to vote this November
• Senate approves penalties for animal rights terrorists
• National Park Service releases draft EIS on benefits-sharing
• USGS Coalition hosts third annual congressional reception
• Myers confirmed to head USGS
• New in BioScience - "Global Warming: Congress Still Stalled, States and Cities Act"

25 September 2006

• NAS issues recommendations for diversifying science and engineering faculty
• House of Representatives approves earmark reform
• Budget cuts close EPA libraries
• Is climate change heating up on Capitol Hill?
• New in BioScience: "Where are all the State Science Advisers?"

11 September 2006

• Governor's to advance innovation
• Congress ends summer recess, returns to Washington, DC
• Public Policy Office welcomes science policy intern
• Public comments sought on future of ocean research
• Alaska Governor's primary election loss could signal change for Alaska environment
• New in BioScience: "Where are all the State Science Advisers?"
• AIBS 2007 Annual Meeting Announced: Evolution and Public Health

29 August 2006

• Education gets SMART about science?
• AIBS 2007 Annual Meeting Announcement: Evolution and Human Health
• New in BioScience: "Senators Propose Fundamental Change to Scholarly Publishing"

14 August 2006

• Congressional Update
• NSTC Ocean Subcommittee Issues New Report
• Kansas Primary Voters Send Message, Again
• New in BioScience: "Senators Propose Fundamental Change to Scholarly Publishing"

31 July 2006

• OSTP and OMB release annual research and development memo
• Bush vetoes stem cell research bill
• New in BioScience: "Senators Propose Fundamental Change to Scholarly Publishing"
• Science Policy Employment Opportunity at AIBS

17 July 2006

• USGS receives $980 million from the Senate Appropriations Committee
• Senate committee considers FY 07 appropriations for NSF
• Science policy employment opportunity at AIBS
• Evolution education at the center of the Kansas primary election
• New in BioScience: "Republicans Wrangle Over Environmental Legislation"

5 July 2006

• Science policy employment opportunity at AIBS
• House approves FY 2007 spending bill for NSF and NOAA
• NSF requests comments on new strategic plan
• Senate to consider three stem cell research bills
• AIBS Executive Director's blog now online
• New in BioScience: "Republicans wrangle over environmental legislation"

19 June 2006

• NSF, STEM education and workforce legislation moves forward in the House
• New conservative organization forms to fight intelligent design/creationism
• CNSF reception showcases science on Capitol Hill
• House Science Committee passes NOAA authorization
• Representative Matsui joins House Science Committee
• Student loan interest rates set to increase July 1st
• Heritage Health Index reports on US natural science collections at NSC Alliance annual meeting
• New in BioScience: "NSF's New Strategic Plan"
• Now available: AIBS Congressional Directory

5 June 2006

• Cobb County case to go back to district court
• AIBS honors Rep. Sherwood Boehlert and calls for 2009 to be the Year of the Public Understanding of the Nature of Science
• EPA releases latest version of Peer Review Handbook
• 2005 national education report card shows U.S. science education still needs improvement
• Kempthorne confirmed as Secretary of the Interior
• New in BioScience: "NSF's New Strategic Plan"
• Now available: AIBS Congressional Directory

22 May 2006

• Public policy office launches media list serve
• Science community mobilizes to protect NSF research priorities
• Controversial salvage logging bill passes House
• NSF and Department of Education discuss women in science
• Now available: AIBS Congressional Directory
• New in BioScience: "Are There Signs of Life in the Innovation Budget?"

8 May 2006

• Members of Congress among those expressing concern with Smithsonian Showtime Networks partnership
• EPA library network poised for cut
• AIBS and Ecological Society of America send letter to appropriators in support of NSF
• Two new members assigned to House Science Committee
• President Bush announces his intent to name new USGS director
• USGS report assesses national stream and ground water quality
• New in BioScience: "Are there signs of life in the innovation budget?"

24 April 2006

• Canadian grant-making body questions evolution
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests comments on CITES
• Endangered Species Act reauthorization stalls in the Senate
• NOAA seeks comments on ecosystem research and science enterprise panel
• New in BioScience: "Evolution after Dover"

10 April 2006

• AIBS submits congressional testimony on FY 07 budget
• Ehlers/Holt Dear Colleague letter on NSF
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports a net gain in U.S. wetland acreage
• New in BioScience: "Evolution After Dover"

27 March 2006

• Action alert: Please contact your members of Congress today to support NSF funding
• Public comment opportunity: Ocean policy
• Biologists visit Congress, honor Congressmen Ehlers and Holt
• Lawsuit against UC evolution website dismissed
• President nominates Idaho Governor for top spot at Interior
• American Society of Mammalogists-AIBS Graduate Student Policy Internship
• New in BioScience: "the Cost of Doing Business: Should the United States Create Incentives for STEM labor?"

13 March 2006

• Budget roundup
• The FY 2007 budget request for Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research
• NOAA research programs in the President's FY 2007 budget
• AIBS announces 2006 Emerging Public Policy Leaders
• Senate committee approves ARPA-E legislation
• SC Board of Education rejects anti-evolution proposal
• Interior Secretary Gale Norton steps down
• American Society of Mammalogists-AIBS Graduate Student Policy Internship
• New in BioScience: "The Cost of Doing Business: Should the United States Create Incentives for STEM Labor?"

27 February 2006

• Proposed budget for NASA science programs raises concern on Capitol Hill
• EPA FY 07 budget request down, again
• Global competition a "reality," says new report
• Victory for science in Ohio, but threats remain around the country
• Graduate student opportunity: ASM-AIBS Public Policy Internship
• New in BioScience: "The cost of doing business: should the United States create incentives for STEM labor?"

13 February 2006

• The American Competitiveness Initiative and the FY 07 budget
• FY 07 Budget request for the National Science Foundation
• A look at NSF's education program in the FY 07 budget
• United States Geological Survey faces a budget cut in FY 07
• Congress gets a crash course on science
• Politicization of science rockets back into the headlines
• Graduate student opportunity: ASM-AIBS Public Policy Internship
• Evolution in the news
• National Ecological Observatory Network requests comments
• New in BioScience: "Europe Gears Up to Double it's Investment in Research"

30 January 2006

• PACE Act introduced; Bush expected to plug innovation in State of the Union
• Toxicologist will become new EPA science advisor
• OMB requests public comments on draft risk assessment guidelines
• Anti-evolution initiatives in Utah, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi
• Evolution education updates: California and Carolina
• Vatican newspaper endorses Dover decision; call ID unscientific
• Kentucky governor replaces a Board of Education member
• Register now for "Evolution on the Front Line"
• Reminder: 2006 AIBS EPPLA applications due 3 February

18 January 2006

• Scandals shake-up House leadership
• OSTP requests comments on federal support of graduate education
• Science education lawsuits continue in California
• Kentucky governor supports intelligent design during annual speech
• Post-secondary employment statistics now available from IPEDS
• Application deadline for 2006 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award nears

1 January 2006

• A victory for science in Dover
• AIBS cosponsors post-Dover press conference
• Congress reauthorizes NASA
• Congress wrapped up legislative business in time for holidays
• Graduate student opportunity: Apply for the 2006 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leader Award
• New in BioScience: "Congress likes innovation, but will biology get its due?"

For older reports (back to March 2000), see our Public Policy Reports archive.