We, the undersigned scientific organizations representing tens of thousands of members of the American biomedical research enterprise, are alarmed by the National Institutes of Health's revocation of a peer-reviewed research grant for studies of coronaviruses by EcoHealth Alliance. Not only is this decision counterintuitive, given the urgent need to better understand the virus that causes COVID-19 and identify drugs that will save lives, but it politicizes science at a time when, if we are to stamp out this scourge, we need the public to trust experts and to take collective action.

More than ever before, the country is relying on the scientific enterprise to help guide our path to recovery. Scientific progress and U.S. economic development are vastly accelerated by bringing the best and brightest minds together. Therefore, we urge you to prioritize the immigration of science and technology talent that will spur the scientific breakthroughs and economic growth of the United States that is needed for rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our organizations strongly oppose EPA’s supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) to the “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” proposed rulemaking. Like the original proposed rule, this supplemental proposal would undermine sound science and put Americans’ health and the environment at risk. We are deeply concerned with EPA’s continued efforts to impede the use of critical science and implore the agency to withdraw the proposal.

As leading scientific, engineering, and higher education organizations - which together represent hundreds of thousands of scientists, engineers, and educators - we are writing to submit our comments on EPA's Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("supplemental") to the Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science Proposed Rulemaking that was originally published on April 30, 2018.

Thank you for the opportunity to share ideas and recommendations for supplemental appropriations and stimulus ideas related to scientific research and education.

The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN) is a national initiative led by the American Institute of Biological Sciences, Natural Science Collections Alliance, and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections. Through the membership of its founding organizations, BCoN represents the diversity of biological science societies, natural history museums and arboreta, living collections, and other research centers and organizations.

The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN) is a national initiative led by the American Institute of Biological Sciences, Natural Science Collections Alliance, and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections. Through the membership of its founding organizations, BCoN represents the diversity of biological science societies, natural history museums and arboreta, living collections, and other research centers and organizations.

On behalf of the undersigned organizations, thank you and everyone at the National Science Foundation who are working so diligently during this time of chaos to sustain our scientific and education enterprise.

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) appreciates the opportunity to provide testimony in support of fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations for the National Science Foundation (NSF). We encourage Congress to provide NSF with at least $9 billion in FY 2021. Additionally, we request that Congress consider economic options that can help scientific societies and organizations withstand the economic losses associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

On behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), thank you for your leadership in preparing our national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.