News from The Hill

Sizing Up Sinkholes:
Science and Technology to Mitigate Karst Hazards
The Congressional Hazards Caucus and Hazards Caucus Alliance are holding a congressional briefing on Monday, 7 May at 2 pm (Capitol Visitors Center, SVC201).

Adapting Wildfire Management to 21st Century Conditions
Attend this FREE Critical-Issues webinar from the American Geosciences Institute on 16 May, 1-2pm EDT (cosponsored by GSA).

CNSF Exhibition and Reception
GSA will showcase NSF-funded geoscience research at the 24th Annual Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) Exhibition and Reception on May 9.

At Long Last, FY 2018 Spending Bills Provide Increases for Science
The Administration’s budget request at the start of the FY 2018 spending cycle signaled that a difficult year was ahead for the scientific community. Following the the Bipartisan Budget Act in late February, the final spending bill was signed into law on March 23, and  provides increases for science across the board.

Research and Technology Subcommittee Tackles the Issue of Sexual Harassment
On 27 February 2018, four witnesses appeared before the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology during a hearing entitled A Review of Sexual Harassment and Misconduct in Science. During the opening statements, Chairwoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA) and Ranking Member Dan Lipinski (D-IL) explained that the hearing was being held to explore how misconduct, specifically sexual harassment, is affecting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in STEM fields, and how different stakeholders are responding to the problem.

FY 2018 Spending Closer to Finish Line, FY 2019 Process Begins
On 9 February, a budget deal that raises spending caps for Fiscal Year 2018 and 2019, provides $89 billion in emergency spending, and continues funding the government through 22 March, was signed into law. Just a few days later on 12 February, the Administration released its Fiscal Year 2019 budget request.

Climate Science Day on Capitol Hill
On 30-31 January, scientists from around the country conducted nearly 60 congressional meetings as part of the eighth annual Climate Science Day on Capitol Hill.

Geosciences Action on the Hill
The geosciences have been getting attention on the Hill amidst a busy legislative calendar. Legislation regarding landslides, geologic mapping, geothermal energy development, and volcanoes move through a House Committee and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2017 (S. 1768), cleared the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on 13 December.

Critical Minerals
The legislative and executive branches are taking steps to decrease what President Trump calls a “strategic vulnerability” brought about by U.S. dependence on imports for certain non-fuel mineral commodities.

Scientific Community Pushes for FY18 Funding
GSA signed a 16 Feb. letter of the Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC) to thank "Congress for its efforts in reaching a bipartisan, two-year budget agreement that includes lifting the harmful sequestration-level budget cap for non-defense discretionary spending... ESC again urges Congress to prioritize investment in the U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science in the fiscal year (FY) 2018 appropriations omnibus bill." The Coalition for National Science Funding letter, which GSA signed, added its support for the deal and called for investment in the National Science Foundation.

Raise the Caps
GSA joined 2,000 organizations in a letter to Congress to “ensure adequate funding for programs funded through annual appropriations, by continuing the bipartisan practice of providing relief from sequestration budget cuts and opposing any new efforts to cut these programs more deeply.”

GSA also signed a 6 Feb. letter urging Congress to raise the caps and “make investments in science and engineering research a top priority when allocating additional funding.”

Statement Supporting the Completion of Appropriations for the Department of Energy Office of Science
GSA and other member organizations of the Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC) sent a letter that “encourages Congress to continue to make robust and sustained funding for the DOE Office of Science a priority.”