2021 Spring LAN Newsletter
What's happened so far
Societies reach out to Biden administration on research priorities
ASA, CSSA, and SSSA has sent a letter to then President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team outlining research priority areas within USDA. The letter focused on the need for USDA to address agriculture research through the lens of systems science. It also highlighted the role that agriculture - and the farmers, ranchers, and researchers who support it - can play in addressing climate change through mitigation, adaptation, and management strategies. Finally, the letter encouraged USDA to continue to support the work it already does, while also expanding efforts in a few key areas such as: on-farm carbon sequestration, agricultural research funding, and working to create a more inclusive food system. The Societies also signed on to letters to the incoming Biden administration for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy-Office of Science, and federal research programs overall.
Ag Committees holds climate change hearings, Societies submit testimony
There’s no question climate change is a major theme in the 117th Congress. The House Agriculture Committee held its very first hearing on the topic, Climate Change and the U.S. Agriculture and Forestry Sectors. Then two weeks later, the Senate Agriculture Committee followed suit with its first hearing, Farmers and Foresters: Opportunities to Lead in Tackling Climate Change. Both hearings focused on how farmers, ranchers, and foresters can be a part of the solution to the climate crisis, emphasizing the progress American agriculture has made in reducing its environmental impact, while stressing that new programs must be flexible, voluntary and farmer-focused. With the help of the three Science Policy Committees, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA submitted official comments to the House and Senate.
2021 Congressional Visits Day
On March 9–11, 114 Society members, graduate and undergraduate students, and Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) participated in the 2021 Virtual Congressional Visits Day (VCVD). Participants met virtually with 131 Congressional offices advocating for increased funding for USDA research programs. Follow the social media action through #SupportAgResearch and see pictures from the event here.
What's happening now
Biden budget outline proposes major non-defense spending increases
As is customary for a new administration, President Biden first released a “skinny budget,” providing an outline of the administration’s spending priorities for FY2022. Biden’s budget proposal calls for a 16% increase in non-defense spending and includes major increases for many federal research agencies. The proposal provides $4 billion, or $647 million above the 2021 enacted level, for USDA’s research, education, and outreach programs. The Department of Energy-Office of Science would receive $7.4 billion, an increase of more than $400 million over the 2021 level. And the National Science Foundation would get a whopping 20% – or $1.7 billion – funding increase over the 2021 level, bringing its overall budget to $10.2 billion. Within the NSF total, the proposal would establish a new directorate to foster emerging technologies.
Societies request support for federal research programs
As Congress and the administration begin working on the FY2022 spending process, ASA, CSSA and SSSA are putting forward our funding requests for several federal research programs. The Societies have submitted funding request letters for USDA research programs, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy-Office of Science. In addition to our own letters, the Societies have signed onto multiple coalition letters supporting federal food, agriculture and natural resources research programs.
President Biden releases infrastructure, jobs plan
The White House unveiled a $2.5 trillion jobs plan focused on infrastructure and the climate. In the American Jobs Plan, Biden aims to tackle some of the nation’s most pressing problems — from climate change to decaying water systems to the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Included in the plan is a $250 billion investment in the U.S. research enterprise aiming to rebuild the country’s infrastructure, create jobs, and outinnovate the rest of the world.
Legislative updates
As it did last Congress, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA once again joined nearly 200 organizations in endorsing the bipartisan Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act. The legislation authorizes $25 billion in supplemental funding for federal research agencies to restart research and support researchers whose research or facilities suffered losses because of COVID-19.
The House Science Committee released legislation to more than double the budget of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the next 5 years, including the creation of a new directorate that would accelerate the process of turning basic research into new technologies and products. The National Science Foundation for the Future Act, introduced with bipartisan support, would lift NSF’s overall budget from the current $8.5 billion to $18.3 billion in 2026.
What's happening next
Annual federal spending process gears up with Biden’s first budget request
Though President Biden has released his initial budget outline, the full budget request likely won’t be released until May. Congress has delayed the start of the annual funding process by several weeks, but now will be under considerable pressure to work through all twelve spending bills before the start of the next fiscal year on October 1. The annual spending process will be especially challenging this year since Democrats hold incredibly small majority margins in both the House and Senate. Congress has already approved trillions in spending for COVID relief and is working on a $2 trillion infrastructure package. The Science Policy Office will be following the action and keeping our members informed. Find all the latest budget news on our Research Funding webpage.