2016 has been a busy year for Science Policy at ASA. Looking back, the biggest stories have been the federal budget for the statistical agencies, scientific legislation, and the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking. We’ll review each topic below, including specific items to watch in the new year.
To fund the federal government each year, Congress must pass a series of twelve appropriations bills (ASA Science Policy is particularly concerned with appropriations for both Commerce, Justice, and Science and Labor, Health, and Human Services, which cover the major federal statistical agencies as well as NIH, NSF, and AHRQ). Over the past forty years, all twelve bills have been passed only four times—therefore, this year’s continuing resolutions come as no surprise. The continuing resolution which maintains spending at levels set for the previous fiscal year, will have drastic consequences for the statistical agencies. For one, the Census Bureau has already been forced to cut back on key tests for the 2020 Census due to uncertainty in funding levels and may need to further shift resources in efforts to maintain all programs. This will likely cost tax payers more down the road. In addition, other amendments have been proposed that could seriously deteriorate the quality of the decennial. Other agencies that may be affected include the Bureau of Labor Statistics (whose budget has never fully recovered from sequestration in 2013), and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, flat-funded since 2005’s fiscal year (keep track of budget developments for FY17 here). The NSF was headed for flat funding anyway, but an expected and much needed increase in NIH funding will be delayed as is a cut to the AHRQ budget.
Although Congress failed to pass appropriations bills, two major pieces of scientific legislation were able to make their way through both chambers and to the President’s desk. The 21st Century Cures Act, which increases funding for medical research, reduces barriers for development of experimental treatment, and reforms mental health care policy, was signed into law by President Obama on December 7. The bill provides $4.8 billion dollars to the National Institutes of Health, much of which is earmarked for the Precision Medicine Initiative and research of brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s (note that this is merely an authorization bill—the allocation of the money still has to be approved through the annual appropriations process, although the spending will not count against caps on discretionary spending). Later that same week, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act was passed by the House under suspension of the rules, during a pro forma session. The passage was somewhat unexpected and is considered as “an overtime victory for science” by key members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Among other provisions, the bill reauthorizes the National Science Foundation, diminishes administrative burden for researchers, and aims to enhance diversity in STEM fields, private-sector innovation, and manufacturing. President Obama signed this bill into law last week, and we look forward to seeing the changes AICA brings.
ASA Science Policy has also devoted a great deal of attention to the actions of the Commission for Evidence-Based Policymaking, created by the bipartisan Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2016 (jointly sponsored by Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, and Senator Patty Murray, D-WA, and signed by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2016). Since all fifteen of the members (including ASA Fellows) were named, the Commission has had four meetings. After the inaugural meeting, which focused on perspectives on the Commission’s purpose and significance as well as the perspectives on “Evidence in Action” from both federal employees and researchers, the commission met to consider key issues on privacy, program evaluation, and federal models for evidence building. The Commission has offered opportunities for public comment, including a public hearing at which the ASA delivered remarks.
ASA Science Policy will continue to track these stories through 2017 (and hope you’ll alert us to anything we should be tracking). Of course, one of the most important stories of this year was the presidential election, and many new developments are sure to come from the incoming administration. The ASA will monitor closely such developments. Funding scenarios will likely be influenced by President-Elect Trump’s budget proposals, and ASA Science Policy will be keeping an eye on opportunities related to our transition recommendations and other issues important to the statistical community. Other events to watch for in 2017 include the report to be published by the Commission for Evidence-Based Policymaking, as well as the announcement of the new Chief Statistician of the United States (following Katherine Wallman’s twenty-four year tenure). We appreciate all of our 2016 readers, and encourage you all to keep coming back in 2017.