News

NIH Nominee; Research Security; Science Communication

BU IN DC

The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee advanced the nomination of Stephen Miran (CAS ’05) to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors on March 6^th.

TRANSITION UPDATES: NOMINEES AND ANTISEMITISM TASK FORCE

• The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to consider the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Bhattacharya said he wants NIH to fund bolder research that makes "big advances" and to "vigorously regulate risky research that has the possibility of causing a pandemic." He did not state his position on the Administration's proposal to cut NIH funding for facilities and administrative costs, but said the public distrusts where the money goes because "trust in the public health establishment has collapsed in the pandemic." The Committee has scheduled a vote on his nomination next week.
• The Trump Administration's Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announced it will visit ten college campuses that experienced "antisemitic incidents." The task force also announced its plans to review Columbia University's federal grants and contracts "to ensure the university is in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights responsibilities."
• The U.S. Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education by a vote of 51-45 on Monday. Upon assuming office, McMahon stated, "Postsecondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce needs."

CONGRESS FOCUSES ON RESEARCH SECURITY, CAMPUS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND CITY OF BOSTON

Congressional committees held several hearings of interest to research universities this week and the Senate considered legislation related to college sports.

• The House Science Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on "Assessing the Threat to U.S. Funded Research" on Wednesday. Chairman Rich McCormick (R-GA) shared his concerns that the "nation's premier research institutions have been all-you-can-eat buffets which our adversaries are using to consume untold numbers of innovative ideas." Dr. Maria Zuber of MIT testified about how universities approach research security and the value of international scientific collaboration.
• On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled "Never To Be Silent: Stemming the Tide of Antisemitism in America." Several Republican senators advocated for rescinding federal funding from colleges that are found to have allowed civil rights violations. Meanwhile some Democratic senators and witnesses, including a Tufts University student, lamented the lack of sufficient funding for the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to conduct investigations into antisemitism.
• Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testified at "A Hearing with Sanctuary City Mayors" held by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday. Wu touted immigrants' contributions to the City of Boston; in her opening remarks she stated, "Of all the faculty at Boston University to have earned the Nobel Prize, all but one were immigrants."
• On Monday, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (S. 9), which sought to ban transgender athletes from competing on women's and girls' sports teams, did not pass a procedural vote in the U.S. Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar measure in January.

EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

The College of Arts & Sciences is hosting a workshop featuring expert Sunshine Menezes on "Science Communication for Purpose and Impact: How to Move Forward" on Monday, March 24th at 4:30 pm in CAS 313. The event aims to catalyze discussions and inspire new ideas on how the BU research community can share knowledge and impact in today’s dynamic world. Space is limited for this in-person event and registration is required.

RSVP today

Gilliam in DC; OSTP; Budget

PRESIDENT GILLIAM VISITS CAPITOL HILL

President Melissa Gilliam met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss the importance of the partnership between the federal government and universities. In conversations with Congresswomen Jen Kiggans (R-VA, PAR '93), Lois Frankel (D-FL, CAS '70), and Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Gilliam touted the impact of federal investments in science and student aid at BU. She also shared her concerns about proposals to cut the National Institutes of Health budget and the recent layoffs of science agency staff. Gilliam continued to emphasize the government-university partnership during an evening reception attended by nearly 150 alumni, Congressional and federal agency staff, and BU Washington, DC Study Away interns.

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SENATORS ASSESS WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE NOMINEE

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing to consider the nomination of Michael Kratsios to lead the White House Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP). He described China as "our most formidable technological and scientific competitor" and explained that the "shape of future global order will be defined by whomever leads across AI, quantum, nuclear, and other critical and emerging technologies." In response to Senators' questions about the recent layoffs at science agencies, Kratsios said he thinks, "it's entirely reasonable for a new president to be able to evaluate the team that he has on the field across his agencies and sort of make the necessary changes to ensure that he can achieve the goals that he campaigned on and won." A vote to advance his nomination is expected early next month.

Watch the hearing

BUZZ BITS...

• On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs held a confirmation hearing to consider Dr. Stephen Miran's (CAS '05) nomination as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. Miran mentioned earning his bachelor’s degree in economics from BU during his opening statement. He served as an economic policy adviser in the Treasury Department during Trump’s first term.
• On Tuesday evening the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget resolution that instructs Congressional committees to cut $2 trillion from federal spending, including $330 billion from education activities. The bill's passage is an early step in Congressional Republicans' plans to pass an extension of the tax cuts enacted in 2017.
• Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley extended a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) proposed 15% cap on facilities and administrative costs. Kelley had issued an initial TRO earlier this month in response to three lawsuits that had challenged the NIH's actions.