Net Neutrality Day of Action this Wednesday, July 12

To protest Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposals to allow Internet providers to throttle Internet speeds based on content, some of the world's most heavily trafficked Internet sites are taking part in this Wednesday's Internet-Wide Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality. Participants, including Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Dropbox, and Spotify, will encourage their users to contact the FCC and their members of Congress directly to voice their opposition to the erosion of a free and open Internet. In January 2012, Internet companies rallied users against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), and support for the legislation effectively vanished.

Trump plans halt to Immigrant Entrepreneur Rule

The Trump administration will take steps to delay, and ultimately rescind, an Obama administration rule allowing foreign entrepreneurs to come to the US to start companies. Called the International Entrepreneur Rule, the program was scheduled to go into effect July 17, 2017. The rule set a high bar to qualify: a foreigner must demonstrate that he or she will contribute to economic growth or job creation and show that a reputable investor has put at least $250,000 into their company. Under the rule, individuals could reside in the US for 30 months, with the possibility of a 30-month extension, but could not apply for a green card. A spokesperson for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the rule is "under review." Many tech and venture capital firms supported the rule, and many industry watchers considered it a way to attract the world's most innovative minds shores while fostering investment and jobs in America. The move is emblematic of the Trump administration's single-minded focus on restricting immigration, even for high-skilled workers.

Afghanistan schoolgirls denied permission to compete in US robotics competition

The dearth of business visas for citizens of Afghanistan has forced six young students to cancel a planned trip to the United States. The Washington Post reported on July 4 that a team of six teenage girls from Herat, Afghanistan built a robot to compete in FIRST Global Challenge, an international robotics competition to be held in Washington, DC, later this month. But, after a dangerous 500-mile trip to Kabul for visa applications, and a delayed shipment of materials that forced them to improvise on their design, the girls were denied visas to enter the United States. A team from majority-Muslim The Gambia was also initially denied entry, but its members were granted visas last week after answering questions specific to robotics at an additional U.S. embassy interview. Teams from Iran and Sudan have also received visas, along with "Team Hope", whose members are Syrian refugees. The Afghanistan team's robot was permitted to enter the United States; though disappointed by visa denials, its creators will be able to watch it compete in Washington via Skype.

Senate Democrats call for GAO review of EPA science boards

Senate Democrats are concerned about the recent changes to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) scientific advisory boards. On Thursday, July 6, ten senators set a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a review of the EPA's procedures for ensuring that its scientific advisory panels are "independent and balanced," asking the GAO to look at how the compositions of the panels have changed, as well as how the nomination and selection process compares to other agencies and to previous EPA administrations. This comes after the EPA recently dismissed many advisors who were expected to be renewed for second terms, and has cancelled upcoming meetings of the Board of Scientific Counselors while new members are selected.

Pence indicates push toward manned spaceflight

In his new role as chair of the revived National Space Council, Vice President Mike Pence called for a return to prestige projects at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at a press conference on Thursday, July 6, at Kennedy Space Center. He announced that the Trump administration "will reorient America's space program towards human space exploration and discovery" and that under new leadership NASA will "return our nation to the moon, we will go to Mars and we will still go further." It is not clear what the details of this new focus on manned space travel would be, and the administration's recalcitrance in investing in NASA so far in the term stand in sharp contrast to Pence's ambitious rhetoric. President Trump has left the roles of NASA Administrator and director for the Office of Science and Technology Policy unfilled since his inauguration, and the administration's proposed FY18 executive budget would also keep NASA funding flat. This has spurred criticism from both sides of the aisle, as Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) called out the administration for "projecting a lofty vision for space while providing a budget that keeps the vision from leaving Earth."

Democrats refuse to join GOP internet privacy bill

Republicans have pressed hard to remove privacy protections and allow Internet and telecom providers to sell, share, and collect their customers' browsing and usage history. In May, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Balancing the Rights of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly (BROWSER) Act, which proposes rules similar to those that Republicans voted to eliminate earlier this year. She has not managed to secure any Democratic co-sponsors for her bill, though, as Democrats say that her current effort lacks credibility given the role she played in stripping away prior privacy protections.

CDC Director nominated

The Trump Administration has apppointed Brenda Fitzgerald to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fitzgerald, an obstetrician-gynecologist, has served as the Georgia Public Health Commissioner since 2011. Twice a Republican congressional candidate, she has ties to Republicans in Georgia, including Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and former House speaker Newt Gingrich. In the past, she has condemned anti-abortion ads, and suggested that abortion policy should not be directed by government. The CDC is an important research agency, and there are some concerns about her lack of research experience as a Public Health Commissioner. Others are concerned that she may put politics ahead of science. Her appointment comes at a critical time for the agency tasked with safeguarding the nation's health. The administration has proposed a $1.2 billion cut (17%) to the agency's budget for FY18—the lowest proposed CDC budget in more than 20 years—and both House and Senate proposals to replace parts of the Affordable Care Act call for slashing key public health programs that comprise about 12% of the CDC's budget.

Appropriations activity continues in House

Wednesday, July 12

• The House Committee on Appropriations will meet at 10:30 am EDT to mark up the FY18 Agriculture Appropriations Bill and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. In its current form, the Energy Bill would eliminate funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) at the Department of Energy (DOE).
• The House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies will meet at 3:00 pm EDT to mark up the FY18 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill. In its current form, the bill would cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by $528 million (6.6%). Although much less than the $2.6 billion cut proposed by President Trump, this budget would take significant resources from key programs that protect our health and environment.

Thursday, July 13

• The House Committee on Appropriations will meet at 10:00 am EDT to mark up the FY18 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill. The Science Bill would cut the budgets of the National Science Foundation (NSF) by $133 million (1.8%), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by $720 million (14%), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by $87 million (4%), and the Earth science division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by $217 million (11%). Although generally less than the extreme reductions proposed by President Trump, these cuts show just how little science is valued in the Republican Congress.
• The House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will meet at 4:30 pm EDT to mark up the FY18 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill. The bill has not been released yet, though President Trump has proposed cutting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $7.7 billion (22%)--a cut so extreme that even Republicans are unlikely to go along with it.

What you can do

• July 12 is the Internet-Wide Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality. Visit the site to learn how you can take action, and how a range of organizations are participating, and submit comments directly to the FCC here. Commenting closes on July 17.
• Continue to let your Senators know that you want them to vote no on Trumpcare.
• The EPA has put out a call for nominations for positions on its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Learn more here, and nominate yourself or or a colleague here.

Highlights from partner organizations

• The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) will hold a free one-hour webinar titled "Getting Your Letter to the Editor Published". The webinar will begin at 2:00 pm EDT on Thursday, July 27. Follow this link to reach the registration page.

Have comments or something to add? Contact the RISE Science & Technology Policy Working Group at [email protected]. Check us out online at risestronger.org/groups/rise-science-technology.