What you can do
- Indivisible has a list of resources and actions you can take to oppose the Graham-Cassidy bill. This latest Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is likely to be voted on before September 30. More details are available here.
- The EPA is taking public comments until September 28 on its list of nominees for its Science Advisory Board. Comments on the nominations should be sent to [email protected]. See below for more background and details.
House passes appropriations package, but final budget will depend on Senate
On Thursday, September 14, the House of Representatives passed a package of 12 appropriations bills along a largely party-line vote (almost all Republicans in favor, almost all Democrats opposed). The package covers all federal discretionary spending for FY18, including scientific research funding. The bill largely rejects the draconian cuts proposed by President Trump, though it would eliminate the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), among a few other anti-science provisions.
This budget passed by the House stands very little chance of being enacted, however. Differences would need to be ironed out with the Senate, which has not yet completed its appropriations bills. Democrats will be needed to reach 60 votes in the Senate, and the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Patrick Leahy (D-VT), has already said that it will not pass because it violates the Budget Control Act's cap on defense spending, among other reasons. Although FY18 begins in October, Congress has until December to pass a budget because of the continuing resolution passed earlier this month.
New driverless car directives weak on safety, privacy
On September 12, the Department of Transportation released Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety, the Trump administration's new guidelines for manufacturers of self-driving cars. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao introduced the document, which trimmed last year's recommended safety assessment from 15 items to 12. However, the guidelines are voluntary rather than mandatory. Former National Highway Traffic Safety Administration interim director David Friedman expressed his concern, saying, "Now it's back to the wild, wild west for those systems." The SELF-DRIVE Act, which passed the House by voice vote on September 6, requires federal rather than state control over driverless-car standards, including both safety and cybersecurity protections. However, privacy protection under the law is also weak; if manufacturers encrypt consumer data collected from the vehicle, they are not required to disclose how these data are collected, stored, or shared--even if they decrypt the data later.
Cyber diplomacy bill introduced
On September 14, House Foreign Affairs chair Ed Royce (R-CA) and ranking member Eliot Engel (D-NY) introduced the Cyber Diplomacy Act, a bill that would establish a permanent Office of Cyber Issues within the State Department. Last month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced plans to close the current cyber office and transfer its duties to State's economic office. In response, Royce and Engel issued a statement of bipartisan support for a strong U.S. cyberspace policy, including a dedicated office with an ambassador-level leader. The proposed office would combat online espionage and sabotage, and promote international efforts to protect Internet security.
Senate Energy Committee frustrated by slow pace of Trump's energy nominations
Even as the pace of nominations has slightly increased over the past few weeks, most high-level federal appointments remain unfulfilled. Just in the Department of Energy, only seven nominations have been made, and only two of those confirmed--leaving fifteen roles empty since inauguration day. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, expressed frustration with the Trump administration's inaction. The sentiment was echoed by more members from both sides of the aisle on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The lack of nominations, appointments, and staff in general has has been a problem across the government in the Trump administration, and has been particularly problematic for scientific agencies and offices.
Comments on EPA Science Advisory Board nominees due September 28
After refusing to renew many of its Science Advisory Board members this spring, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened up nominations for new members, and is taking public comments on them until September 28. The agency has identified 132 potential members from academia, industry, and local and state governments. The list includes a large number climate skeptics, Heritage Foundation representatives, and Trump transition team members. (For example, from this list of nominees, the right-wing anti-science website "Junk Science" was able to compile a long list of "picks" that it is in favor of, including a large number of unqualified climate skeptics, and a much shorter list of "pans", who are just scientists who have actually received EPA grants.) The next step will be for the EPA to the list of nominees and making sure a balance of disciplines are represented, but the EPA Administrator will have the final say on selections.
Quick takes
- Eleven people, including a NASA engineer, are suing Customs and Border Patrol for illegal search of electronic devices.
- A research program into gun violence prevention, ordered by former President Obama, has been allowed to lapse by the NIH.
- The federal government has ordered the removal of Kaspersky Lab anti-virus software from its computers, citing concerns over the company's alleged links to Russian intelligence.
- The FCC wants more information from Sinclair Broadcast Group on its proposed merger with Tribune Media, and both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are concerned over Sinclair's "must-run" pro-Trump TV spots.
Have comments or something to add? Contact the RISE Stronger Science & Technology Policy Working Group at [email protected].