What you can do We will be holding a webinar for our Op-Ed Project (Building a Better Society Through Science) this Thursday, November 9, at 1 pm EST/10 am PST. See details here.If you have an advanced degree in earth, environmental, or health science, click here to sign an open letter from the Union of Concerned Scientists opposing Scott Pruitt's removal of scientists from EPA advisory roles (see article below). Pruitt removes scientists from EPA advisory boards On October 31, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Scott Pruitt announced that scientists currently receiving grant money from the EPA would be immediately barred from its advisory boards. Many of the scientists were removed without warning, some learning of their ouster via text messages or news reports. Pruitt also named new heads of the EPA's three advisory panels: industry consultant Tony Cox replaced University of Iowa professor Deborah Swackhamer; waste-disposal executive Paul Gilman replaced Drexel Universit...

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What you can do We will be holding a webinar for our Op-Ed Project (Building a Better Society Through Science) on November 9 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST. See details here. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is preparing to prevent scientists who have received EPA funding from serving on EPA scientific advisory committees, and replace them with industry representatives--a dangerous and unprecedented move. If you have an advanced degree in earth, environmental, or health science, click here to sign an open letter from the Union of Concerned Scientists opposing this move and urging Congress to hold oversight hearings into science at the EPA. The deadline to submit a public comment to the FCC on the proposed takeover of Tribune Media by the controversial Sinclair Broadcast Group is this Thursday, November 2. Comments can be submitted here (see more instructions here). Tech companies face hearings on Russian election interference Representatives of Facebook, Google, and Twitter ...

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In July 2017, RISE Stronger, 500 Women Scientists, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and the Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Policy (ESEP) Coalition joined together to launch our Op-Ed Project: Building a Better Society Through Science. We called on individuals to speak up for science by writing an op-ed in support of government funding for science, technology, and the programs that help build our society, support our local communities, and make the world a better place. You can view the original announcement here and view the original op-ed prompt here. Many concerned citizens answered the call, and they helped get the word out about the importance of non-defense discretionary spending for their local communities. To date, 15 op-eds from this project have been published in local papers across the U.S. (updated February 15, 2018). Published Op-Eds Below is a list of all op-eds published to date. Click on the title of each op-ed to read it in ful...

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What you can doFor anyone interested in participating in our Op-Ed Project (Building a Better Society Through Science), we will be holding a webinar on November 9 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST. See details here.The FCC has extended the period for public comments on the proposed takeover of Tribune Media by the controversial Sinclair Broadcast Group. Comments can be submitted here (see more instructions here). Comments must be submitted by November 2.Senate passes budget resolutionOn Thursday, October 19, the Senate narrowly passed its budget resolution. The House passed its own version earlier in October, and will now consider the changes in the Senate's version. In principle, the budget resolution serves as the first part of Congress' budget process, setting the spending limits for the appropriations bills that lay out the federal budget in more detail. However, because it is happening so late in the process, this year's budget resolution is seen as not being about the actual federal budge...

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What you can doThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed new rules to monitor the social media of all immigrants to the United States. To oppose this rule, submit a public comment here. Comments must be received on or before this Wednesday, October 18, when the new rules go into effect.Trump's NOAA and CEQ nominees draw pushback from senators, former officialsOn October 12, President Trump nominated AccuWeather CEO Barry Myers to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). If confirmed by the Senate, Myers would be the first NOAA administrator since 1981 to hold no science degrees. AccuWeather, which relies heavily on National Weather Service (NWS) data, has previously lobbied for restrictions on public distribution of NWS weather data to increase profits for private companies using these data, and Myers supported then-Senator Rick Santorum's (R-PA) 2005 efforts to partially privatize NWS services. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Bill Nelson (D-FL)...

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What you can doThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed new rules to monitor the social media of all immigrants to the United States. To oppose this rule, submit a public comment here. Comments must be received on or before October 18, when the new rules go into effect.RISE Stronger is presenting a webinar on "Building Coalitions that Last", from 7 to 8:30 pm EDT on Thursday, October 12. Register and learn more here.House passes FY18 budget resolutionOn October 5, the House narrowly passed a budget resolution that would increase defense spending by $72 billion and reduce non-defense spending by $5 billion. The budget includes cuts to education, healthcare, and nutritional assistance, and also contains reconciliation rules that would protect an upcoming tax-reform bill from filibuster. House Democrats—joined by 18 Republicans—voted as a bloc against the resolution and warned that the planned tax cuts would benefit only the wealthiest Americans. The Senate's version of t...

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What you can doFind out how you can support hurricane relief for Puerto Rico here.Find out how you can help victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas here.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed new rules to monitor the social media of all immigrants to the U.S. To oppose this rule, submit a public comment here. Comments must be received on or before October 18, when the new rules go into effect. FCC Chairman confirmed; legislators, tech community object On October 2, acting Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai was confirmed by the Senate, in a 52-41 vote, for a four-year term. The confirmation was expected, given Republican support for Pai; four Democratic Senators (Claire McCaskill, D-MO; Gary Peters, D-MI; Joe Manchin, D-WV; and Jon Tester, D-MT) also voted for confirmation. However, other Senate Democrats strongly opposed the confirmation. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued a scathing press release condemning Pai's efforts to roll back net n...

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What you can doFind out how you can support hurricane relief for Puerto Rico here.The EPA is taking public comments until Thursday, September 28, on its list of nominees for its Science Advisory Board. Comments on the nominations should be sent to [email protected] net neutrality. Contact Congress and the FCC and tell them you support a free and open Internet. Learn more here.Graham-Cassidy vote cancelled; ACA enrollees still face obstaclesAfter Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), John McCain (R-AZ), and Rand Paul (R-KY) announced that they would oppose the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Republican Senate leadership has decided not to bring it to a vote. This effectively kills the bill, though a vote is still technically possible until September 30. However, prospective ACA enrollees for 2018 will face challenges. On September 22, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that the ACA enrollment site will be closed for maintenan...

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What you can doIndivisible 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 SenateOn 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-Ene...

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What you can doThe Hand in Hand Benefit for Hurricane Relief has an active donations page to help victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. A list of Houston-area charities is also available here, and preliminary information for helping Irma victims here. Indivisible has posted a list of actions you can take to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.Trump and Congress reach temporary spending deal; appropriations continue in CongressAhead of the October 1 deadline to fund the federal government in FY18, President Trump and Congress agreed to a deal to extend spending for three months, raise the debt ceiling, and provide emergency hurricane relief funding. Trump signed the measure on Friday, September 8. The deal averts a government shutdown and gives Congress until December to finalize FY18 spending.In the meantime, appropriations activity continues, behind schedule, in the House and Senate. Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its FY18 app...

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