Federal Priority Agenda
Every year, the AIRI Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and the AIRI
Washington Office establish
Congressional and Executive Branch priorities. The AIRI Washington Office
advocates for these priorities throughout the year through meetings with Members of
Congress and staff, Executive Branch agencies, Action Alerts to the AIRI
membership, and collaborative efforts with patient advocacy groups and the research and scientific communities. Below are summaries of
AIRI's current Congressional and Executive Branch priorities.
Congressional Priorities
+ Increase NIH Funding
AIRI supports and sustained funding for the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). AIRI institutions play an important role in the U.S. biomedical
research community, receiving about 11 percent of the extramural funds
awarded by NIH each year. For 2011, AIRI supports $32,239 billion for the
NIH budget, an increase of 3.2 percent above last year, which is equal to
the projected Biomedical Research and Development Price Index for FY 2011.
AIRI Written Testimony Submitted to the House Labor, HHS, Education
Appropriations Subcommittee for FY 2011
AIRI Written Testimony Submitted to the Senate Labor, HHS, Education
Appropriations Subcommittee for FY 2011
+ Increase NSF Funding
AIRI supports increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF-funded biological research
provides important fundamental building blocks for the basic research funded by NIH.
AIRI is encouraged by actions taken
by the President and Congress to double the budget of NSF, and supports the
President’s FY 2011 budget request of $7.424 billion.
+ Foster
the Next Generation Scientific Workforce
AIRI supports policies that promote the United States’ ability to
maintain a competitive edge in biomedical science. The biomedical research
community is dependent upon a knowledgeable, skilled, and diverse workforce
to address current and future critical health research questions. The
cultivation and preservation of this workforce is dependent upon several
factors:
·
The ability to recruit scientists and students globally is
essential to maintaining a strong workforce.
·
Training programs both in basic and clinical biomedical research,
initiatives focusing on career development, and recruiting a diverse
scientific workforce are important to innovation in biomedical research for
the benefit of public health.
Executive Branch Priorities
+ Monitor Cost Policy Issues
AIRI continues to meet with Executive Branch officials, including the White House Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) to discuss
cost policy issues unique to independent research institutes. By maintaining
strong working relationships with OMB,
HHS and NIH, AIRI seeks to preserve the role of independent research institutes
in the biomedical research enterprise.
-
NIH Revised Grants Policy Statement on licensing and patent costs
Additional Information:
AIRI Coalitions
AIRI Institutes Award Trend Data (Opens new browser window)
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