Markey; NIH Increase; AI Bills; NASA Visit
BU IN DC
President Melissa Gilliam met with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) on July 30th. Their wide-ranging discussion included topics such as the National Science Foundation, artificial intelligence, and distinguished BU alumni in politics.
SENATE PROPOSES INCREASES FOR NIH, ENERGY RESEARCH, AND STUDENT AID
On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed several spending bills for fiscal year (FY) 2025 before heading out on its August recess. The proposed Senate budgets for certain research and student aid programs, as compared to FY 2024, are as follows:
- National Institutes of Health: $50.2 billion, a $2.05 billion increase
- ARPA-H: $1.5 billion, sustained funding
- Department of Energy Office of Science: $8.6 billion, a $360 million increase
- Pell Grant Maximum Award: $7,495, a $100 increase
- Federal Work-Study: $1.23 billion, sustained funding
The Senate-proposed funding levels are higher than those recommended by the House Appropriations Committee last month. Congress is not expected to approve a final spending package until after the November presidential election.
SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BILLS
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved several bills on Wednesday that would augment federal support for artificial intelligence research. The Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence (CREATE AI) Act (S. 2714) would officially authorize the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), a testbed for AI research. The NAIRR is currently being piloted by the National Science Foundation. The committee also passed the NSF AI Education Act (S. 4394), which would create scholarships and fellowships to support students studying AI and quantum science.
BUZZ BITS…
- NASA Associate Administrator for Science Nicola Fox visited BU on Tuesday. She met with faculty, students, and post-docs working on NASA-supported research.
- Last week, the National Science Board released a policy brief designed to prompt conversations about the growing role of industry in funding research, the impact of China as both a research competitor and collaborator, and the rise in jobs requiring science and technology skills. The next board meeting is scheduled for December 4th and 5th.
- The Government Accountability Office released a report on college hunger last week which revealed that 23% of college students experienced food insecurity and 59% of students who may have been eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) did not indicate they received benefits. The report was requested by the senior Democrats on the House Committees on Education and the Workforce and Agriculture.
A NOTE TO OUR READERS
Beltway BUzz will temporarily pause publication during the Congressional District Work Period. Please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn for updates.