You are browsing the archive for bwebster, Author at The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy.
August 8, 2025
Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update: USGS and EPA
Congress left for August recess having accomplished a fraction of what’s needed to complete the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year on 30 September 2025. The House Appropriations Committee passed 9 of its 12 bills, and the full House passed 2 of its 12 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed 8 of its 12 appropriations bills, and the full Senate passed 3 …
Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update: DOE Office of Science & NIEHS
Congress left for August recess having accomplished a fraction of what’s needed to complete the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year on 30 September 2025. The House Appropriations Committee passed 9 of its 12 bills, and the full House passed 2 of its 12 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed 8 of its 12 appropriations bills, and the full Senate passed 3 …
Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update: NASA, NOAA and NSF
Congress left for August recess having accomplished a fraction of what’s needed to complete the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year on 30 September 2025. The House Appropriations Committee passed 9 of its 12 bills, and the full House passed 2 of its 12 appropriations bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed 8 of its 12 appropriations bills, and the full Senate passed 3 …
May 5, 2025
Trump Budget Request Shrinks Federal Science Agencies
On Friday, 2 May, President Trump released a “skinny” version of his fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request. This skinny budget outlines the President’s budget priorities, including cuts and increases in funding and his thematic priorities for fiscal year 2026. Although Congress and stakeholders need the President’s full budget request to fully understand his 2026 priorities and plans, the skinny budget is enough for Congress, especially appropriators, to begin determining …
February 11, 2025
AGU’s 2024 Science Policy Impact
2024 was an incredibly busy year for AGU’s science policy community, marked by numerous achievements: the adoption of three new position statements, multiple virtual trainings and gatherings, five Congressional visits day events, the release of AGU’s Ethical Framework Principles for Climate Intervention Research, and dozens of workshops and events at scientific meetings around the world, including AGU24 in Washington, D.C. Take a deep dive into AGU’s science policy and …
January 25, 2022
AGU’s 2022 Policy Priorities
As a scientific society whose members’ research and interests span the universe, AGU’s science policy interests are just as vast – from scientific integrity to funding for science to building resilience to natural hazards. Building upon the work done in 2021, our 2022 policy priorities are to: Fund discovery and solution-based earth and space sciences for the benefit of humanity; Create an equitable, diverse, inclusive and just scientific community; Build a climate and hazard resilient nation; and Protect environmental and human health. …
March 18, 2021
AGU’s 2021 Policy Priorities
As a scientific society whose members’ research and interests span the universe, AGU’s science policy interests are just as vast – from scientific integrity to funding for science to building resilience to natural hazards. In 2019, AGU began developing annual policy priorities to help focus our advocacy work and speed the advancement of important science policy and legislation. For example, last Congress by focusing on our policy priorities AGU was able to secure passage of the Space Weather Research …
December 6, 2019
Global Science Policy at #AGU19
AGU’s science policy team is excited to host three international science policy initiatives at Fall Meeting this year. The first is a series of International Science Policy meetups. These meetups are a great opportunity to learn and hear from colleagues around the world engaging in science policy. Additionally, AGU’s science policy staff will be available to answer questions and provide resources. Tuesday, 10 December from 11 – 12 pm Moscone …
March 29, 2019
Sequestration is back; and science funding is in jeopardy.
The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) required Congress to find ways to cut the deficit by capping funding for non-defense, including science, and defense programs. Congress never came to an agreement on ways to cut the deficit and therefore automatic across the board cuts for government spending, or sequestration, were invoked. Sequestration was supposed to be so bad that Congress would be forced to reach an agreement. Under the BCA, FY2020 defense …
March 25, 2019
Using science to speak truth to power
Today’s post was written by Dr. Bonnie McGill. Dr. McGill is a David H. Smith Conservation Fellow and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kansas. Some people ooh and aah over movie stars on the red carpet. Me? I idolize scientists providing testimony in Congress. Some personal favorites include Dr. James Hansen’s 1988 Senate testimony on global warming and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and others’ 2016 House testimony regarding lead-contaminated drinking …
