The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy

March 9, 2023

AGU’s 2023 Policy Priorities

In 2019, AGU began developing annual policy priorities to help focus our advocacy work and speed up the advancement of important science policy and legislation. Our policy priorities reflect not only AGU’s broader strategic goals and current policy landscape, but also the needs and priorities of our members. To represent the diversity of AGU’s community, all within the Earth and space science community were encouraged to participate in a survey …

August 29, 2022

CHIPS and Science Act: AGU highlights and takeaways

On 9 August 2022 President Biden signed into law the Chips and Science Act. While it is largely talked about as an investment in our semiconductor industry and a national security win, this law is arguably more about advancing the U.S. scientific enterprise. At the heart of the science portion of the law is a compromise between the policies set forth in the Senate U.S. Innovation and Competition Act …

August 10, 2022

Senate Appropriations Committee majority release their FY23 spending bills

Just before Congress’ August recess, Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee released all 12 of their Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) appropriations bills. In this post, we’ll detail the Committee majority’s spending and programmatic highlights for federal science agencies and offices. Department of Energy Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY22 FY23 President’s Budget Request (PBR) FY23 Senate Appropriations Percent Change Senate FY23 vs FY22 Percent Change Senate FY23 …

July 18, 2022

House Appropriations Committee releases their FY23 appropriations bills: read the Earth and space science highlights

In July 2022, the House Appropriations Committee released their 12 Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) appropriations bills. In this post, we’ll detail the House’s proposed spending and programmatic highlights for those science agencies. These spending numbers will set the groundwork for the Senate to start work on their FY23 spending. Department of Energy Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY22 FY23 President’s Budget Request (PBR) FY23 House Appropriations Percent Change House FY23 vs FY22 Percent Change House FY23 vs …

October 15, 2021

New science policy engagement program; applications open now!

AGU is piloting a new program, Local Science Partners, that will cement sciences’ place in decision-making by empowering AGU members to build trusting, sustainable partnerships with policymakers. AGU’s new program will pair AGU members with their legislators and provide AGU member partners the tools, resources and training to build sustainable relationships with their legislators. The goal of Local Science Partners is to advance AGU’s policy agenda and diversify sciences’ Congressional …

May 25, 2021

AGU sends letter on Spectrum issues to Senate leadership

On 20 May 2021, AGU, The American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association sent a letter to Senator Maria Cantwell (WA), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation calling for leadership on Spectrum issues, including the importance of spectrum assets to national security and weather and hazards safety. Thank you for your voice of leadership to preserve diverse spectrum resources to sustain and advance crucial environmental …

April 16, 2021

Biden’s first budget request includes significant gains for science

Last week, President Biden released his first Presidential Budget Request (PBR) for Fiscal Year 2022, which asks for big spending boosts for several science agencies. President Biden’s budget mirrors the four priorities declared by his Administration previously – pandemic response, economic recovery, climate change, and equity. Notably to address these issues, Biden’s budget proposes an all of government approach, with large focuses on climate change and transformational research. While we wait for a more detailed budget with programmatic requests for …

March 25, 2021

AGU Endorses the American Innovation Act

On 25 March 2021, AGU sent a letter of support to Senator Dick Durbin (IL) in support of the American Innovation Act. On behalf of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and our community of 130,000 worldwide in the Earth and space sciences, I am writing to thank you for crafting and offering AGU’s official endorsement for the American Innovation Act. The American Innovation Act provides stable and increasing funding for federal …

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 …

February 26, 2021

Biden’s first 30 days in office: what it’s meant for science

President Biden campaigned on bringing science back to the center of policy. Knowing this, AGU shared a First 100 Days Memo with the Biden-Harris Transition team, laying out key priorities for climate change, the role of science, and a strong, diverse and inclusive scientific workforce. Now, a little more than a month into the Biden administration, we take a closer look at what progress has – and has not – …