![]() In addition to continuing support for Operation Warp Speed and RadX, this funding would support NIH-funded research laboratories that have either shut down or scaled back significantly during the public health emergency. At least $15.5 billion in COVID-19-related and emergency relief funding should be allocated for NIH.Science cannot be turned on and off like a faucet but rather, ramping back up after a closure can takes months to years to accomplish. Disruptions of this magnitude have implications not only for the research workforce, but also on the process of scientific discovery recently released data from the Council on Governmental Relations show research output dropped between 20 - 40% in the first 6 months of the pandemic with a potential impact in the tens of billions of dollars across the research enterprise. As a result of the pandemic, many researchers, students, post-docs and laboratory personnel across all scientific disciplines were forced to close facilities as a result of quarantine requirements and their work was suspended. At least $26 billion in funding across federal science agencies to provide relief for research disrupted by the pandemic.In addition to negotiating and passing FY 2021 appropriations bills with meaningful increases above inflation for federal science agencies, ASM calls on Congress to include the following emergency supplemental provisions in an end-of-year omnibus package: As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, federal science and public health agencies need certainty-scientific progress is put at risk by disruptive, long-term CRs that prevent new programming and long-term planning. Failure to complete work on the appropriations bills in a timely manner impedes our ability to address societal challenges such as combating infectious disease, boosting food production and safety, and developing clean energy alternatives through innovative use of microbes. This is essential to our ongoing response to and recovery from the current public health crisis.Īdvancing the microbial sciences requires robust and sustained investments in basic and applied research across multiple agencies. At the same time, we call on Congress to negotiate and pass additional long overdue emergency supplemental funding. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) urges Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to swiftly complete work on the fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations bills before the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires on December 11. On November 23, ASM submitted the following letter to Congress:ĭear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer:
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