Science & Congress: a scientist's perspective from inside the House of Representatives

Transcription

1 Science & Congress: a scientist's perspective from inside the House of Representatives Makenzie Lystrup, Ph.D AAAS/AIP Congressional Science Policy Fellow George Mason University October 4, 2012

2 AAAS Science Policy Fellowships

3 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

4 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

5 Science is a special interest There is a difference between science for policy and policy for science Science issues are a very small segment of the overall policy landscape. Why? Federal R&D investment is spread across over two dozen departments and agencies Only two manage more than 10% of the investment: Dept of Defense (51.8%), Dept of Health and Human Services (21.9%) The federal R&D investment is also spread across 11 of the 12 appropriations subcommittees. Follow the money

6 Every dollar the federal government spends... $0.20 = Social Security $0.20 = Other Mandatory $0.19 = Medicare/Medicaid $0.17 = Defense $0.14 = Nondefense $0.04 = Research and Development Of that: nearly half is weapons development

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9 Only adjusted by an act of Congress

10 Only adjusted by an act of Congress Easy target?

11 Only adjusted by an act of Congress Easiest target?

12 Key administration R&D priorities in FY 2013 Jobs / Innovation & Science - COMPETES Agencies: $13.1 billion - 100,000 new STEM teachers - $2.2 billion for advanced manufacturing - ~$65 billion for research A Low-Carbon Economy - $6.7 billion for for clean energy R&D Infrastructure - Wireless Innovation Fund / Surface Transportation Climate / Natural Resources - Global Change Research Programs: $2.6 billion

13 Effects of priorities NASA Earth Science Division, International Space Station/ Commercial Crew, Space Launch System (SLS), James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Where will the $$$ come from? NSF astronomy portfolio review Close facilities (Kitt Peak, Green Bank Telescope, VLBI, etc.), protect PI grants Lobbying effort underway on behalf of facilities

14 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

15 Representative democracy Congressional offices are repeatedly and regularly visited by almost every interest group and constituency imaginable They come to share their concerns and hopes, ideas about what the Member should do, and just to remind us that they exist Scientists are notable for the wrong reasons Mostly absent Poor understanding of process and politics Lack of coherent message Only come around to complain about lack of funding

16 Constituent calls, letters & visits Iran 15/week Citizens United 2/week Chimpanzee research subjects 25 total Free trade agreements 50 total Keystone XL pipeline 20/week Other energy issues 1/week Space-related 1/year Science-related 1/month Grant Reform and New Transparency Act 0 Affordable Footwear Act 4/year Social Security/Medicare 5/day

17 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

18 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

19 Public opinion matters 54% say it is important that the U.S. maintain world leadership in research 59% doubt U.S. will lead in science and technology in % say research spending is more than they expected 35% say the government should not invest more in medical research 38% would vote for a candidate who cuts funding for medical research as part of deficit reduction JZ Analytics for United for Medical Research and Research!America, September 2012 N=1014, margin of error ±3.1%

20 Public opinion matters Federal govt. spending should Scientific research Obama supporters Romney supporters decrease 11.2% 31.2% 20.0% remain the same 51.1% 50.2% 50.7% increase 37.7% 18.6% 29.3% Federal govt. spending should Obama supporters Space program Romney supporters decrease 49.4% 54.1% 51.5% remain the same 35.0% 33.4% 34.3% increase 15.6% 12.4% 14.2% Overall sample Overall sample Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy at Washington University in St. Louis The American Panel Survey: Results on spending and tax priorities survey conducted in January 2012 N=1351, margin of error ±2.67%

21 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

22 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

23 Lessons learned If you re not at the table, then you re on the menu Constituents matter above all Writing has impact bills, op-eds, letters, etc. The media and messaging matter for good and ill Congressional staff can have a lot of influence Many people work very hard to do the right thing We as scientists and scientific communities can and should do a better job advocating for ourselves

24 Be a (nicely) outspoken constituent Congressional staff are REACTIONARY Understand that a typical Congressional staffer is: Young but smart and well-educated (likely not in science) Working long hours under extreme/dynamic deadlines Handling a large number of diverse issues, including science Wanting to help you if at all possible Understand the budget and legislative processes Have tangible asks

25 Excuses, excuses Making calls/writing letters/sending s/making visits won t do any good Someone else will do it The bill will never pass My Member of Congress is not of my political persuasion

26 Who is advocating for your science? Professional societies Government relations staff Congressional Visits Days w/ scientists 1 registered lobbyist 1 registered lobbyist no registered lobbyist Universities and research institutions Government relations staff Professional external lobbyists

27 No excuses! Making calls/writing letters/sending s/making visits won t do any good Someone else will do it The bill will never pass My Member of Congress is not of my political persuasion

28 Why science has a difficult time delivering what policymakers want Outcomes are unpredictable Value is often not immediately known Investment in science creates jobs in the long-term, but not many in the short-term

29 How and when? Call the DC and local offices Ask your employer Ask your professional societies Know the budget timeline Know the current legislation Sign up for policy alerts

30 What do I do? Show up and make a succinct case, have an ask Listen and learn, respect the intelligence of staffers Understand the Member's positions Know what s carved in stone, what s open for discussion Link to other issues the Member cares about Explain why your request is consistent with the Member s policies and previous statements/ votes Build a relationship, be a resource

31 What do I ask for? President s budget request February-March Appropriations programmatic requests Hard deadline usually in May (was in March this year) Authorization & Appropriations process Funding levels in markup, conference, or floor amendments

32 What do I ask for? Cosponsor, support, or oppose a bill Sign or send Dear Colleague letters Send agency oversight letters Visits to your home institution Assistance with local resources Why you didn t get what you asked for

33 Bills and issues Grant reform and transparency Limits on conference travel for government employees National helium reserve Legal issues, e.g. climate gate Open access publishing Research priorities Visa matters

34 Be a resource (i.e. make a staffer s life easier) Congress can use credible and timely scientific input, but doesn t have to

35 Questions -or- A diversion into the budget cycle

36 The federal budget cycle Today Agencies are working on 3 budgets at any given time FY 2012: Spending FY 2013: Congress at work FY 2014: OMB/OSTP agency guidance Source: AAAS

37 The federal budget cycle Discussions within federal agencies among upper management about possible priorities and initiatives.

38 The federal budget cycle Joint memorandum from Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) lays out Presidential priorities and provides broad guidance

39 The federal budget cycle Agencies deliver budget justifications to OMB

40 The federal budget cycle Agencies negotiate with OMB over their budget proposals with OSTP serving in an advisory role Budget proposals are finalized in January

41 The federal budget cycle President presents the proposed budget to Congress the first Monday in February

42 The federal budget cycle Congress holds hearings on agency budgets and initiatives Authorizing committees create authorizations for agencies Congress approves budget resolution, the big-picture spending plan Appropriations committees write/approve 12 appropriations bills

43 The federal budget cycle Appropriation committees write and approve appropriations bills Bills have to pass the full chamber by majority vote The different versions passed by both chambers are conferenced Each chamber then has to agree to the conference report before President can sign The fiscal year ends on Sept 30, any unfunded agency must shutdown unless a continuing resolution (CR) is passed Omnibus bill is created to pass remaining appropriations bills

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