Washington Highlights: September
30, 2005
Contents
Prior Issues
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AAMC Urges Conferees to Oppose Animal Research
Amendment
In a Sept. 29 letter
to the House and Senate conferees for the FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations
bill (H.R.
2744), AAMC President Jordan J. Cohen, M.D., urged conferees
to delete an amendment that would hinder the acquisition of certain
animals needed for biomedical research. The amendment, sponsored
by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), was included in the Senate-passed
version of the bill; there is no similar provision in the House
bill.
The amendment would prohibit facilities that purchase animals from
Class B dealers from receiving funding from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Class B dealers are tightly regulated by the USDA and sell animals
that have not been bred first-hand. In the letter, Dr. Cohen noted
that the amendment would do little to protect pets, but would seriously
harm research conducted at AAMC member institutions.
Information:
Erica Froyd, Director, Public Health and Research Legislative Affairs
AAMC Government Relations
efroyd@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
Congress Approves Stopgap Funding Bill
The Senate Sept. 30 passed by voice vote a stopgap funding measure
(H.J.Res.
68) to keep federal programs running through Nov. 18, clearing
the bill for the President. The bill, known as a continuing resolution
or CR, will provide funds for those programs supported by appropriations
bills not enacted prior to the Oct. 1 start of the federal fiscal
year. The CR is necessary because only two of the FY 2006 appropriations
bills - Interior-Environment and Legislative Branch - have become
law. The House passed the CR Sept. 29 by a vote of 348-65.
The CR provides funding for programs at the FY 2005 current rate,
the House-passed level for FY 2006, or the Senate-passed level,
whichever is lower. For agencies such as HHS for which the Senate
has not yet passed a bill, the funding rate under the CR is at the
lower of the FY 2005 current rate or the House-passed level. House
Appropriations Chair Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) said the funding the
CR at the "lowest level" was intended to keep pressure
on the Senate to pass its remaining appropriations bills individually
and avoid a year-end "omnibus" spending bill.
The CR temporarily extends expiring authorities for military and
veterans' benefits, food stamp and nutrition programs, and State
Department and international assistance programs, and continues
funding for various Medicare Modernization Act activities.
Information:
Dave Moore, Senior Director
AAMC Government Relations
dbmoore@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
NIH Creates New Office of Portfolio Analysis and
Strategic Initiatives
NIH Sept. 28 published a Federal
Register notice formally creating the Office of Portfolio
Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI) within the Office of
the Director of NIH. The notice further creates three branches within
the new entity: the Division of Resource Development and Analysis,
the Division of Strategic Coordination, and the Division of Evaluation
and Systematic Assessments.
In addition, Dr. Zerhouni is transferring the NIH Roadmap Initiative
function from the immediate Office of the Director into OPASI. The
Office of Evaluation, currently within the Office of Science Policy,
is being transferred into OPASI. The new office is intended to support,
among other functions, "regular trans-NIH scientific planning
and initiatives and the successful and adaptive priority-setting
process for identifying areas of scientific and health improvement
opportunities."
An acting director of the Office will be named shortly. A formal
search will be conducted for a permanent director of the Office.
Information:
Tony Mazzaschi, Interin Chief Scientific Officer, Senior Director
AAMC Scientific Affairs
tmazzaschi@aamc.org
(202) 828-0059
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