AAAS - The World's Largest General Scientific Society

S&T in the Presidential Transition Newsletter

The latest science-related news
on the presidential transition from the
AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Congress

January 2009

FINAL NEWSLETTER

This will be the final AAAS S&T in the 2008 Presidential Election and Transition newsletter. If you wish to continue following AAAS coverage of the S&T policies of the Obama Administration, you can subscribe to the AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Congress newsletter by sending an e-mail with your name and address to congress_center@aaas.org.

TRANSITION UPDATES

Obama Looks to Elevate Role of S&T in Executive Policy

In his inaugural address on January 20, President Barack Obama referred to many areas of policy that his administration will revisit and revise, although science was among those specifically mentioned as a target for improvement. In describing how he intends to restore the American economy, create new jobs, and address challenges in health care, he said that his administration "will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost." He went on to say that "We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age," indicating the policy direction he will pursue and the role that S&T will play. These remarks were in keeping with the plans that Obama described during his campaign and with his description of a potential economic stimulus package.

Chu Included Among Confirmed Cabinet Nominees

Dr. Steven Chu, the Nobel Prize-winning physicis Obama selected to lead the Department of Energy, was confirmed by the Senate shortly after the President's inauguration on January 20 and was sworn in the following day. During his confirmation hearing on January 13, at which he was introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) as "persistent, persuasive, and passionate about science" and "one of the great, brilliant thinkers of his generation," the members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee praised his background as head of the Lawrence-Berkeley National Laboratory and emphasized the key role science will play in addressing the nation's energy challenges.

Chu expressed this sentiment in his testimony and in several answers to the Senators' questions, stating that "the key to America's prosperity in the 21st century lies in our ability to nurture and grow our nation's intellectual capital, particularly in science and technology." In response to a question about his support for the development of clean coal, Chu said that based on "[his] optimism as a scientist, we will develop those technologies to capture a large fraction of the carbon dioxide that is emitted from coal plants and safely sequester them."

The other members of Obama's cabinet confirmed on January 20 include Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Peter Orszag, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was confirmed on January 21.

Still under consideration for nomination is Lisa Jackson, a former head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the nominee to head the EPA, who also discussed the role of S&T in her January 13 confirmation hearing, including recent criticism of scientific integrity at the EPA. Specifically, she said in her testimony that if the EPA is going to function properly it needs to restore its integrity and that "political appointees will not compromise the integrity of EPA’s technical experts to advance particular regulatory outcomes." More generally, she said that "science must be the backbone of what EPA does," and that if confirmed she "will administer with science as [her] guide."

Among the other Obama nominees still being considered by Senate committees are Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director-designate John Holdren, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Director-designate Jane Lubchenco, and Council on Environmental Quality Member-designate Helen Sutley.

AAAS CEO Calls on Obama to Reinvigorate Science Education

In an editorial published January 12 in the Boston Globe, AAAS Chief Executive Officer Alan Leshner highlighted the diminished attention given to science and math in the nation's schools, specifically pointing out that the United States had failed to make the top 10 science and math education countries in a recent study by Trends in International Mathematics and Science. While he opened by praising Obama's selections of renowned scientists for key S&T positions, including John Holdren for science advisor to the president and Jane Lubchenco for head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he said that despite these selections and the unusually early appointment of a science advisor, " the reinvigoration of US science advice cannot happen soon enough." Calling for competitive pay for teachers, uniform national science-learning goals, and more funding for science education, he summarized by saying that "now is the time to tackle the science education problem if we want long-term, stable improvements in our national economy and quality of life."

More Transition News

For more detailed information on the transition, visit the transition resource pages on the AAAS S&T in the 2008 Presidential Election website, which includes links to information from government agencies, think tanks, academic and non-profit organizations, as well as information from the media and others.

Also, check the News page or the President-Elect's official site for more updates.

These sites will be maintained as an archive of information about the election and the transition.

REPORTS

The Center for American Progress has released a report entitled "A Life Sciences Crucible: Stem Cell Research and Innovation Done Responsibly and Ethically," which provides its recommendations for federal policy on stem cell research.

The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) has issued a white paper entitled "A Catalyst for Cures: Embryonic Stem Cell Research," which advocates a repeal of federal restrictions on stem cell research.

The National Science Board also sent a letter to Obama's Transition Team that describes its recommendations for improving STEM education in the United States.

The New America Foundation, in preparation for the nomination hearing of Arne Duncan for Secretary of Education, posted a list of 20 questions that Senators should consider during the hearing.

The STEM Education Coalition has sent a letter to President-elect Obama and his Transition Team calling for his administration to make science, technology, education, and math (STEM) education a national priority.

NEWS

Congress and Obama Both Press for S&T in Stimulus Proposals

On January 7, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held a hearing on the economic recovery plan and how to design a legislative package to address the growing crisis. The hearing made significant mention of the importance of S&T in a stimulus plan and included testimony from Norman Augustine, chair of the National Academies’ Rising Above the Gathering Storm report committee, and Maria Zuber, E. A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Shortly after the Steering and Policy Committee's hearing, then President-elect Barack Obama also addressed the problem, arguing that a stimulus plan should include more than infrastructure projects. He called for investments in science and technology, stating, “[W]e’ll also do more to retrofit America for a global economy. …And it means investing in the science, research, and technology that will lead to new medical breakthroughs, new discoveries, and entire new industries.”

The draft text of a $550 spending suplement to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009, a proposed $825 billion stimulus package, was released by the House Appropriations Committee on January 15. Among its many provisions, it is estimated to include up to $13.3 billion for federal R&D.

For more detailed information, see the analysis of the bill from the AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program and the bill summary from the House Appropriations Committee.

EVENTS

January 26, 2009 - Coming to Grips with Sustainable Practices: Where Do We Go from Here?
American Meteorological Society's Environmental Science Seminar Series
253 Russell Senate Office Building
12:00 - 2:00 PM
No RSVP required. Click here for more information.

January 28, 2009 - Green Jobs: A Foundation for the New American Economy?
Presented by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)
385 Russell Senate Office Building
2:00 - 3:30 PM
No RSVP required. Click here for more information.

January 28, 2009 - Energy Lessons from Brazil
Wohlstetter Conference Room, 12th Floor
American Enterpise Institute
1150 17th Street NW
Washington, DC
12:00 - 1:30 PM
Click here for information and to register

ARTICLES and OPINION