Wise Young
08-11-2001, 10:50 AM
August 10, 2001
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ POLICY HEADLINES ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A biweekly report exclusively for members of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives
1. Bush Allows Research on Existing Stem Cells
2. Congress Checks Out for the August Recess
3. NIH Neuroscience Research Center
4. Information Office and You Policy Headlines Summer Hiatus
1. BUSH ALLOWS RESEARCH ON EXISTING STEM CELLS Last night President Bush announced he will allow federal money to be used for research on stem cells that have already been extracted, but that the government would not support new embryo use. He said that research could continue on the already produced 60 genetically diverse stem cell lines. This allows us to explore the promise and potential of stem cell research without crossing a fundamental moral line by providing taxpayer funding that would sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least the potential of life. Mr. Bush went on to say that he would create a new Presidents Council on Bioethics to be headed by Dr. Leon Kass from the University of Chicago.
2. CONGRESS CHECKS OUT FOR AUGUST RECESS
On August 3, Congress recessed for its summer break with a massive agenda awaiting its return in September. Ideally, all thirteen appropriations bills will be complete before the new fiscal year begins on October 1. If Congress fails to finish all the appropriations before that date, Continuing Resolutions (CRs) funding measures that keep federal agencies operating at their current spending levels - will be necessary to keep the government running. Most spending bills are winding their way through the appropriations process, but neither the House nor the Senate has begun work on either the Labor-HHS bill or Defense. These two account for two-thirds of all discretionary funding. With less than a month before the fiscal year deadline, this fall could hold even more difficult budget battles than usual.
3. NIH NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER
Construction of the new John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center is beginning over the next several weeks on the NIH Bethesda campus. The new 600,000 square-foot facility will house several institutes in an effort to encourage scientists who study the brain to work together. The planned facility will feature open, group labs and open-space lounges arranged so that they foster easy conversations between investigators who might benefit from one anothers ideas but who seldom have a chance to run into each other in a more traditional, individual lab setting. Construction will be done in two stages so part of the building could be ready as early as December 2003. The 2002 Presidents Budget includes $306.6 million for the total Buildings and Facilities budget for NIH. Of this, approximately $36.6 million would be used for Phase II of the research center.
4. INFORMATION OFFICE AND YOU POLICY HEADLINES SUMMER HIATUS During the dog days of summer, while Congress is in recess and much of university and public life is on vacation, Policy Headlines will be taking a short break as well. We will, of course, still be here in the Information Office should you have any questions or comments. You may reach us as usual by contacting Paisley Mason or Karen Graham at the Information office - 6917 Arlington Rd. Suite 202, Bethesda, MD 20814 (tel) 301-951-9177 (fax) 301-907-0990 (e-mail) pmason@dana.org.
Congress returns on September 5. Policy Headlines will resume on September 14. Have a wonderful August!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ POLICY HEADLINES ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A biweekly report exclusively for members of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives
1. Bush Allows Research on Existing Stem Cells
2. Congress Checks Out for the August Recess
3. NIH Neuroscience Research Center
4. Information Office and You Policy Headlines Summer Hiatus
1. BUSH ALLOWS RESEARCH ON EXISTING STEM CELLS Last night President Bush announced he will allow federal money to be used for research on stem cells that have already been extracted, but that the government would not support new embryo use. He said that research could continue on the already produced 60 genetically diverse stem cell lines. This allows us to explore the promise and potential of stem cell research without crossing a fundamental moral line by providing taxpayer funding that would sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least the potential of life. Mr. Bush went on to say that he would create a new Presidents Council on Bioethics to be headed by Dr. Leon Kass from the University of Chicago.
2. CONGRESS CHECKS OUT FOR AUGUST RECESS
On August 3, Congress recessed for its summer break with a massive agenda awaiting its return in September. Ideally, all thirteen appropriations bills will be complete before the new fiscal year begins on October 1. If Congress fails to finish all the appropriations before that date, Continuing Resolutions (CRs) funding measures that keep federal agencies operating at their current spending levels - will be necessary to keep the government running. Most spending bills are winding their way through the appropriations process, but neither the House nor the Senate has begun work on either the Labor-HHS bill or Defense. These two account for two-thirds of all discretionary funding. With less than a month before the fiscal year deadline, this fall could hold even more difficult budget battles than usual.
3. NIH NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER
Construction of the new John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center is beginning over the next several weeks on the NIH Bethesda campus. The new 600,000 square-foot facility will house several institutes in an effort to encourage scientists who study the brain to work together. The planned facility will feature open, group labs and open-space lounges arranged so that they foster easy conversations between investigators who might benefit from one anothers ideas but who seldom have a chance to run into each other in a more traditional, individual lab setting. Construction will be done in two stages so part of the building could be ready as early as December 2003. The 2002 Presidents Budget includes $306.6 million for the total Buildings and Facilities budget for NIH. Of this, approximately $36.6 million would be used for Phase II of the research center.
4. INFORMATION OFFICE AND YOU POLICY HEADLINES SUMMER HIATUS During the dog days of summer, while Congress is in recess and much of university and public life is on vacation, Policy Headlines will be taking a short break as well. We will, of course, still be here in the Information Office should you have any questions or comments. You may reach us as usual by contacting Paisley Mason or Karen Graham at the Information office - 6917 Arlington Rd. Suite 202, Bethesda, MD 20814 (tel) 301-951-9177 (fax) 301-907-0990 (e-mail) pmason@dana.org.
Congress returns on September 5. Policy Headlines will resume on September 14. Have a wonderful August!