Science Policy News from AIBS

Public Policy Office 2025 Annual Report

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Public Policy Office has released its annual report for 2025. In a year marked by extraordinary political and fiscal uncertainty, AIBS remained a steadfast bridge between the biological research community and the halls of government. The report details our efforts to protect the integrity of the scientific enterprise and ensure that evidence remains central to national decision-making.

Some of our key accomplishments from 2025 include:

Facilitated 90 meetings between scientists and lawmakers to discuss the critical importance of federal research funding, as part of our annual Congressional Visits Day and the 16th Annual Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits.
Provided professional development training to 184 scientists, with 148 specifically completing our communications and policy engagement curriculum. To date, over 3,000 scientists have participated in AIBS professional development programs.
Led a coalition of 58 scientific organizations to urge Congress to protect scientific independence.
Successfully opposed proposals to terminate the Ecosystems Mission Area within the U.S. Geological Survey and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Provided comments to the White House emphasizing the need for sustained and predictable funding, robust federal support for basic research, and a commitment to independent merit-based peer review.
Facilitated interdisciplinary discussions resulting in a strategic roadmap for integrated biological and environmental data.

The report also highlights the success of our student programs, featuring 2025 Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award recipient JP Flores and 2025 AIBS & SURA Public Policy Fellow Anna Rader Groves. We invite our members to support the expansion of these opportunities to ensure more early-career professionals can work effectively at the nexus of science and policy.

Delve into the full report to explore our position statements, advocacy resources, and outreach activities.

Plans to Restructure NCAR Move Forward Amid Scrutiny

The National Science Foundation is advancing plans to break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), with proposals to take over parts of the lab closing earlier this month. The move follows a December announcement tied to broader Trump Administration efforts to restructure federal climate research, including shifting key functions such as weather research to other entities.

Details emerging from reporting by Science Insider and the New York Times indicate that multiple universities and contractors are vying for pieces of NCAR's operations. Potential plans include transferring management of research programs, aircraft, and facilities to outside groups, with agencies such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expected to take on some assets. The future of major infrastructure--including NCAR's Mesa Laboratory in Boulder and its Derecho supercomputer in Wyoming, which supports advanced weather and climate modeling--remains uncertain.

The proposed breakup has raised significant concern among scientists and policymakers, who warn it could disrupt critical climate, weather, and Earth system science. Representative Joe Neguse has called for an investigation into whether administration officials discussed transferring NCAR programs to a private company before a formal review process was completed, citing whistleblower allegations.

Additionally, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee recently advanced legislation (S.3923) that would require federal agencies to notify lawmakers in advance of transferring atmospheric research infrastructure to a private entity.

Lawmakers Press NIH Director on Grant Slowdown as Funding Resumes

At a recent oversight hearing, the House Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee pressed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on the agency's slow start to grantmaking in fiscal year (FY) 2026.

Bhattacharya confirmed that the Office of Management and Budget has now released NIH's funding apportionment--clearing a key hurdle that had constrained new grant awards and limited spending largely to renewals and essential expenses. Bhattacharya vowed that NIH will obligate its full FY 2026 budget and indicated that funding is now actively being distributed, with efforts underway to speed up approvals.

He also indicated that the agency will begin filling long-standing leadership vacancies across institutes and centers within the coming weeks. "You're going to start to see people appointed this month," he said. NIH is also hiring to fill in "holes" created by staffing cuts last year. Lawmakers welcomed these developments, particularly after months of delays that left new grant awards at a fraction of typical levels.

Questions about the hiring process created some tension. Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA) pressed Bhattacharya on whether political ideology is being used to screen candidates for institute and center director roles, citing reports about applicants being asked to align with presidential priorities. Bhattacharya responded that "science first" guides NIH hiring decisions, though he acknowledged that final appointments are made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., adding a layer of scrutiny to the process.

Despite some assurances, appropriators and research advocates remain concerned that structural challenges--including staffing shortages, multi-year grant funding (i.e. forward funding) constraints, and administrative bottlenecks--could continue to slow the pace of grantmaking. Looking ahead, additional clarity on the Administration's priorities is expected with the release of the president's "skinny" budget, anticipated the week of March 30.

NSF Responds to 'Returned Without Review' Fellowship Concerns

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pushing back on concerns over a spike in Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) applications returned without review (RWR), stating in a their FAQ that rates have "not changed substantially" from last year.

NSF maintains that all RWR decisions were reviewed by multiple program officers and deemed ineligible. NSF noted that applications may also be returned without review for administrative issues such as formatting errors or missing documents.

NIH Shifts Away from Targeted Funding

A recent report in Nature highlights a major shift at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) away from agency-directed funding toward a greater reliance on investigator-initiated proposals. While NIH leadership argues this approach could boost innovation, many researchers warn it may leave critical but underfunded areas--such as emerging health threats or underserved populations--without targeted support.

These concerns are reinforced by an analysis from former NIH program official Elizabeth Ginexi, who reports a dramatic collapse in targeted funding announcements (NOFOs)--from 756 in 2024 to 120 in 2025 and just 14 so far in 2026. She argues that new approval requirements involving political review have created bottlenecks, leaving many fully developed funding opportunities stalled and unissued.

"The NOFO collapse accomplishes administratively what could not be achieved legislatively," argues Elizabeth Ginexi, who wrote funding announcements for 22 years at NIH. "It strips institutes of the autonomy that made them distinct. It centralizes decision-making under political appointees. It eliminates the scientific stewardship function that program staff have exercised for decades. And it does all of this without a single congressional hearing or recorded vote."

The move suggests a significant restructuring of NIH's funding approach, raising concerns about the agency's ability to respond to emerging public health needs and strategically guide biomedical research.

FDA Vaccine Regulator to Step Down

Dr. Vinay Prasad, a controversial vaccine regulator at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will step down as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the end of April.

During his tenure overseeing vaccines, drugs, and gene therapies, Prasad drew criticism for overriding career scientists and issuing a series of high-profile and often abrupt decisions. These included rejecting applications for treatments targeting rare diseases and refusing to accept Moderna's application for an mRNA flu vaccine--a move later reversed by FDA Commissioner Marty Makary after the company agreed to conduct an additional study.

Prasad also faced scrutiny for limiting use of advisory panels and for internal tensions with agency staff, including disputes over transparency and decision-making. His tenure included enforcement actions against a Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy and a controversial rejection of a Huntington's disease treatment.

Despite the criticism, Makary praised Prasad's efforts to accelerate drug reviews and reshape regulatory standards, including a new framework for COVID-19 vaccination targeting older adults and those with underlying conditions.

Senate Panel Advances NASA Authorization Bill

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee unanimously advanced the NASA Authorization Act of 2026 (S. 933) earlier this month, signaling bipartisan support for the agency's long-term direction. The bill authorizes roughly $24.7 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2026 and $25.3 billion for FY 2027 and outlines priorities spanning human exploration, space science, STEM education, and technology development.

The legislation backs a permanent lunar base under Artemis and extends International Space Station (ISS) operations from 2030 to 2032. It also restores the roles of NASA's chief scientist, chief technologist, and chief economist--positions widely viewed as essential for coordinating agency-wide science strategy.

The bill directs NASA to continue major astrophysics missions, including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, amid ongoing debate over proposed cuts to the Science Mission Directorate, which have raised concerns about impacts to Earth and planetary science.

The bill aligns with NASA's revised Artemis plans, including scaling back upgrades to the Space Launch System and increasing flexibility in mission architecture. These changes come as NASA adapts timelines and strategies to enable a sustainable return to the Moon later this decade. The bill also requires NASA to develop a new plan for Mars Sample Return (MSR) after the current effort was not funded in recent appropriations.

During his confirmation hearing, Deputy Administrator nominee Matthew Anderson welcomed the committee's bipartisan approach and emphasized support for basic research, emerging technologies like nuclear propulsion, and maintaining U.S. leadership in space amid growing competition with China. The panel advanced Anderson's nomination by a 23-5 vote.

A companion bill has already cleared the House Science Committee with bipartisan support, setting up negotiations later this year to reconcile the two versions. While the authorization reflects congressional intent to stabilize NASA's science enterprise, its impact will depend on future appropriations.

DOE Launches AI-Focused Genesis Mission Initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new funding opportunity under its Genesis Mission, seeking interdisciplinary teams to apply advanced AI models to accelerate scientific discovery and R&D workflows. The program will award multiple grants totaling up to $294 million and a focus on advancing energy, environmental, and nuclear science priorities critical to U.S. competitiveness and security.

In parallel, the Genesis Mission Consortium has launched the Genesis Mission Partnership Exchange, a new platform designed to connect researchers across academia, industry, DOE, and the National Laboratories. The tool aims to streamline partner matching, highlight institutional capabilities, and support the formation of multidisciplinary teams.

Joint Statement on Availability of Climate Science in Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence

AIBS has joined the American Meteorological Society, the American Statistical Association, the Ecological Society of America, and the Woodwell Climate Research Center in releasing a statement in response to the decision by the Federal Judiciary Center (FJC) to remove the climate science chapter from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, Fourth Edition and a February letter from 21 state attorneys general urging the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to omit similar guidance regarding climate change.

The statement on "Public Availability of Scientific Information and Scientific Evidence on Climate Change" emphasizes that the removed chapter reflects the broad scientific conclusions reached through decades of rigorous research and comprehensive assessments conducted by thousands of independent scientists and scientific organizations.

The groups warn that removing this material could limit access by public officials--including those in the legal system--to the best available scientific understanding of climate change, while also potentially discouraging scientists from contributing expertise to public decision-making.

The statement reaffirms that climate change is occurring at an unprecedented rate, driven primarily by human activity. The organizations call for the immediate reinstatement of the climate science chapter to ensure judicial decisions are informed by rigorous, consensus-based evidence.

AIBS Requests Increased Funding for ARPA-H in FY 2027

A coalition of 122 organizations, including AIBS, has sent a letter to House and Senate appropriators requesting at least $1.7 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) in fiscal year (FY) 2027 -- a $200 million increase over FY 2026.

"Since its creation less than four years ago, ARPA-H has launched dozens of programs, funded over 200 projects, and built a network of over 1,800 health innovation partners across the nation," the letter reads. "Growing the agency's budget by providing a $200 million increase over FY 2026 enacted levels will allow ARPA-H to continue its forward momentum on developing breakthrough technologies and approaches to meet the nation's continuing health challenges."

Read the letter.

AIBS Submits Joint Comments on Proposal to Launch Mirrors into Space

AIBS joined the American Astronomical Society and 26 other science organizations in submitting comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Reflect Orbital's proposal to launch mirrors into space to sell sunlight at night. The comments highlight the potential for the proposal to significantly harm scientific research, human health, and entire ecosystems.

The proposed service, which would illuminate a region of at least 5 kilometers in diameter from a single beam, represents an unprecedented intervention into the natural night sky that could have far-reaching and irreversible consequences for biological life.

The comments assert that "darkness at night is not a problem that needs to be solved," noting instead that it is "how our natural world functions, and we and other living beings rely on access to darkness to maintain circadian rhythms." Disruption of these rhythms can lead to severe health consequences in humans and animals, including altered metabolism, impaired hormone production, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, the introduction of high-intensity artificial light at landscape scales threatens to destabilize ecological systems. Migratory animals and those that navigate using darkness, such as many bird species, face significant risks of disorientation or entrapment.

The signatories argue that this proposal does not serve the public interest and insist that the FCC "deny the application, or at least require a thorough environmental impact assessment before any license is granted."

Read the comments.

AIBS Endorses Letters Supporting Boosts for Agricultural Research in FY 2027

The American Institute of Biological Sciences has signed on to three community letters supporting increased fiscal year (FY) 2027 funding for agricultural research programs, including the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The first letter, signed by 42 organizations, requests a robust FY 2027 allocation for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which includes funding for the Agricultural Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as well as the Economic Research Service and the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The second letter, signed by 67 organizations, requests an appropriation of $500 million for the AFRI program, USDA's flagship competitive grants program for fundamental and applied research, extension, and education in support of all topics across the food and agricultural enterprise.

The AgARDA support letter was signed by 58 organizations. It urges Congress to provide $10 million for AgARDA, but no less than $1 million in FY 2027. AgARDA was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and modeled after successful advanced research agencies like DARPA and ARPA-E to foster research, development, and technology transfer resulting in significant benefits across the U.S. food and agriculture value chain. Congress has appropriated less than $4 million to AgARDA to date.

Read the letters.

AIBS Endorses Support Letter for FY 2027 NIAID Funding

AIBS joined the American Society for Microbiology and 64 other organizations representing public health, patients, and biomedical researchers in a letter requesting at least $7.15 billion for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and at least $51.303 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year (FY) 2027.

The requested level for NIAID is an 8.7% increase from FY 2026 levels, and is critical to ensuring the U.S. can respond to current and future disease threats.

"NIAID-funded research has fueled some of the biggest public health success stories in recent decades, such as the transformation of HIV/AIDS from a death sentence to a treatable, chronic condition thanks to the development of antiretroviral agents and the development of treatments, vaccines and diagnostics for RSV, tuberculosis, Ebola, type 1 Diabetes, malaria and more," the letter reads. It encourages Congress to work together to ensure strong funding for the work at NIAID and NIH in FY 2027.

Read the letter.

Short Takes

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting input from the research community, stakeholders, and the public on its agency-wide strategic plan for fiscal years 2027-2031. At an upcoming webinar on April 8 at 2:30-3:30 PM ET, NIH leadership will introduce the process for developing the plan, outline the high-level framework, and answer attendees' questions.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked implementation of vaccine policy changes advanced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ruling that the government failed to follow established, science-based processes in revising the childhood immunization schedule and limiting COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
NIH issued a notice last month updating the required elements of a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) that applicants are required to submit for any NIH-funded or conducted research that will generate scientific data. Applicants will be required to use a new DMSP Format page for all funding applications submitted on or after May 25, 2026.
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee advanced the nomination of Arvind Raman, a mechanical engineer, to serve as the next Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on a 16-12 vote. Currently Dean of Engineering at Purdue University, Raman has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
AIBS joined the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research--a coalition of over 500 patient and voluntary health groups, medical and scientific societies, academic and research organizations, and industry--in calling for at least $51.303 billion for NIH in fiscal year (FY) 2027, which would represent a $4.087 billion or 8.7% increase over the enacted funding level for NIH in FY 2026.
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) has released new recommendations to guide the responsible use of generative AI in biological and biomedical research. Developed over eight months by its Gen AI Task Force, the report outlines priorities across policy, scientific integrity, data security, equity, and workforce training. The guidance targets key stakeholders--including federal agencies, research institutions, and scientists--and emphasizes coordinated action to safeguard research quality and sensitive data.
A bipartisan group of 31 lawmakers sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. warning that disruptions at NIH are delaying the review and approval of research grants. They pointed to vacancies on advisory councils as a key bottleneck affecting the agency's core funding process. The lawmakers cautioned that continued delays could stall critical biomedical research and undermine U.S. leadership in science. They urged Secretary Kennedy to quickly fill vacancies and restore normal operations.