AAAS established the Center for Science, Technology and Congress in July 1994. Funded by a grant from the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund, the Center provides timely, objective information to Congress on current science and technology issues and assists the science and engineering community in understanding and working with Congress.

HEADLINES

Presentations are available for both the November 9, Climate Change and Our Coasts: Impacts and Adaptation Options, and the November 16, Climate Change: Health & Policy Implications, briefings.

AAAS Comments on WMD Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009
On November 2, AAAS sent Senators Lieberman and Collins a letter expressing concerns and recommendations in the interest of promoting safe and secure science while preventing bioterrorism.

AAAS and 17 other Scientific Societies Release Letter Supporting Climate Change Science and Adaptation
As Senators debate climate change legislation, 18 scientific societies signed onto a joint letter affirming climate change science and offering assistance to Senators as they debate legislation.

AAAS lends support to provisions in the Senate climate bill
On August 27, AAAS sent Sens. John D. Rockefeller, IV and Kay Bailey Hutchison a letter supporting the "provisions to establish a strong climate change research program and a National Climate Service in the Senate climate bill."

October 2009 issue of Science and Technology in Congress now available

AAAS CEO Testifies Before Congress
AAAS CEO Alan Leshner testified at the hearing "Encouraging the Participation of Female Students in STEM fields" before the House Subcommittee on Research and Science Education.

AAAS Comments on Objectivity in Research
On July 7, AAAS commented on an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking pertaining to objectivity in research, published by the Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register on May 8, 2009.

Visa Reform
A group of 32 higher education, scientific, and engineering organizations, including AAAS, urged the federal government to take additional steps to improve the visa process for international students, scholars, and scientists, including creation of a high-level interagency panel to review all of the government’s post-9/11 visa policies and procedures.  The statement thanks the Administration for its commitment to the issue their efforts to work with the community to improve the visa process.

AAAS opposes proposed SBIR funding changes
AAAS joined with a coalition of nearly 100 groups to send a letter to the Senate opposing the provision passed by the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to increase the portion of their budgets that federal research agencies must set aside for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, saying that SBIR funding should be increased through total agency funding boosts rather than increasing the amount of the set-aside formula.

AAAS Supports the SPEAK Act
AAAS sent Sen. Dodd and Rep. Ehlers letters on June 2 supporting the Standards to Provide Educational Achievement for Kids (SPEAK) Act.

AAAS Comments on NIH Stem Cell Guidelines
On May 20, AAAS commented on the National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research, published in the Federal Register on April 23, 2009.

AAAS Comments on the Presidential Memo on Scientific Integrity
On May 13, AAAS responded to the Office of Science and Technology Policy's (OSTP) request for public comment on the Presidential Memo on Scientific Integrity published in the Federal Register on April 23, 2009.