Biophysical Society Bulletin | May 2023

Public Affairs

CanaDeal BeMadeon theDebt Ceiling inTime? With the release of President Joe Biden ’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget in March, the start of appropriations hearings in the House, and the side deals cut in January during the election of Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to the Speakership, a looming ques tion hangs over the heads of Congress with dread—can a deal be secured to increase the debt ceiling before the United States defaults? The Congressional Budget Office announced that the U.S. Treasury Department hit the debt ceiling on January 19, meaning the United States will exhaust its ability to pay all its bills sometime between July and September 2023, unless the current $31.4 trillion cap on borrowing is raised or suspended. It’s a question that echoes in both chambers of Congress, but most significantly in the House where inter-party bickering amongst the GOP makes the likelihood of increasing the debt ceiling before the default deadline look like a herculean task. While McCarthy and Biden met to discuss the issue in early February, there have been no communications since outside of an exchange of letters at the end of March with the GOP calling for discretionary spending limits, rescissions of unspent COVID-19 funds, stricter welfare work requirements, energy-permitting measures, and border security resources. House Republicans are now saying that they aren’t planning any more detailed debt limit proposals, other than what Speaker McCarthy has already outlined. McCarthy told reporters prior to the two-week Easter Recess period that House Republicans are finalizing a bill combining an increase in the U.S. debt ceiling with spending cuts. However, the bill is already being opposed by Democrats who control the Senate, meaning it has little chance of making it to the President’s desk. The White House believes that House Republicans do not have the votes to pass a budget proposal. Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) reiterated that a budget resolution would have to wait. Though until when, he did not say. The Treasury Department is continuing to employ extraordinary measures to avoid a debt limit breach that would be a devastating blow to the U.S. economy, but has noted that it may reach the limit as soon as August.

National Academies Host Roundtable on Science Diplomacy The National Academies’ Roundtable on Global Science Diplo macy held a day-long meeting on March 29 focused on the impact of the war in Ukraine on scientists, a recent interagen cy assessment of shortcomings in U.S. science diplomacy ef forts, and research security efforts underway at the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy. Moving forward, the roundtable intends to meet twice an nually to explore subjects such as how to increase the input of science advice in making foreign policy, investigate policy approaches to make international science and technology collaboration easier and more effective, identify areas where science cooperation can provide a means of transcending traditional diplomatic tensions, and train the next generation of science diplomats. Among its first initiatives are an Action Group on Science Diplomacy Education and an Action Group on Rebuilding Engineering, Science, Education, and Technology in Ukraine (RESET Ukraine). The roundtable is co-chaired by Bill Colgla zier , a physicist who from 2011 to 2014 was the science and technology adviser to the secretary of state, and Katherine Himes , a former science adviser at the U.S. Agency for Inter national Development.

Science Leaders in Place for 118th Congress Congress has finished selecting the committee leaders who will steer policy and budgets for science agencies for the next two years. There have been significant shifts in some key po sitions owing to retirements, shuffled assignments, and the Republican takeover of the House. Appropriations Committees Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are steering the full Appropriations Committee in the Senate, while Reps. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) have swapped majority and minority roles atop the House Appro priations Committee. The four are on good terms and Murray and Collins have pledged to work together to bring spending bills to the Senate floor. Energy-Water Subcommittees The new subcommittee chair in the House, Rep. Chuck Fleis chmann (R-TN) joins returning Ranking Member Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). Fleischmann has been a vocal supporter of the national lab system and energy research and development. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) returns for a final term as sub committee chair before she retires from Congress at the end of 2024 and will serve alongside Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA).

May 2023

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