Science spending on a knife-edge as 2009 budget stalls

Despite passing the stimulus bill a few weeks ago and announcing extra funding to science agencies for the 2010 financial year, Congress failed to pass the 2009 federal budget yesterday. Since September the federal government has been running on a continuing resolution that pegged funding at 2008 levels and has led to layoffs at a number of national laboratories . The C.R. expires at midnight tonight.

“Senate Republicans blocked a $410 billion omnibus spending measure on Thursday night, forcing Congressional Democrats to prepare a stopgap budget resolution to keep the federal government from shutting down,” writes David M. Herszenhorn in the New York Times . The Democrats needed 60 votes to pass the spending bill, but could only muster 59 as Republicans railed against earmarks by their colleagues and two senators (one Democrat and one Republican) refused to approve the bill because it includes a relaxation in travel and goods restrictions with Cuba.

As a result, the House of Representatives and the Senate passed a C.R. bill that will fund the government until Tuesday night. House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) threatened to fund the government at the 2008 level for the remainder of the 2009 fiscal year if the budget is not approved next week. Capping funding at 2008 levels would cut federal science agencies’ funding by 2%-5% in real terms. In a telephone call to Senator Harry Reid’s (D-NV) office, a spokesperson said the senator remains confident that the 2009 budget will pass.

Foreign travels

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is currently on an international goodwill tour, announced earlier today that the Obama administration hoped to build better relations with Russia by becoming more engaged in international arms control talks, “and by possibly changing US plans for deploying a missile defense system in Eastern Europe” writes Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post . Clinton has suggested that if Russia helps persuade Iran not to develop nuclear weapons, the US and its allies would not require a missile defense system.

Three major arms control treaties are up for discussion this year, including the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty , (START) which expires at the end of the year. Negotiations between the Bush administration and Russian officials failed, but both Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov seem optimistic that an agreement can be reached to expand START to include more cuts.

Holt pushes anthrax commission

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ has introduced legislation that would establish a congressional commission to investigate the 2001 anthrax attacks and the federal government’s response and investigation.

The attacks originated from a postal box in Holt’s central New Jersey congressional district, and questions remain over whether the FBI has pinpointed the correct suspect. Bruce Ivins, a Fort Detrick expert in bioterrorism, committed suicide after an 18-month surveillance operation and shortly before he was to be charged by the FBI.

Holt, along with senators Pat Leahy (D-VT), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Charles Grassley (R-IA), has consistently raised questions about the federal investigation into the attacks.

“All of us--but especially the families of the victims of the anthrax attacks--deserve credible answers about how the attacks happened and whether the case really is closed,” said Holt. “The commission, like the 9/11 Commission, would do that, and it would help American families know that the government is better prepared to protect them and their children from future bioterrorism attacks.”

The commission would have to consult the National Academy of Sciences for recommendations on scientific staff to serve on the commission and would deliver a report 18 months after its establishment.

Paul Guinnessy