Congressional Update
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
On Thursday, the Senate passed the NDAA bill by a vote of 83-11 sending the legislation to President Biden to be signed into law. The bill authorizes $847 billion in defense spending, and includes $138.9 billion in research and development programs.
The House Armed Services Committee has prepared a detailed summary of the legislation, which can be found here. The Senate Armed Services Committee has also drafted an executive summary, found here. The joint explanatory statement accompanying the bill is available here and full text of the NDAA is available here.
Appropriations
The House of Representatives and the Senate have passed a one-week continuing resolution stopgap funding measure. This legislation, signed by President Biden, funds the government at current levels through December 23rd. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees continue to discuss a potential omnibus package of the 12 annual appropriations bills that would fund the government through the 2023 fiscal year.
The U-M Office of Federal Relations is closely tracking the FY23 Budget and Appropriations process, and will continue to update this document as additional information becomes available. If you have any questions, please reach out to UM.FedRel@umich.edu.
|
|
White House Summit on Diversity in STEMM
This week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced a slate of actions to advance the Biden administration’s science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) equity priorities. The White House hosted a summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence, where they announced the creation of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance, an organization led by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) coordinating over $1.2 billion of investments in initiatives that will advance diversity and equity in STEMM. In addition to the STEMM Opportunity Alliance, the administration announced the creation of a variety of programs to provide holistic support for teachers and learners; address the STEMM teacher shortage; close the funding gap for students and researchers that have historically been excluded from accessing key resources; root out systemic bias in the classroom, laboratory, and workplace; and promote a culture of accountability across the science and technology ecosystem.
A recording of the summit is available here. A full list of the federal programs seeking to advance STEMM equity is available here.
|
|
|
DARPA Innovation Fellowship Program
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently announced a new Innovation Fellowship, a two-year position at DARPA for early career scientists and engineers. The fellows will develop and manage a portfolio of high-impact exploratory efforts to identify breakthrough technologies for the Department of Defense. Recent Ph.D. graduates and/or active-duty military with degrees in the sciences (within five years) may apply to become a DARPA Innovation Fellow. Bachelor- or master’s-level candidates with compelling submissions also may be considered. As DARPA is part of the Department of Defense, U.S. citizenship is required for the fellowship. Selected candidates will be required to undergo a background investigation. The first class of fellows will likely start in January 2023, with an additional class starting every six months.
To submit your resume for consideration or to ask questions about the fellowship program, email fellowship@darpa.mil.
|
|
Congressional Calendar
The Senate will be in session next week from December 19th - December 21st. The House of Representatives will also be in session, pending Senate action on a potential omnibus funding package. The 118th Congress is scheduled to begin on January 3rd, 2023.
|
|
U-M Faculty Engaged in Public Service: Christopher Friese
 |
We are proud to feature U-M faculty who volunteer their personal time in service to the nation. These engaged scholars serve on Federal Advisory Committees (FACs), Intergovernmental Personnel Agreements (IPAs), or on National Academy committees. These faculty and staff live out U-M’s mission to serve the state, nation, and world by applying their knowledge and expertise to help shape and inform national policy. If you are currently serving on a FAC, IPA, or National Academy committee, or have recently been selected to serve in one of these roles, please email us and let us know.
This month, we are featuring a Q&A with Christopher Friese, Elizabeth Tone Hosmer Professor of Nursing and Professor of Health Management and Policy. Professor Friese serves on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Advisory Board.
Could you tell us how you personally got appointed to the committee, and what your term of service is? Were you familiar with the role of the advisory committee before you joined?
I was called by the White House Office of Personnel, indicating that the President intended to nominate me, presuming completion of a few screening questions. The appointment is a six-year term. The National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB) advises the National Cancer Institute (NCI) director in setting the course for the nation’s cancer research program. Part of that role also includes a second-level review of grant proposals submitted to the National Cancer Institute and selected other agencies. I have been aware of the NCAB for some time, as their meetings are public and the NCI director often gives key updates to the NCAB on a quarterly basis.
This link to the nomination announcement may be helpful.
How did you learn about this opportunity and what factors made you decide to serve?
As above, the White House called me, pretty much out of the blue! I was deeply honored to be recognized for my research and leadership in cancer. What I bring to the committee is the view of cancer clinician, scientist focused on improving care delivery, and a professor who strives to expand the cancer research workforce.
Please explain your role and/or a specific issue that you worked on.
I serve on two subcommittees: the first reviews the progress of the Comprehensive Cancer Centers program. NCI-designated cancer centers are funded to advance scientific understanding of cancer, and translate that new knowledge into risk reduction strategies or treatments. The second subcommittee evaluates the portfolio of cancer research that is focused on prevention, control, and population science. Currently, we are reviewing data from the NCI on the reach of their science, specifically, what studies are funded in different patient populations.
As one of the newer members on the committee, having joined in September of 2021, does your experience on the committee differ from your colleagues who have been on the committee for a greater length of time?
There definitely was a steep learning curve. The NCI budget is $6.9 billion dollars. There are a vast array of high-impact initiatives, which span the globe. So getting a handle on the various programs and priorities took some time. We are fortunate to have regular briefings from the NCI senior leadership.
How has COVID-19 affected your experience on the committee?
One unfortunate downside is that I’ve not been able to meet my colleagues in person. So far, all our meetings have been virtual. I do hope we have the opportunity for in-person meetings soon and to visit the National Cancer Institute and the Frederick National Laboratories.
What is the time commitment to serving on the committee? Is your experience on the committee what you expected?
We meet roughly every quarter. Some meetings are approximately half or a full day. We hold joint meetings with the Board of Scientific Advisors, which are often two-day meetings.
How has your research experience and expertise brought value to the committee?
I feel that I’ve been able to share what the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center has done to improve care delivery and advance the science. I’ve also been able to share some of our struggles and ask for clarity on key NCI priorities. As a clinician-scientist, I want to be sure that all patients receive equitable access to clinical trials and novel advances in risk reduction and treatment. Equitable access to science and care has been a key theme of our conversations.
Another area of interest is how the NCI will interface with the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) efforts. We hope to have more clarity soon. It’s my goal for the agencies that fund cancer research to do so in a complementary and synergistic way, as opposed to a cluttered, competitive approach.
Would you recommend that your colleagues seek out similar opportunities? How do you think this experience will strengthen your career or ability to be successful in the future?
What I’ve learned so far is that the cancer research enterprise is far more complex than I realized. Of course policy decisions confer tradeoffs. One new program means another great idea may not move forward. So understanding that, coupled with the broad bipartisan support for cancer research, has been a unique opportunity.
Faculty at Michigan have tremendous knowledge, skills, and expertise to offer federal advisory committees. We serve and study very unique populations. Our mission as a public university and large contributor to the biomedical workforce make our lens a unique one to share broadly. And you get to interact with some of the most interesting people in your field. Go for it!
Given what you’ve learned during your time on the FAC, is there anything else you’d like to share with faculty and others in the research community at U-M?
At some point in everyone’s career, it is worth pondering in what ways you can generate impact for the work you do, whether that’s instructional, clinical/service, or scientific discovery. Participating in a federal advisory committee tilts your chin up a bit. You get to see the broader landscape, ponder more challenging questions, and see where your work and the work of your colleagues fits into the ecosphere. These leaders of these agencies try hard to get it right and they need our expertise to inform their efforts.
To learn more about Christopher Friese’s background and research areas, please click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
