It’s been an interesting budget year! Appropriations activity is always politicized, but the political maneuvering of 2002 brought the FY2003 budget process to a complete stalemate in October, with four continuing resolutions (CRs) passed to keep the federal government operating so that legislators could head home for…yes, more politics!

In recent years, science funding has been a bipartisan priority. In the House and the Senate, leaders like former Rep. John Porter (R-IL) and Rep. David Obey (D-WI), Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) have championed the need for increased funding of biomedical research. These, and quite a few others, have led the way for historic levels of support of science across federal agencies.

These champions need both encouragement and input from the science community if they are to continue their efforts to promote science funding. In the coming weeks and months, AAA will be asking you to become more involved in public policy advocacy. The almost immediate call for action will likely relate to the FY2003 budget. And, even with current funding in limbo, it’s also time to focus on the post-doubling strategy for NIH.

Beyond the budget, the coming year is bound to bring with it a broad range of legislative and regulatory proposals in such areas as stem cell research, the use of laboratory animals, graduate training, bioethics, and research integrity, to name a few.

In these areas and more, your expertise can be invaluable to decision makers. Please respond when AAA asks members to write letters, make phone calls, or join us on the Hill. The future of biomedical research is in your hands.