Science Policy News
Congressional Visits: A Boost to ASA
Science Policy
steve Pierson, AsA Director of science Policy,
pierson@amstat.org
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We need to be proactive and reach out to the policy community.
— AsA President sally Morton in her JsM presidential ad
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dress
s
ixty ASA members recently took President who thought their bosses might be particularly sup-
Sally Morton’s advice to heed the call to action portive were encouraged (and will continue to be
set forth by the Obama Administration when encouraged) to call ASA staff members for either
they spent the last day of JSM on the Hill advocat- the House Education and Labor Committee or
ing for statistical literacy and funding. After two the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
briefing sessions, the enthusiastic group split into (HELP) Committee to express support for promot-
roughly 20 teams to meet with staff in almost 120 ing statistical literacy.
congressional offices and, in several instances, actu- The funding ask consisted of the following
al members of Congress. Participants reported that two parts:
their audiences were receptive to the ASA’s message,
thereby opening the door for the ASA to realize its
— Fund the National Science Foundation’s
advocacy requests through sustained follow-up.
(NSF) fiscal year 2010 (FY10) budget at the
Both the day of visits and the fact that JSM was
president’s request of $7.05 billion—an 8.5%
held in Washington, DC, this year were a boost to
increase above the FY09 level and slightly above
the ASA’s science policy efforts.
the House request of $6.94 billion and the
Senate request of $6.92 billion
The ‘Asks’
— Fund the National Institutes of Health
While the group made specific requests—“asks” in
(NIH) FY10 budget request of $31.2 billion,
Hill jargon—during their meetings, the goals for
a 4% increase above the FY09 level. The $31.2
the visits were to introduce the ASA, educate staff-
billion is above the 1.5% increase requested
ers about what statisticians do, and initiate relation-
by the president and approved by the Senate.
ships with congressional offices. The visits also were
The House approved a 3.1% increase for NIH
part of a broader ASA science policy campaign to
in FY10.
promote statistics in policymaking and advocate
the specific issues of statistical literacy and basic
The 4% requested increase for NIH is based
research funding.
on the average value over the last five years of the
The statistical literacy ask was for help promot-
Biomedical Research and Development Price Index
ing statistical literacy in upcoming education leg-
(BRDPI), which is considered a better measure
islation, whether it be the reauthorization of No
of inflation for research costs and tends to run a
Child Left Behind (likely to revert to its previous
couple percentage points above the Consumer
name, the Elementary and Secondary Education
Price Index.
Act (ESEA)), the Ehlers-Dodd Bill to promote
The two asks—approved by the ASA Executive
voluntary national standards (Standards to Provide
Committee with input from the Board of
Educational Achievement for Kids (SPEAK) Act
Directors, the Scientific and Public Affairs Advisory
(H.R. 2790 and S.1231)), or another legislative
Committee, the 60 participants, and me—were
vehicle. ASA staff members have drafted committee
linked as part of a competitiveness theme, echo-
report language that will work for either bill and
ing the 1995 National Academies report, “Rising
have specific suggestions for ESEA language. Staffers
Above the Gathering Storm”: A more statistically
OCTObER 2009 AMsTAT NEWs 35
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