Societies and Congress support supplemental research funding for COVID impacts

Eighteen coalitions composed of scientific societies, trade groups, and educational organizations - including ASA, CSSA, and SSSA -  urged Congress to include supplemental funding for federal research in any future coronavirus response legislation. The letter requests $26 billion for scientific and medical researchers who have been impacted by the pandemic. The funding would cover supplements for research grants and contracts. It would also cover costs of research support personnel and base operating costs for core research facilities and user-funded research services until facilities reopen and research activities return to pre-pandemic activity levels. Finally, this money would fund additional graduate student and postdoc fellowships, traineeships and research assistantships, with priority given to those who could not complete research or degrees due to the coronavirus. 

Bipartisan letters in both the House and Senate also circulated in support of supplemental research funding. 182 House Members, led by U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI), and 33 Senators led by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), signed the respective letters showing Congress' overwhelming support for this additional funding.