October 2023

Register Now for Congressional Briefing at Neuroscience 2023

SfN and the American Brain Coalition, in cooperation with the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus (CNC), will be holding a congressional briefing, The Invisible Threat: Understanding, Recognizing, and Treating PTSD,Tuesday, November 14, noon–1:30 p.m. EST in the Capitol Visitors Center, North Congressional Room 268 in Washington, D.C. With opening remarks from CNC co-chair Congressman Earl Blumenauer, the briefing will feature an expert panel of speakers discussing the latest fundamental research and discoveries into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), how to best recognize and treat this neuropsychiatric disorder moving forward, and how Congress can play a role in advancing new discoveries and therapies for PTSD. Open to all registrants of Neuroscience 2023, register now for this timely and informative briefing.

Mark your Calendars for Additional Advocacy Events at Neuroscience 2023

Along with the congressional briefing on Capitol Hill, there will be additional exciting advocacy events at Neuroscience 2023 to attend. Saturday, November 11, 6:30–8:30 p.m. EST in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Poster Floor, come and visit the Early Career Poster Sessions, where current Early Career Policy Ambassadors will be presenting on the policy and advocacy work that they have been engaging in throughout the year. Monday, November 13, 1:30–3:30 p.m. EST in Washington Convention Center Room 206, will feature the Animals in Research Panel. Hear from researchers in the field, including National Institute of Mental Health Director Joshua Gordon, along with a patient advocate speak about how animal research has led to groundbreaking discoveries in neuroscience and the successes of animal research from the lab to patient care. Make sure to add all these events to your Neuroscience Meeting Planner and if you have any questions, please email advocacy@sfn.org.

Congress Passes Continuing Resolution (CR) to Avert Government Shutdown

With just hours to spare before the Saturday, September 30 deadline, Congresspasseda clean continuing resolution (H.R.5860) to keep the government open until Friday, November 17. The CR will temporarily extend FY 2023 funding for most federal agencies and programs while Congress continues to work on FY 2024 appropriations. Although SfN was happy to see a shutdown averted, it is still critical to keep in mind the negative impacts a CR has on biomedical research such as delayed funding for necessary services and therefore, the importance of completing full-year appropriations. Due to the recent removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House, the path forward remains unclear as lawmakers must either find a long-term spending solution or work towards another CR by mid-November otherwise face another possible government shutdown.

NIH Director Nomination Hearing Moving Forward

After negotiations with the White House on drug pricing, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Bernie Sanders finally announced the committee will hold a confirmation hearing on the nomination of current National Cancer Institute Director Monica Bertagnolli to be NIH director this month. The statement notes how “the NIH has done excellent work to research and develop new prescription drugs and treatments that have improved the lives of the American people and people throughout the world. But it has not done a good job in making sure that prescription drugs developed with taxpayer funding are sold at a reasonable price.” NIH has not had a Senate-confirmed director since December 2021.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Announces First Two Regional Hubs

ARPA-H recently announced their first two regional hubs will be in the Dallas and Boston areas. The announcement was in tandem with the launch of ARPANET-H, a nationwide health innovation network that connects people, innovators, and institutions anchored by three central hubs. The customer experience hub in Dallas will focus on diversifying clinical trials, reaching representative patient populations, and creating better health outcomes for all while the investor catalyst hub in Cambridge, Massachusetts will focus on commercializing technologies, understanding market dynamics, and providing business support to accelerate healthcare innovation. A third stakeholder and operations hub will work with the federal government. The exact location of this site is to be determined but will be somewhere in the National Capital Region and will be announced later this year.

Take Action to Support the National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs)

NPRCs are a critical resource in the United States biomedical research enterprise. The Senate Appropriations Committee has included $30 million in funding to support infrastructure and expansion at the NPRCs, but opponents of life-saving biomedical research have inundated Congress with letters asking members to remove these critical funds. The National Association for Biomedical Research has issued an action alert urging individuals to write their elected officials in support of the $30 million allocation for NPRCs in the Senate Appropriation Committee’s FY 24 funding bill.

Register for Webinar on Emerging Animal Rights Trends

Americans for Medical Progress is hosting a webinar on emerging animal rights trends in 2023 and tips for improving preparedness, Thursday, November 9, noon EST. Animal rights organizations are constantly inventing new strategies geared toward ending necessary animal studies. During the webinar, learn about the latest animal rights trends, what challenges U.S. institutions will likely face in the upcoming 12 to 18 months, and tips on minimizing the impacts of animal rights campaigns and countering some of the most impactful animal rights strategies.

SfN Advocacy Resources

• Introduce yourself to the new Congress using the Advocacy Action Center.
• Watch the Neuroscientist’s Guide to Advocacy series to understand the tools needed to help advance the field.
• Learn how to engage members of Congress and effectively advocate for science with SfN's Advocacy Best Practices.
• Get involved in global advocacy.
• Talk to the public about the importance of animal research.
• Reach out to advocacy@sfn.org for assistance in preparing for your next advocacy effort at home or on Capitol Hill.