Endorse the RISE Act

(June 26, 2020) As soon as this week, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), (R-MI), (D-TX), Frank Lucas (R-OK), (D-CA), and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) are introducing the bipartisan Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act (RISE Act). The bill addresses the unprecedented disruptions to federally supported research and the research workforce at universities and other laboratories across the country. It authorizes approximately $26 billion in emergency relief appropriations for federal research agencies to support the nation’s research workforce and offset costs related to laboratory closures and lost research productivity resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The bill also provides temporary regulatory flexibility to universities and nonprofit research institutes that perform federal research. The cosponsors are seeking organizational endorsements of the legislation (see below).

Bill Summary: The RISE Act [see here for EMBARGOED copy] authorizes approximately $26 billion in emergency relief appropriations for federal science agencies during FY20, and available for expenditure for up to two years, as follows: • Department of Agriculture – $380 million • Department of Commerce – $650 million • Department of Defense – $3 billion • Department of Education – $200 million • Department of Energy – $5 billion • Department of the Interior – $300 million • Department of Health and Human Services – $10 billion • National Aeronautics and Space Administration – $2 billion • National Science Foundation – $3 billion • Environmental Protection Agency – $200 million

The bill also affords temporary regulatory relief to allow federal science agencies to continue to interpret regulations consistent with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance memo M- 20-17 issued on March 17, 2020 until universities or nonprofit research institutes can safely reopen research laboratories funded by federal agencies. This regulatory relief permits graduate students, postdocs, principal investigators, technical support staff and other research personnel to continue to receive salary support while research activities have been slowed or halted. The bill also recognizes the impact of COVID-19 on institutional operations and includes temporary flexibility for research institutions in complying with the OMB required single audit.

The RISE Act is consistent with the AAU-APLU-AAMC-ACE recommendations ( May 27 and April 7 ) for federal research relief and that over 200 Members of the House and Senate have registered their support in recent letters to House and Senate leaders.