Policy Blog

Here is a look at astronomy-related policy events on the schedule for October 2020.

Back in May, the AAS's Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (CAPP) issued a survey to the AAS membership to evaluate impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a summary of the survey results.

Today and tomorrow (8-9 September), we ask you to contact your congressional delegation via email and/or social media to encourage passage of the RISE Act authorization bill (H.R. 7308, S. 4286).

The House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittees met to finalize their fiscal year 2021 markups. Here are some details on the funding for NASA and other federal agencies that support the astronomical sciences.

US immigration and visa programs have been experiencing an accelerating crisis these past few weeks, and the AAS public policy team has been working, along with other professional societies, on these issues.

President Trump's 22 June proclamation that suspends various entry visas is devastating to many early career scientists, and the sentiment behind the order is deeply unsettling for all of us, writes Paula Szkody.

Sethuraman Panchanathan has been officially confirmed as NSF's 15th director. He commits to a continued push for inclusiveness in science and engineering and to the advancement of world-leading fundamental research.

The AAS encourages everyone in our community to make a lifelong commitment to action to eradicate anti-Black racism in the astronomical sciences and in academia and research more generally, beginning Wednesday, 10 June.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate gave us a plethora of news with virtual two town halls, less than a week apart, offering COVID-19 updates and the big announcement of its science plan for the next five years.

Megan Donahue comments on the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor and reaffirms the Society's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to AAS members who are marginalized.