Policy Blog
The AAS Public Policy team uses the Policy Blog to communicate with the membership about current events in the science policy world. Most policy blog posts are written by the John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow.
October 2020 Events in Astronomical Science Policy
30 Sep 2020
Here is a look at astronomy-related policy events on the schedule for October 2020.
Summary of CAPP COVID-19 Impacts Survey
23 Sep 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.
Action Alert: Support Research Relief Today and Tomorrow
8 Sep 2020
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).
House Appropriations for FY 2021
22 Jul 2020
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.
Visa Policy Changes and the AAS
16 Jul 2020
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.
AAS President's Message on Visa Suspensions
8 Jul 2020
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.
New National Science Foundation Director Confirmed by Congress
23 Jun 2020
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.
AAS Endorses #ShutDownSTEM, #ShutDownAcademia & #Strike4BlackLives
9 Jun 2020
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.
Back-to-Back NASA Town Halls: Before and During AAS 236
5 Jun 2020
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.
AAS President Calls on All Members to Support Black Americans Now
2 Jun 2020
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.