Science Policy Priorities
On science policy, we represent our members’ interests at the U.S. federal level. By speaking with one voice for our members, and working with our coalition partners, we create the foundation for a robust and vibrant scientific community.
In particular, we follow actions and updates in Congress and at the agency-level that impact: the Department for Education’s Institute for Education Sciences, the Department for Health and Human Services (including the Administration for Children and Families, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), the National Institutes of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Justice (including the Bureau of Statistics and National Institute of Justice), among other agencies.
SEE OUR LATEST ACTIONS SEE OUR COALITION PARTNERS Science Advocacy Homepage
Our top priorities are:
Science Funding
We promote robust and sustained funding for scientific and research programs, allocated by Congress and administered by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Institute for Education Sciences, Department of Justice, and other agencies that support child development research.
Every year, we closely track Congressional appropriations bills to monitor how science funding is being allocated and we work with our coalition partners to determine our requests. At our annual Advocacy Day, we ask our members to share their stories with Congressional offices. When Congressional budget negotiations break down and government shutdowns loom, we ensure our members know how to prepare their federally funded grants.
Science Workforce
We support federal legislation, policies, and regulations that will enable the scientific workforce to operate, with a particular focus on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This can include issues such as how key research agencies are being run and held accountable in Congress, the grant review process, agency-level strategic plans, federal-level nominations to key scientific boards and positions, and more.
Social Policy Priorities
On social policy, our goal is to improve evidence-based policymaking. Our members are scientific experts, and our role is to help bridge the gap between their expertise and policymakers. We do that through the larger work of the Child Policy Hub, including our efforts to help policymakers work with experts in real time as part of Child Policy Connect.
In addition, our members have told us to prioritize the following areas with sustained engagement and focus:
Early Care and Education
We support evidence-based federal legislation, policies, and regulation in early care and education that impact children aged zero to five. We focus on actions in agencies like the Administration for Children and Families, within the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as developments in Congress.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
We support evidence-based federal legislation, policies, and regulations that impact child and adolescent mental health. We focus on agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, as well as Congressional developments.