This week: a landmark climate bill, NIH childcare support and an Earth-monitoring satellite
In depth: The National Institutes of Health has come under fire from a federal watchdog for not enforcing clinical trial reporting requirements.
Full story: NIH failed to enforce clinical trial rules, watchdog finds
Also this week from Research Professional News
US science advisers hail publisher response to monkeypox call—Major publishers and journals praised for making outbreak-related research openly available
Green gauge—The Inflation Reduction Act brings money for climate research, but there is an energy trade-off
Here is the rest of the US news this week…
Biden signs off climate spending bill
US president Joe Biden has signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, a major climate, healthcare and tax reform bill. The legislation includes a $369 billion investment in climate and energy policies over the next decade—the largest investment in climate action in US history. It is predicted to slash US carbon emissions through the development and commercialisation of green technology such as carbon capture and zero-carbon hydrogen fuel.
NIH provides update on childcare stipend
The National Institutes of Health has shared data showing the amount of childcare support requested by National Research Service Awards fellows since it was introduced in April 2021 to counter high childcare costs. NRSA fellows can apply for up to $2,500 per budget period. The NIH reported that it received 229 requests for the funding in the 2021 financial year, approving 228 worth a total of just over $572,000. It said it had received 357 requests in the 2022 financial year and had so far approved 196 awards worth almost $510,000.
USGS takes ownership of Earth-monitoring satellite
The Landsat 9 Earth-observation satellite is now under full operational control of the US Geological Survey, having been launched by Nasa in September 2021. In the interim, Nasa has been positioning the satellite in orbit, calibrating its detectors and collecting test images. Now fully operational, the satellite will be controlled by USGS for the remainder of its lifespan. It is the latest in a series of Landsat satellites, which have monitored changes in the Earth’s landscape for more than 50 years.