Science and Policy
AGU Science and Legislative Alerts (ASLA)
ASLA. Do you get it? AGU’s Science Legislative Alert is an e-mail service created to keep you informed about what’s happening in Washington and how it affects you as an AGU member and scientist.
Pending Legislation
To contact your legislators regarding these issues use the AGU Advocacy page.
- S.2614: GEAR Act: Greenhouse Gas Emission Atmospheric Removal Act
- S.2323: Carbon Capture and Storage Technology Act of 2007
- S.2191: America's Climate Security Act of 2007
- S.1766: Low Carbon Economy Act of 2007
- S.1497: Energy Independence Act of 2007
- S.931: National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2007
- S.485: Global Warming Reduction Act of 2007
- S.309: Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act
- S.280: Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007
- H.R.5819: SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act
- H.R.5789: Science and Technology Innovation Act of 2008
- H.R.5171: National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2008
- H.R.3737
- H.R.3093: CJS appropriations
- H.R.2407: National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2007
- H.R.2342: National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation Act of 2007
- H.R.2304: Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007
- H.R.1590: Safe Climate Act of 2007
- H.R.620: Climate Stewardship Act of 2007
- H.R.250: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act
- H.R.21: Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act
Hearing Summaries
- R&D Needs to Meet America's Future Energy and Climate Challenges
- FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program Reauthorization
- Global Warming's Impacts on the Oceans
- Opportunities and Challenges for Nuclear Power
- FutureGen and Carbon Capture and Sequestration, House views
- FutureGen and Carbon Capture and Sequestration, Senate views
- U.S. Competitiveness and Innovation
- Drought Mitigation in the Southeastern U.S.
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration
- International Climate Change
Congressional Science Fellowship Program
For nearly 30 years, AGU has sponsored a Congressional Science Fellow to help bring sound scientific information to the U.S. Congress. The Fellow works for one year in a legislator’s office or on a committee staff. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
Position Statements
From time to time the AGU Council adopts position statements that relate the understanding and application of the geophysical sciences to relevant public policy. In making such statements, the Council limits itself to positions that are within the range of available geophysical data or norms of legitimate scientific debate. Each statement expires after four years unless reaffirmed.
- Human Impacts on Climate
- Meeting the Challenges of Natural Hazards
- Biological Evolution and the History of the Earth Are Foundations of Science
- Capability to Monitor the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
- Renewing Investment in Ocean Research
- NASA: Earth and Space Sciences at Risk
- Importance of the Earth and Space Sciences in Primary and Secondary Education: An Endorsement of the AAAS Benchmarks and NRC Standards
- The Role of U.S. Government in Supporting Earth and Space Science Research
- The Importance of Archiving and Availability of Geophysical Data
- The Need for Balance between Small and Large Science
- Earmarking
Policy on AGU’s Role in Advocacy on Public Issues
AGU Promotes Good Science Education
- “Scientists Must Speak Up for Science” (PDF, members only), an Eos editorial in response to a creationist film at the Smithsonian
- Letter to Ohio (PDF)
- Reply to letter (PDF)
- Grand Canyon Letter (PDF)
- AGU members sign a letter (PDF), keeping good science in Texas textbooks.
- Letter to the Charles County, Maryland School Board (PDF)
Public Policy Activities at AGU Meetings
- 2006 Fall Meeting
- 2005 Fall Meeting
- 2004 Fall Meeting
- 2003 Fall Meeting
- 2002 Fall Meeting
- 2002 Spring Meeting
- 2001 Fall Meeting
- 2001 Spring Meeting
Connecting to Congress
The Capitol Cause Fund
AGU's Capitol Cause Fund was created in 2004 to provide support for meetings between Earth and space scientists and decision makers on Capitol Hill. The Fund supports travel and other expenses that enable AGU scientists to deliver unbiased, sound scientific advice directly to those involved in policy making in congressional offices. To help Congress use more Earth and space science in policy making, make a contribution to the Fund.
Read about recent activities supported by this fund.
To learn more about visiting Capitol Hill and other AGU Public Affairs activities, contact Elizabeth Landau (elandau@agu.org)
- AGU Supports Findings from the National Academies Decadal Survey:
- Letter to Administrator Griffin (PDF)
- AGU and AMS Presidents ask U.S. Congressman Barton to honor scientific process in climate change dispute.
- Letter to Barton (PDF)
- Write your Representative regarding the investigation
- U.S. Federal Science Budget
- AGU supports increase for NSF in FY2007 (PDF)
- AGU supports increase for USGS in FY2007 (PDF)
Workshops
Handout materials from the workshops are available. If you are interested, contact elandau@agu.org.
- Communicating with Congress—meeting with members and staff
- Communicating with Congress—hearing testimony
Activities on Capitol Hill
- Congressional Visits Day
- Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus
- Coalition for National Science Funding
- USGS Coalition
- National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Coalition
- Weather Coalition
AGU’s Committee on Public Affairs (COPA)
- The Uneasy Courtship of Science and Politics, 3 December 2002 Eos editorial by COPA Chair Tim Cohn
- Reprinted in Water Resources IMPACT, the newsletter of the AWRA (March 2003, V. 5, No. 2, pp. 28–29)
- Citizen Scientists, 27 March 2001 Eos editorial by former COPA Chair Jim Burch
