[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXIV, Issue 21

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXIV, Issue 21
Apr.12,2017

Editor: Peter Chi
Co-Editor: Guan Le
Distribution Support: Sharon Uy, Marjorie Sowmendran, Todd King, Kevin Addison
E-mail: editor at igpp.ucla.edu

Announcement Submission Website: http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g

***********************************************************************

Table of Contents

1. URGENT ACTION ITEM - Visit with Congress during their Recess

***********************************************************************


1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

URGENT ACTION ITEM - Visit with Congress during their Recess

From: Paul Cassak (paul.cassak at mail.wvu.edu)

SPA members in the US are undoubtedly aware of the proposed FY 18 budget from the current administration. There are concerns that this budget could entail significant (~10%) cuts to NSF and additional significant cuts to basic research within the NASA budget. Now is an excellent opportunity to educate elected officials of how harmful this budget would be to the vitality of Space Physics research and the many arenas in which space physics is important to society. Congress is on recess until April 21, 2017, so your elected officials are now in your home district. You now have the opportunity to meet with these influential individuals on their "home turf.” This is the last recess before the president's full budget is released in May. Time is short, so you need to ACT NOW. 

The need is most urgent to reach elected officials on the Science Appropriations Committees.  The list of states with members on the Senate Science Appropriations Committee is (https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/subcommittees/commerce-justice-science-and-related-agencies): 
	AK, AL, AR, CA, DE, HI, MD, ME, NH, OK, LA, RI, SC, TN, VT, WV (x2). 
The list of states with members on the House Science Appropriations Committee is (http://appropriations.house.gov/about/members/commercejusticescience.htm): 
	AL (x2), KY, MS, NY (x2), PA, TX (x2), WA, WV. 
If you live in, work in, or have a strong connection to, any of these states, then you have an outstanding opportunity to help our field at this critical juncture. Please arrange a short meeting while they are in your district. 

We have several resources to help you in this effort.  The Advocacy Committee Task Force has created a one-page (two-sided) informational “leave behind” which you can find at http://ulysses.phys.wvu.edu/~pcassak/temp/SSA_leavebehind_2017_page1_v4.pdf and http://ulysses.phys.wvu.edu/~pcassak/temp/SSA_leavebehind_2017_page2_v3.pdf. The Committee also recently wrote a commentary paper (http://ulysses.phys.wvu.edu/~pcassak/2017.spacephysicspolicy.pdf; to be published soon in JGR-Space Physics) that includes many talking points about why space physics is important to society and policy; you can weave these talking points into your own research "story," which should also address the importance of your work for your state/district.  We encourage you to utilize these resources to keep our message consistent.  

Please feel free to email anyone on the committee (Len Fisk, Dan Baker, Harlan Spence, Gordon Emslie, Paul Cassak, Susan Avery, or Alexa Halford) for help. Also, if you are interested in visiting DC, please email one of us. Please take this little bit time to help our community during this crucial time. On behalf of everyone in SPA, we thank you in advance.


***** SUBSCRIPTION AND ANNOUNCEMENT REQUESTS *****

The AGU Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) Section Newsletter is issued approximately weekly. Back issues are available at:

http://spa.agu.org/category/newsletters/

To request announcements for distribution by the newsletter, please use the online submission form at:
http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g

To subscribe to the newsletter, please go to the web page at:
http://lists.igpp.ucla.edu/mailman/listinfo/spa
(IMPORTANT: Do not use this web page to post announcements.)

Note: Announcements for SPA-related sessions at major conferences, such as AGU, AOGS, COSPAR, EGU, and IAGA Meetings, are distributed in special issues of the Newsletter.

SPA Web Site: http://spa.agu.org/

*************** END OF NEWSLETTER ****************