White House and Congress Read Debt Ceiling Agreement

On June 5, President Joe Biden signed a bill that raised the federal debt ceiling, following the successful negotiation of a deal with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to avert a default on the nation’s debt. The deal, which comes after months of negotiations, limits federal spending during the next two fiscal years to roughly flat levels and imposes work requirements on certain government benefit programs. Additionally, the bill will impose a one percent across-the-board cut on federal funding if an annual spending deal is not completed by the end of the calendar year, providing a strong incentive for members of both parties to work together on legislation. However, the tight spending limits in place this year will likely result in cuts to several key research programs. SIOP continues to advocate for research funding at the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies.

Applications Open for SIOP Advocacy Academy on July 5

Applications for the second cohort of the SIOP Advocacy Academy will open on July 5. The Advocacy Academy is a nine-month, all virtual program featuring monthly webinars and discussion sessions to equip I-O professionals and students with the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for research funding, evidence-based policy, and other critical SIOP priorities. The Advocacy Academy culminates in group meetings with congressional staff, where participants will have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned and advocate for issues important to the field of I-O psychology. The application will be available on the SIOP government relations webpage. Please contact Jack Goodman at jack@lewis-burke.com with any questions.

SIOP Responds to Framework on Cybersecurity Education and Workforce

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released an updated draft of its National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity. The NICE Framework defines work roles and the associated “tasks, knowledge, and skills that are needed to perform cybersecurity work performed by individuals and teams.” As part of the update to the work roles and categories, SIOP submitted public comments on the updates, with several suggestions on how the NICE Framework can be improved or expanded based on I-O research findings. NIST continues to accept public comment on the NICE Framework competency areas, and SIOP plans to continue engagement with NIST regarding cybersecurity education and workforce training.

Publication Type
Washington InfO

Topic
Government Relations