National Postdoctoral Association

December 10, 2009

UPDATE: The Senate approved the Conference report on Sunday, Dec. 13.

On the evening of Dec. 8, a House-Senate subcommittee reached agreement on an omnibus appropriations bill, H.R. 3288, combining six of the unfinished FY 2010 measures, including H.R. 3293, the bill that was to fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  According to the Conference report (H.Rept. 111-366), the increase in research training stipends was reduced to 1% for FY2010. Here is that language: "The conference agreement includes funding for a one percent increase in research training stipends instead of a two percent increase as proposed by the House. The Senate did not identify a specific training stipend increase."

The language "research training stipends" refers to the NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) training stipends.

According to the information currently available to the NPA, the conferees were not appointed until Dec. 8, which allowed no time for further advocacy efforts. The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) thanks everyone who contacted their Senators regarding the FY2010 funding.

The NPA Advocacy Committee will now begin working towards a larger increase for FY2011.

Read more about training stipends.