Download October 21, 2011 Today`s Events The Senate is on weeklong recess

October 21, 2011
Today's Events
The Senate is on weeklong recess and did not complete action on the "minibus"
spending package. Senators will return October 31. The House ends its recess and
resumes work on Monday.
Alaska Federation of Natives, October 20-22. The AFN Convention (October 20 to
October 22) is the largest representative annual gathering in the United States of any
Native peoples. Delegates are elected on a population formula of one representative per
twenty-five Native residents in the area and delegate participation rates at the annual
convention typically exceed 95 percent. Each year the AFN Convention draws between
4,000-5,000 attendees. The proceedings are broadcast live via television, radio and
webcast reaching a diverse audience from Barrow to Ketchikan, from the Aleutian Chain
to the Canadian border. During the convention, the entire state of Alaska is blanketed
with discussions on current events and issues. International observers are present at
most meetings, both exchanging information and learning from the Alaska Native
experience.
Media Review
John Bryson Nomination to be Commerce Secretary
Confirmed by Senate. The Senate on Thursday approved
John Bryson's nomination to be Commerce Secretary despite
some Republican misgivings over his environmental
community ties and past support of climate change
legislation. Bryson was confirmed nearly five months following
his May 31 nomination after Senate leaders late Wednesday
agreed to have this nomination considered on the same 60vote threshold needed for defeating filibusters. Politico
Senate Votes Push Minibus Toward Post-Recess Passage. Senators reached a deal
on a fiscal 2012 "minibus" late Thursday that would set up a Nov. 1 vote on passage of
the bill. The Senate has been working through amendments to an approximately $128
billion discretionary spending package (HR 2112) since Monday. The measure combines
the fiscal 2012 Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science (S 1572) and Transportation-HUD
(S 1596) spending bills. Congressional Quarterly
The Arctic and Lessons of the Gulf. The Interior
Department has been inching closer to approving Royal
Dutch Shell's ambitious plans to drill for what are believed
to be huge deposits of oil in the Arctic Ocean off Alaska.
In August, it approved an exploratory drilling plan for the
Beaufort Sea, and two weeks ago it upheld the validity of
leases in the neighboring Chukchi Sea that had been
challenged by environmental groups. The Interior
Department and Shell both insist that they have learned
the lessons of the disastrous BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. They must prove it. The
Interior Department has written tough new regulations governing drilling, including
requirements for subsea containment systems to plug a runaway well. New York Times
Ranking Member Johnson Reacts to Recent YouCut Announcement on Arctic
Research
(Washington, DC) -Majority Leader
Eric Cantor recently launched the
second phase of his YouCut project
which asks people to visit his
website weekly and vote on a
selection of line items in the budget
to cut. Rep. Joe Walsh announced
last week's "winner", the National
Science Foundation's (NSF) Polar
Arctic Research Grant Program. The YouCut website also
states that Mr. Walsh will be introducing legislation to cut this
program.
Rep. Johnson
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the
following statement in response: "We have yet to see a bill
from Mr. Walsh; however, should he choose to introduce one, as Ranking Member of the
Committee of jurisdiction, I look forward to participating in legislative hearings and
markups on the bill. I am certain that such hearings would highlight the importance of
the research that NSF's grants help fund. This research provides insights into ice sheets,
the atmosphere, oceans, and solid earth, without which the behavior of, and changes in
the global system cannot be understood. Also, due to rising temperatures and melting
Arctic ice, the Arctic has recently become a geopolitical hotspot with countries such as
Russia trying to stake a claim for the abundance of natural resources underneath the ice
and the new fisheries and sea routes that will emerge. Maintaining a research presence
there helps ensure that the United States maintains accessibility to the Arctic and its
many economically important resources." House.Science.gov
Fact Sheet: The United States and Norway- NATO Allies and Global
Partners.President Obama hosted Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg for a
meeting in the Oval Office on October 20. The visit underscored the close ties between
the United States and Norway, which are grounded in our common heritage, values,
ideals and interests, including the Arctic. In the Arctic Council, the United States and
Norway co-chair a task force examining the role of certain greenhouse gases (such as
methane and hydrofluorocarbons) and aerosols (such as black carbon), known
collectively as "short-lived climate forcers," in causing global climate change. Together
with Russia, the United States and Norway also co-chair a task force to develop an
international instrument on Arctic marine oil pollution preparedness and response. The
United States welcomes that Norway will host a new permanent secretariat for the
Council in Tromso. The White House
Rural Blog: The Village. Anchorage Daily News is runninga blog on the behind-thescenes happenings at the Alaska Federation of Natives conference in
Anchorage.Anchorage Daily News
Climate Risk to Polar Bear Habitats. Climate change is
set to drive a dramatic reduction in polar bear habitats in
coming decades, conservationists have warned as they called
for action to help the species. According to the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), recent trends for
the extent and thickness of the marine sea ice that polar
bears rely on suggests it is set to dramatically shrink over
the next 50 to 100 years.The Press Association
Cantwell, Murkowski, Begich Call for Investigation of Salmon Virus Threat.U.S.
Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mark Begich (D-AK)
introduced a bipartisan amendment that calls for an investigation of the spread of the
Canadian salmon virus that poses a threat to Pacific Northwest wild salmon and the
coastal economies that rely on them. The amendment, introduced last night to the
Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill, calls on the National Aquatic
Animal Health Task Force to evaluate the risk the virus could have on salmon off West
Coast waters and Alaskan waters, and to develop a plan to address this emerging threat.
The virus was recently detected in salmon in British Columbia, Canada. Alaska Native
News
NOAA Selects Oregon State University to Lead Cooperative Institute for Marine
Resources Studies. NOAA has selected Oregon State University (OSU) to continue a
federal/academic research partnership that extends NOAA's ability to study marine
resources in the Pacific Northwest. The award means that NOAA will continue funding
the Cooperative Institute for Marine Resource Studies (CIMRS), which was established at
Oregon State in 1982, for at least five and up to 10 more years. NOAA
Legislative Action
H.R. 2112, the legislative vehicle used to fund FY 2012 government operations for
Transportation-HUD, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Agriculture. (Kingston, considered
in the Senate)
S. 1262, Native Culture, Language, and Access for Success in Schools Act (Akaka,
Senate committee hearing held)
S.AMDT. 893 to H.R. 2112, to direct the National aquatic Animal Health Task Force to
assess the risk of Infections Salmon Anemia poses to wild Pacific salmon and the coastal
economies which rely on them (Cantwell, proposed and agreed to)
Future Events
AGU Fall Meeting, December 5-9, 2011. The American Geophysical Union's ("AGU")
Fall Meeting to connect with colleagues, broaden their knowledge base, and embrace the
joy of science. The groundbreaking research presented at this world-renowned event is
critical to advancing our understanding of the natural world and to addressing the
challenges society faces as they relate to our science. As an organization, AGU works to
unite Earth and space scientists who are dedicated to the common goal: scientific
discovery for the benefit of humanity. One of the most important ways we do this is
through the Fall Meeting - an event that embodies who we are as a scientific
organization and that is key to helping us achieve our organizational mission, vision and
goals.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 16-20, 2012. The symposium was first
held in 2002 to connect scientists in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and beyond in an
effort to collaborate and communicate on research activities in the marine regions off
Alaska. There will be plenary and poster sessions featuring a broad spectrum of ocean
science on issues of climate, oceanography, lower trophic levels, the benthos, fish and
invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, local and traditional knowledge, and
socioeconomic research. There will also be speakers, workshops and special sessions.
Arctic Science Summit Week 2012, April 20-22, 2012. The summit will provide
opportunities for international coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all areas of
Arctic science. Side meetings organized by stakeholders in Arctic science and policy are
also expected. More information to follow.
From Knowledge to Action, April 22-27, 2012. The conference will bring together
over 2,000 Arctic and Antarctic researchers, policy and decision-makers, and a broad
range of interested parties from academia, industry, non-government, education and
circumpolar communities including indigenous peoples. The conference is hosted by the
Canadian IPY Program Office in partnership with the National Research Council of
Canada, among other groups. Each day of the conference will feature a program of
keynote speakers, plenary panel discussions, parallel science sessions, as well as
dedicated poster sessions. The conference-wide plenaries will explore themes related to
topics of polar change, global linkages, communities and health, ecosystem services,
infrastructure, resources and security. Other sessions will provide the opportunity to
present and discuss the application of research findings, policy implications and how to
take polar knowledge to action.
The Tenth International Conference on Permafrost, June 2012. The conference
will be held in Tyumen, Russia, and is organized and hosted by Russia. The last
conference was held in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 2008. Details to follow.
The Arctic Imperative Summit, July 29-August 1, 2012. The summit will be hosted
by Alaska Dispatch and will bring together leading voices in this conversation, including
residents from the small villages that comprise Alaska's coastal communities; state,
national and international leaders; the heads of shipping and industry; as well as
international policymakers and the news media. The goal of the summit is to sharpen
the focus on the policy and investment needs of Alaska's Arctic through a series of high
level meetings, presentations, investor roundtables and original research.
15th International Congress on Circumpolar Heath, August 5-10,
2012. Thisevent is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the American Society for Circumpolar Health, and the
International Union for Circumpolar Health. The forum will consider
community participatory research and indigenous research; women's
health, family health, and well-being; food security and nutrition; social
determinants of health; environmental and occupational health; infectious and chronic
diseases; climate change health impacts; health service delivery and infrastructure; and
behavioral health.
Arctic/Inuit/Connections: Learning from the Top of the World , October 24-28,
2012. The 18th Inuit Studies Conference, hosted by the Smithsonian Institution, will be
held in Washington, DC. The conference will consider heritage museums and the North;
globalization: an Arctic story; power, governance and politics in the North; the '"new"
Arctic: social, cultural and climate change; and Inuit education, health, language, and
literature. For more information, please email Lauren Marr.