The Johns Hopkins Science Policy and Diplomacy Group (JHSPDG) invites you to apply to join us for our Capitol Hill Day in March! We will be going to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to advocate for three important science policy initiatives (listed below). This will involve meeting with various congressional offices and members of Congress to explain our policy suggestions and why they matter.
We are looking for passionate individuals to join us in traveling to the U.S. Capitol and advocating for their chosen initiative. Prior to Hill Day, we will be holding a memo writing workshop and an advocacy training in February to prepare, and these will be mandatory for selected individuals (6PM-730PM, Feb. 6, 2024). Hill Day will take place around mid-March depending on the availability of members of Congress. The three delegations we are sending will be advocating for these initiatives:
Advancing the Keep STEM Talent Act: The Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023 is a bipartisan piece of legislation proposing to remove the green card limits for international graduates of U.S. institutions with STEM degrees. It would also allow students to apply for permanent resident status while retaining their student visa, providing more residency security as students near graduation (dual-intent).
Improving Women's Health Research: The Biden administration has launched a women's health research initiative, but this is without legislative support in Congress. We have designed approaches for Congress to support women's health research and sex-specific data availability, and we will meet with legislators to ask them to introduce these motions into spending packages and new bills.
Increasing Support for Alternative Proteins: The PLANT Act was introduced in late July 2023 to expand the plant-based foods sector and opportunities for farmers who produce plant-based ingredients, as well as to increase support for food companies and provide more support for USDA efforts to export plant-based foods. We will be meeting with members of Congress asking them to cosponsor this bill in order to increase the likelihood that the bill is enacted into law.
Please click this link to apply to join Hill Day. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, based on the needs of our delegations. If selected, you may be contacted soon, or you may receive an invitation in late February to join closer to Hill Day if your group currently has sufficient members. Early applications are highly encouraged and you may be invited to join at any point until our visit in March. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply.
Additionally, we are seeking short responses from students interested in supporting the Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023, one of our Hill Day initiatives. As a bill that affects graduates of STEM programs, particularly international students, your voice is very important for this issue. Please click this link for more information and to express your feelings regarding the Keep STEM Talent Act. Providing support in this form is not an application for HillDay, but we may use your response to support our arguments in favor of the bill.
For questions about Hill Day, please contact Brendon Davis at bdavi119@jhu.edu.