Statement and Testimony - 2009

• October 9, 2009 - ASM Comments on CMS Proposed Decision Memo for Screening for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection
  The ASM submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on its “Proposed Decision Memo for Screening for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection (CAG-00409N).”

• September 23, 2009 - ASM Testifies on Federal Oversight of High Containment Biolaboratories
  Dr. Ronald Atlas, Cochair of the Public and Scientific Affairs Board Committee on Biodefense testified before the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Federal Oversight of High Containment Biolaboratories.

• September 23, 2009 - ASM Comments on the Weapons of Mass Destruction Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009
  ASM sent comments to Senator Joseph I. Lieberman regarding the bill, "Weapons of Mass Destruction Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009."
  
  
• September 8, 2009 - ASM Comments on the Proposed Addition of SARS-CoV to the List of Select Agents and Toxin
  ASM commented on the proposal to add SARS associated Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) to the list of HHS select agents and toxins, published in the July 13, 2009, Federal Register, Vo. 74, No. 132.
  
  
• July 31, 2009 – ASM Signs onto Coalition Letter to Senate Finance Committee Opposing Copayments for Clinical Laboratory Tests
  The ASM is a member of the Clinical Laboratory Coalition, which sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee stating its opposition to copayments for Medicare clinical laboratory tests in any health care reform proposal.
  
  
• July 14, 2009 - Payment Determinations for Calendar Year 2010 for New Clinical Laboratory Tests
  On July 14, the ASM presented recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at its annual Laboratory Public Meeting regarding payment levels for new tests to be included in the 2010 Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule.

• June 25, 2009 - ASM Comments on CLIA Revised Draft Interpretive Guidelines for Laboratories and Laboratory Services
  The Committees on Laboratory Practices and Professional Affairs of ASM’s Public and Scientific Affairs Board submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding the CLIA revised draft State Operations Manual, Appendix C-Survey Procedures and Interpretive Guidelines for Laboratories and Laboratory Services.
  
  
• June 23, 2009 - CDC Guideline on the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections 2008
  The Committees on Laboratory Practices and Professional Affairs of ASM’s Public and Scientific Affairs Board submitted comments to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its draft Guideline, Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections 2008.

• June 10, 2009 - Education and Scientific Societies Recommendations to Improve Visa Problems
  The ASM joined about 30 academic and scientific groups in a letter to the Departments of State and Homeland Security and to the Office of Science and Technology Policy addressing steps to resolve visa problems that impede travel by foreign scientists and scholars to the US.
  
  
• May 5, 2009 – ASM Signs onto Clinical Laboratory Coalition Health Care Reform Principles
  The ASM is a member of the Clinical Laboratory Coalition, which recently released a new document entitled, "Health Care Reform Principles."
  
  
• April 28, 2009 - ASM Supports USDA Agricultural Research Funding
  The ASM has partnered with a coalition of scientific organizations to develop a letter of support for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), a USDA competitive grants program created in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. AFRI is the successor to the National Research Initiative (NRI) and the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS) and is housed within the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) which will soon replace the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).
  
  
• April 9, 2009 - ASM Comments on Revisions to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules
  The American Society for Microbiology submitted comments on the proposed revisions to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules, published in the March 4, 2009 Federal Register.

• April 1, 2009 - Food and Drug Administration - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding FDA funding for FY 2010.

• April 1, 2009 - National Science Foundation - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding NSF funding for FY 2010.

• April 1, 2009 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding CDC funding for FY 2010.

• April 1, 2009 - National Institutes of Health - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding NIH funding for FY 2010.

• Apirl 1, 2009 - U.S. Department of Agriculture - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding USDA funding for FY 2010.

• April 1, 2009 - Environmental Protection Agency - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding EPA funding for FY 2010.

• April 1, 2009 - Department of Energy - FY 2010 Testimony
  Appropriations statement regarding DOE funding for FY 2010.

• March 18, 2009 - ASM Presentation to the Executive Order Working Group on Strengthening Biosecurity
  ASM made recommendations to assure laboratory biosecurity and biosafety before the Working Group on Strengthening Biosecurity.
  
  
• February 28, 2009 - ASM Comments on FDA Federal Register Notice, Participation of Certain Population Subsets in Clinical Drug Trials
  The ASM submitted comments on FDA Federal Register Notice, Participation of Certain Population Subsets in Clinical Drug Trials.  The ASM’s Committee on Microbiological Issues Impacting Minorities (CMIIM) reviewed the notice and drafted the comments.

• January 15, 2011 - Microbiology for 21st Century Needs: Environment and Human Health, Energy Security, Economic Resources
  The Committee on Environmental Microbiology prepared recommendations to the new Administration on the Environment and Human Health, Energy Security and Economic Resources, which includes recommendations for microbiological research and its importance to national interests, "one health, one environment" and alternative bioenergy sources.