Offer Assistance to Members Affected by the Federal Government Shutdown

Posted January 25, 2019

ESA thanks those who offered assistance to their colleagues during the partial federal government shutdown. Your spirit of generosity buoyed those affected in tangible and intangible ways.

On Dec. 21, appropriations bills expired for some agencies within the federal government resulting in a 35-day partial government shutdown.

On Friday, Jan. 25, congressional leaders announced an agreement to reopen the government under a continuing budget resolution through Feb. 15. ESA will monitor the situation and work on behalf of its members until there is a final 2019 Fiscal Year budget in place.

Posted January 10, 2019

Dear ESA Members,

ESA is thinking about its members who are affected by the partial government shutdown: federal workers, contract workers, collaborators, and students. We are concerned about the shutdown’s impact on science and also how it is personally affecting our members. We hope your daily life returns to normal as soon as possible and the government agencies reopen quickly.

Until then, many members of the ESA community want to know how they can support their colleagues or help support the federal research enterprise, whether it’s serving as a temporary host for a graduate student, collecting samples, checking on field sites, or hosting meet-ups to break the isolation of those affected. ESA is facilitating scientist-to-scientist sharing by collecting offers of assistance and resources in this form to share with those affected on an Ecotone virtual bulletin board.

ESA is collecting updates and publishing them on a “Shutdown Stories” blogpost about how the federal government shutdown is affecting the ecological and biological sciences. We request that you send us short posts and we would appreciate a photo if one is available. ESA can publish your contribution anonymously or give you attribution. Please consider whether using your personal or work email account is appropriate when contacting ESA at alison@nullesa.org

Scientists and all constituents are encouraged to contact their representatives in Congress so that elected officials understand how the shutdown is affecting their district or state. Contact information for all Members of Congress can be found on the House and Senate websites.

*Other societies and scientists are free to use the portal if it would be helpful without any further permission from ESA.*

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*Check back frequently to see an updated list of offers.*

[button link=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBPH8F0_XLb_0RTg_i3qT1sCsK1zCL8yajf-L7-x4o4eJJlw/viewform?usp=sf_link” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Submit offers of assistance[/button]

Laura Huenneke
President