In a letter, academic organizations urge the US government to support scientific research during the coronavirus pandemic, ScienceInsider reports.
"We anticipate significant impacts on research personnel and students and their work but, given the great uncertainties about the duration of the crisis, we cannot comprehensively quantify all the costs at this time," the leaders of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the American Council on Education write in their letter, according to ScienceInsider.
The group in particular calls for boosting research spending by federal science agencies by 15 percent or about $13 billion, it adds, noting that these funds would help researchers address expenses brought on by the pandemic.
ScienceInsider says university leaders have also called on the White House Office of Management and Budget to loosen rules regarding federal oversight of research grants because of the disruptions on campus due to COVID-19.