The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has scheduled an all-day workshop on peer review for Nov. 18. The workshop is an effort to foster greater dialog on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) recent draft bulletin proposing uniform standards for peer review throughout the federal government. According to a draft agenda, the speakers are predominately regulators and academics, with a few public interest groups and others also represented (though not all speakers have been confirmed). It has been reported that almost 80 people have already registered to participate in the workshop.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is making a new push to permanently repeal the estate tax in spite of budget deficits and a growing national debt (not to mention its fundamental unfairness).

In an effort to avoid a system of government-imposed secrecy, a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) panel recently recommended biologists engage in a system of self-censorship. The panel advocated a process of review, at the university and federal levels, for research that could help terrorists make biological weapons.

A CARE Act update.