Laying out concerns in a two-page letter to the heads of various government agencies, SOT 2013–2014 President Lois D. Lehmann-McKeeman made an appeal about the way in which an Office of Management and Budget Memorandum, M-12-12, is being interpreted and implemented. The Memorandum concerns federal employee travel to conferences and meetings. Dr. Lehman-McKeeman pointed out that "attendance at scientific conferences, seminars, and meetings promotes federal agency interests as well as the professional development and competency of government scientists." She noted that "Government scientists contribute broadly to the scientific program of our meeting (SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo), representing more than ten percent of all scientific papers and bringing appropriate regulatory and scientific perspectives to all of our keynote sessions and symposia." In addition, she stated that reductions in their participation would "reduce the overall scientific quality of our meetings."
Letters were sent to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, the National Institutes of Health, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Secretary of Labor, the Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, and the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency. You can view the full letter.