text:
Department of Health and Human Services
Participating Organizations
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of Participating Organizations
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (NCCAM/NIH), (http://nccam.nih.gov)
Title: Centers of Excellence for Research on CAM (CERC) for Pain (P01)
Announcement Type
Request For Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-AT-10-002
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
Key Dates
Release Date: March 18, 2010
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: July 13, 2010
Application Receipt Date: August 13, 2010
Peer Review Date(s): November, 2010
Council Review Date(s): January 2011
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: April 2011
Additional Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation Date): Not applicable
Expiration Date: August 14, 2010
Due Dates
for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable
Overview Content
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
I Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism(s) of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2.Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Sending an Application to the NIH
C. Application Processing
D. Application Assignment
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3. Reporting
Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/ Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations
Part II - Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
In order to support and enhance high-priority research requiring the synthesis of multiple research approaches by multi-disciplinary research teams, this FOA encourages applications for Centers of Excellence for Research on Complementary/Alternative Medical (CAM) approaches for chronic pain. Each CERC must consist of three or four synergistic, R01-comparable projects focused on the basic, mechanistic, and/or translational research questions that must be addressed in order to better understand the optimal application and use of CAM/Integrative Medicine (CAM/IM) interventions for treating or ameliorating chronic pain.BACKGROUND
Applications that do not clearly address the targeted research focus of this FOA will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
See Section
VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies
related to this announcement.
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
funding opportunity will use the Program Project
(P01) award mechanism(s).
The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses "Just-in-Time" information concepts. It also uses non-modular budget formats described in the PHS 398 application instructions (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html).
2. Funds Available
The direct cost budget for each CERC is limited to $1.25 million per year for a maximum of five years. Applications exceeding this budget limit will be considered non-responsive and returned without review.
The estimated amount of funds available for support of up to three CERC projects awarded as a result of this announcement is $3.75 Million for fiscal year 2011. Future year amounts will depend on annual appropriations.
Because the nature
and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application,
it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary.
Although the financial plans of the IC(s) provide support for this program,
awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the
availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious
Facilities and administrative costs requested by consortium participants are not included in the direct cost limitation, see NOT-OD-05-004.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
The following organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the PD/PI is invited to work with his/her institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH program support.
More than one PD/PI, or multiple PDs/PIs, may be designated on the application for projects that require a "team science" approach and therefore clearly do not fit the single-PD/PI model. Additional information on the implementation plans, policies and procedures to formally allow more than one PD/PI on individual research projects is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi. All PDs/PIs must be registered in the NIH eRA Commons prior to the submission of the application (see http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm for instructions).
The decision of whether to apply for a grant with a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations, and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for grants with multiple PDs/PIs will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. When considering multiple PDs/PIs, please be aware that the structure and governance of the PD/PI leadership team as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PDs/PIs will be factored into the assessment of the overall scientific merit of the application. Multiple PDs/PIs on a project share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically. Each PD/PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee organization, or, as appropriate, to a collaborating organization, for the proper conduct of the project or program, including the submission of required reports. For further information on multiple PDs/PIs, please see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH Grants Policy
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Number of Applications. Applicants may submit more than one application, provided they are scientifically distinct. However, multiple applications from the same applicant organization are strongly discouraged and expected only in special circumstances (e.g., separate campuses, components of large institutions).
Resubmissions. Resubmission applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.
Renewals. Renewal applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to
Request Application Information
The current PHS 398 application instructions are available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Applicants must use the currently approved version of the PHS 398. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: email@example.com.
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY 301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the PHS 398 application forms and in accordance with the PHS 398 Application Guide (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html).
must have a D&B Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as the
universal identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative
agreements. The D&B number can be obtained by calling (866) 705-5711 or
through the web site at http://www.dnb.com/us/. The D&B number should
be entered on line 11 of the face page of the PHS 398 form.
The title and number of this funding opportunity must be typed in item (box) 2 only of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be checked.
Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs
When multiple PD/PIs are proposed, use the Face Page-Continued page to provide items 3a – 3h for all PD/PIs. NIH requires one PD/PI be designated as the "contact PD/PI" for all communications between the PD/PIs and the agency. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PD/PIs, but has no special roles or responsibilities within the project team beyond those mentioned above. The contact PD/PI may be changed during the project period. The contact PD/PI should be listed in block 3 of Form Page 1 (the Face Page), with all additional PD/PIs listed on Form Page 1-Continued. When inserting the name of the PD/PI in the header of each application page, use the name of the "Contact PD/PI, et. al." The contact PD/PI must be from the applicant organization if PD/PIs are from more than one institution.
All individuals designated as PD/PI must be registered in the eRA Commons and must be assigned the PD/PI role in that system (other roles such as SO or IAR will not give the PD/PI the appropriate access to the application records). Each PD/PI must include their respective eRA Commons ID in the eRA Commons User Name field.
Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan: For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, the section of the Research Plan entitlted "Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan" must be included. A rationale for choosing a multiple PD/PI approach should be described. The governance and organizational structure of the leadership team and the research project should be described, and should include communication plans, process for making decisions on scientific direction, and procedures for resolving conflicts. The roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators.
If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the individual PDs/PIs should be delineated in the Leadership Plan. In the event of an award, the requested allocations may be reflected in a footnote on the Notice of Award.
Additional information is available in the PHS 398 grant application instructions.
Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be received on or before the receipt date described below (Section IV.3.A). Submission times N/A.
3.A. Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: July 13, 2010
Application Receipt Date: August 13, 2010
Peer Review Date: November, 2010
Council Review Date: January 2011
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: April 2011
Letter of Intent
Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:
Although a letter of
intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a
subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to
estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed in Section IV.3.A.
The letter of intent
should be sent to:
Barbara C. Sorkin, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Centers of Excellence for Research on CAM Program, Division of Extramural Research
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 401
Bethesda, MD 20892-5475
Telephone: (301) 594-8018
Email: email@example.com
3.B. Sending an Application to the NIH
Applications must be prepared using the forms found in the PHS 398 instructions for preparing a research grant application. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to:
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Personal deliveries
of applications are no longer permitted (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-040.html).
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application and all copies of the appendix material must be sent to:
Dale Birkle Dreer, Ph.D.
Division Director, Office of Scientific Review
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 401, MSC 5475
Bethesda, MD 20892-5474
Telephone: (301) 451-6570
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
3.C. Application Processing
Applications must be received on or before the application receipt date described above (Section IV.3.A.). If an application is received after that date, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed. Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CSR and for responsiveness by the reviewing Institute. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.
Information on the status of an application should be checked by the Principal Investigator in the eRA Commons at: https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental
5. Funding Restrictions
All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The Grants Policy Statement can be found at NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Pre-award costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new award if such costs: 1) are necessary to conduct the project, and 2) would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new award.
The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project (see NIH Grants Policy Statement https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part6.htm.)
6. Other Submission Requirements
PDs/PIs and key personnel are required to attend an annual meeting of NCCAM Center investigators, usually held in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Travel costs for key personnel to attend the annual NCCAM Centers meeting must be included in the budget of each CERC.
Supplemental Instructions for the Preparation of Multi-Project Applications
The following section supplements the instructions found in the PHS Form 398 for preparing multi-project grant applications that will be submitted in paper format. Additional instructions are required because the PHS Form 398 is designed primarily for individual, free-standing research project grant applications, and has no specific instructions for multi-project applications such as the CERC, that consist of research projects interrelated by a common theme. Additional guidance for submissions to this FOA may be found at http://nccam.nih.gov/grants/CERCguidance/index.htm.
The supplemental instructions below are divided as follows:
i. General Instructions – this section addresses format for the application as a whole.
ii. Specific Instructions for the Overview Section - this section addresses the overall objectives and unifying theme(s) of this multi-project Center and explains how the individual components will contribute to the overall objectives of the CERC and will mutually support each other, and why and how the synergistic interactions of the individual components will strengthen the research of the Center as a whole, contributing to research to progress in ways that could not be supported through individual research project grants. This section should also describe how each component of the proposed Center will contribute to the overall budget, and address specific interactions between individual research projects and cores. If no administrative core is proposed, the planned administrative structure of the proposed CERC should be clearly described in the Overview Section.
iii. Specific Instructions for Individual Projects – this section describes modifications to PHS Form 398 instructions on selected items to address the collaborative or interactive role of the project.
iv. Specific Instructions for Cores – this section describes modifications to PHS Form 398 instructions on selected items to address the collaborative or interactive role of the core. Each core must provide services or resources to at least two research projects.
i. General Instructions
All applications must be submitted on PHS Form 398.
PHS398 Research Plan Sections
All application instructions outlined in the PHS 398 Application Instructions are to be followed, with the following additional requirements:
The multi-project CERC grant application should be assembled and paginated as a single, complete document.
1. Form Page 1 - Face Page
Items 1 - 14: complete these items as instructed. This should be the first page of the entire application and all succeeding pages should be numbered consecutively.
When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, use the Face Page-Continued page to provide items 3a-3h for all PDs/PIs. The Contact PI should be listed on block 3 of Form Page 1-Face Page, with additional PDs/PIs listed on the Face Page-Continued.
2. Form Page 2
Using Form Page 2 of the PHS 398, provide a succinct but accurate summary of the OVERALL multi-project application addressing the major, common theme of the program, as well as the contributions of the individual research projects and any cores. Do not exceed the space provided.
List the performance sites where the research will be conducted.
Under "Key Personnel", list the names and institutions of the PD(s)/PI(s) of the multi-project application, followed by the names and institutions of the project and core leaders of the component research projects and cores, other key personnel, and then other significant contributors. Each research project should be identified by number (e.g. Project 1), title, and responsible project leader(s), and each core should be identified by a letter (Core A, Core B, etc.), title, and responsible core leader.
3. Form Page 3 - Table of Contents
Do not use Form Page 3 of the PHS 398; a more comprehensive table of contents is needed for a multi-project application.
Bearing in mind that the application will be scientifically reviewed project by project and core by core, as well as for overall impact and synergy, prepare a detailed Table of Contents that will enable reviewers to readily locate specific information pertinent to the overall application as well as to each component research project and core. Further, each research project should be identified by number (e.g., Project 1), title, and responsible Project Leader, and each Core should be identified by letter (e.g., Core A), title, and responsible Core Leader. Page references should be provided for individual project and core budget justifications, and for letters from the project and core leaders, and from institutional officials, confirming their roles in the proposed Center. Page references for the biographical sketches (clustered at the end of the application) should be provided.
This FOA uses non-modular budget formats described in the PHS 398 application instructions (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
4. Composite Budget
Using the suggested format below, prepare a composite budget for all proposed years of support. Indicate the page location of the composite budget in the "Table of Contents." Immediately following the composite budget, include a Form page 4 for the initial budget period of each individual project and core.
Narrative justification for individual budget categories should be presented for each of the projects and cores in the relevant section of the application and should NOT be presented in the Overview section.
SAMPLE: Consolidated Direct Cost Budget for All Proposed Years of Support
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
All Years
Project 1.
Project 2.
Project 3.
Core A. Admin. Core.
Core B. Biostat. Core
5. Form Page 5
Complete the Total Direct Cost line entries for all requested budget periods (years) and the Total Direct Cost for Entire Period of Support entry. Detailed budgets and budget justifications are required within the descriptions of each individual project and core (see below).
6. Biographical Sketches
Biographical sketches of all professional personnel for all components should be provided, starting with the PD(s)/PI(s), followed by those of other key personnel in alphabetical order. Please note new instructions for the biographical sketch .
7. Resources Format Page
Do not complete for the overview section of the application. Essential information is to be presented in the individual research project and core sections of the application.
8. Checklist
Complete for the entire application and place at the end of the application package.
ii. Instructions for program overview strategy
This section is limited to twelve pages.
This narrative section summarizes the overall research strategy for the multi-project application. The CERC should be viewed as a confederation of synergistic research projects and, as applicable, cores, each of which is capable of standing on its own scientific merit, but where the ability of the Center components to mutually impact each others' research justifies funding the Center as a whole, rather than through individual project grants.
This important section provides the group of investigators an opportunity to give conceptual wholeness to the overall program by giving a statement of the general problem area and by laying out a broad strategy for attacking the problems.
Include a section that specifically addresses scientific and/or programmatic synergy between projects, and between projects and proposed cores. Delineate how different components of the CERC, including key personnel, will interact, why they are essential to accomplishing the overall goal of the research, and how the combined resources create capabilities that are more than the sum of the parts. Provide examples of ways in which the proposed projects/cores are anticipated to scientifically inform and enhance each other.
Indicate the contribution of each project and core to the overall scheme, keeping in mind that each proposed core must be utilized by at least two proposed projects. Include a chart showing the percentage of core activities required for support of each project throughout the requested funding period. Summarize special features of the environment and/or resources that make this application strong or unique.
Describe the collaborative process and methods of communication, including areas of potential collaboration and areas of focused collaboration. If collaborating entities are physically separated it is especially critical to describe in detail the anticipated frequency of specific modes of communication/interaction.
Show that the research projects proposed for the CERC do not overlap in purpose or intent with existing NIH-funded grants, but will constitute new activities or a natural progression of current research.
Applications that do not include an Administrative Core should describe the administrative structure for the CERC in the overview section of the application, addressing how administrative and scientific coordination of the various CERC components will be achieved, and how secretarial, budget, core, administrative services, and other resources will be administered, prioritized and apportioned, how travel to the annual NCCAM Centers meeting, expenses for publications produced by the project, communication expenses, organization of External Advisory Council meetings, and evaluation and determination of focused and overall scientific direction will be decided, coordinated, managed and supported.
For applications proposing multiple PD(s)/PI(s), the multi-PD/PI leadership plan should be included in this section of the application.
iii. Instructions for individual research projects
Cover Page
Do not use Form page 1 as a cover page. Instead, prepare a cover page for each research project that includes the number and title of the project. Use numbers (1,2,3, etc.) to designate individual research projects. Give each project a title and provide the names and titles of the project leader(s) and of participating investigators.
Form page 2
For each proposed project, provide a summary of the proposed research according to the instructions for form page 2. In addition, the description should contain a brief description of how the research project will contribute to attainment of the CERC program objectives.
Under "key personnel", follow the standard instructions, listing all key personnel participating in the project, beginning with the project leader.
Form page 3
Prepare a table of contents for each research project using form page 3. Since the biographical sketches of all participating investigators will be located at the end of the overall application and therefore should be referenced in the overall table of contents, do not repeat these pages.
Specific Aims
Specific Aims are limited to one page.
State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved.
List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
Research Strategy
Do not exceed a total of 12 pages for the Research Strategy section of each individual project. Tables, charts, graphs, diagrams and figures must be included within the 12-page limit. Applications that exceed the 12-page limit or NIH requirements for type size and margins (refer to instructions for details) will be returned to the applicant without further consideration or not reviewed. The 12-page limit does not include the following sections: Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, Literature Cited, Consortia and Consultants/Collaborators.
Organize the Research Strategy in the specified order and using the instructions provided below. Start each section with the appropriate section heading—A)Significance, B)Innovation, C)Approach.
A) Significance
Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.
Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
B) Innovation
Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms.
Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s) to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s).
Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions.
C) Approach
Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as any resource sharing plans as appropriate.
Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims.
If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work.
Discuss the project leader's preliminary studies, data, and/or experience pertinent to this application. Preliminary data can be an essential part of a research grant application and help to establish the likelihood of success of the proposed project. Early Stage Investigators should include preliminary data.
Appendix. No appendix should be provided for individual projects, as a single appendix is to be provided for the entire CERC application.
Checklist. Not required for individual projects. Submit a single checklist for the entire application.
iv. Specific instructions for Cores
Cover Page.
Do not use Form page 1 as a cover page for the Cores. Instead prepare a cover page that includes the title and letter designation of the core and provide the names and titles of the core leader and of all participating investigators.
Cores must contribute to two or more projects.
Administrative Core (optional). The applicant (awardee) institution and the PD(s)/PI(s) will be responsible for the application and for collaborative research activities in the CERC program. The awardee institution will be legally and financially responsible and be accountable for the use and disposition of funds awarded to the application, and will attest to the availability of personnel and facilities capable of performing and supporting the administrative functions of the CERC program.
Where an Administrative Core is proposed, it must include a budget for the overall administrative efforts including secretarial and other administrative services, travel to the annual NCCAM Centers meeting, expenses for publications produced by the project, and communications expenses including organization of External Advisory Council meetings.
Scientific Core(s). A scientific core is a resource to the CERC as a whole. The core section of the application must indicate which specific projects the core would serve. Each core must be utilized by two or more of the CERC research projects. Each core section should present a clear picture of the facilities, techniques, and skills that the core will provide. The role of the core leader and each of the key participants should be described. The apportionment of dollars, or percentage of dollars budgeted for each scientific core that will support each CERC research project should be presented.
Form page 2
Provide a summary of the core activities and services according to the instructions on form page 2. In addition, the summary should contain a brief description of how the core services will contribute towards attainment of the CERC program objectives.
Form page 3
Prepare a table of contents for each Core using form page 3. Since the biographical sketches of all participating investigators will be located at the end of the overall application (and therefore should be referenced in the overall Table of Contents), do not repeat these pages.
Specific aims: State the core's relationship to the CERC goals and how it relates to the research projects in the application. This is limited to one page
Core Research Strategy
Organize the core research strategy in the specified order and using the instructions provided below. Start each section with the appropriate section heading—A)Significance, B)Innovation, C)Approach.
Do not exceed a total of 6 pages for each individual core. Tables, charts, graphs, diagrams and figures must be included within the 6-page limit. Applications that exceed the 6-page limit will not be reviewed. The 6-page limit does not include the following sections: Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, Literature Cited, Consortia and Consultants/Collaborators.
Appendix Materials
All paper PHS 398 applications submitted must provide appendix material on CDs only. Include five identical CDs in the same package with the application. See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-031.html.
Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page limitations. An application that does not observe the required page limitations may be delayed in the review process.Resource Sharing Plan(s)
NIH considers the sharing of unique research resources developed through NIH-sponsored research an important means to enhance the value of, and advance research. When resources have been developed with NIH funds and the associated research findings published or provided to NIH, it is important that they be made readily available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific community. If the final data/resources are not amenable to sharing, this must be explained in Resource Sharing section of the application. See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_faqs.htm.
(a) Data Sharing Plan: Investigators seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year are expected to include a brief 1-paragraph description of how final research data will be shared, or explain why data-sharing is not possible. Applicants are encouraged to discuss data-sharing plans with their NIH program contact. See Data-Sharing Policy or https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-032.html.
(b) Sharing Model Organisms: Regardless of the amount requested, all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated are expected to include a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organisms and related resources, or state appropriate reasons why such sharing is restricted or not possible. See Sharing Model Organisms Policy, and NIH Guide NOT-OD-04-042.
(c) Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS): Regardless of the amount requested, applicants seeking funding for a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible. A genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight) or the presence or absence of a disease or condition. For further information see Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-088, and https://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/.
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
2. Review and Selection Process
Review Process
Applications that are complete and responsive to the FOA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by NCCAM and in accordance with NIH peer review procedures (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer/), using the review criteria stated below.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will:
The mission of the NIH is to support science in pursuit of knowledge about the biology and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. As part of this mission, applications submitted to the NIH for grants or cooperative agreements to support biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
A single numerical impact/priority score (10 to 90) will be assigned by the reviewers to the CERC application as a whole. An application in which the reviewers consider no more than two component research projects to be of substantial and significant scientific merit will not satisfy the requirements for this P01 award, and therefore will be recommended for "no further consideration."
In assigning the impact/priority score for the application as a whole, although primary emphasis will be placed on scientific merit of the research projects, the assessment of scientific synergy (i.e., the extent to which the potential for scientific impact of the proposed CERC as a whole is deemed likely to be greater than the sum of its component research projects and cores) may contribute significantly to the overall score. Significant consideration will also be given to:
The following specific aspects of the CERC will be evaluated:
A) Individual Research Projects
B) Administrative Core or structure
C) Research or Scientific Cores
D) Project Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s)
E) Resources and Environment
F) Overall Program and Program Synergy.
A) Individual research projects will be evaluated using the five standard review criteria below and will receive numerical impact scores ranging from 1 to 9.
Overall Impact
Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following five scored review criteria, and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).
Scored Review Criteria
Reviewers will consider each of the five review criteria below in the determination of scientific and technical merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.
Significance. Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
Investigator(s). Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?
Innovation. Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?
Approach. Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
Environment. Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?
Additional Review Criteria
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider the following additional items in the determination of scientific and technical merit, but will not give separate scores for these items.
Protections for Human Subjects. For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children. When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children.
Vertebrate Animals. The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information, see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/VASchecklist.pdf.
Biohazards. Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
Resubmission Applications. Resubmissions are not allowed for this FOA.
Renewal Applications. Renewals are not allowed for this FOA.
Revision Applications. Revisions are not allowed for this FOA.
Additional Review Considerations
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will address each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.
Applications from Foreign Organizations. Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment existing U.S. resources.
Select Agents Research. Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).
Resource Sharing Plans. Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan (http://grants.nih/gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_guidance.htm); 2) Sharing Model Organisms (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-04-042.html); and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-088.html).
Budget and Period Support. Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
B) Administrative Core or Administrative Structure (as described in the Overview section, for applications not including an Administrative Core)
Each CERC Administrative Core/structure will receive a merit descriptor (outstanding, acceptable, unacceptable) that reflects:
C) Other (Research/Scientific) Cores:
Each additional Core will receive a merit descriptor (outstanding, acceptable, unacceptable) that reflects:
D) Project Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s)
Project Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) will receive a merit descriptor (outstanding, acceptable, unacceptable) that reflects:
E) Resources and Environment
Resources and Environment will receive a merit descriptor (outstanding, acceptable, unacceptable) that reflects:
F) Overall Program and Program Synergy
Each application will receive a merit descriptor (highly synergistic, synergistic, not synergistic) that reflects the degree of synergy of the proposed CERC. In particular, program synergy will be evaluated on:
Selection Process
The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
NIH considers the following in evaluating Center grant applications:
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award
Not Applicable
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.
If the application is under consideration for funding,
NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant. For
details, applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy
Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General.
formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be
provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the grants management
officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative and programmatic
issues have been resolved, the Notice of Award will be generated via email
notification from the awarding component to the grantee business official.
Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See Also Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the Notice of Award. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part4.htm) and Part II Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part9.htm).
Awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is terminated.
encourage your inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the
opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall
into three areas: scientific/research, peer review, and financial or grants
management issues:
1. Scientific/Research Contacts:
Barbara C. Sorkin, Ph.D
Coordinator, Centers of Excellence for Research on CAM Program
Division of Extramural Research
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 401
Bethesda, MD 20892-5475
Office: (301) 594-8018
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
2. Peer Review Contacts:
Dale Birkle Dreer, Ph.D.
Chief, Office of Scientific Review
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Institutes of Health
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 401, MSC 5475
Bethesda, MD 20892-5475
Telephone: (301)451-6570
3. Financial or Grants Management
George Tucker, M.B.A.
Chief Grants Management Officer
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Institutes of Health
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 401, MSC 5475
Bethesda, MD 20892-5475
Phone: 301-594-9102
Fax: 301-480-1552
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Section VIII. Other Information
Required Federal Citations
Use of Animals in Research:
Recipients of PHS support for activities involving live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf) as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm), and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm) as applicable.
Human Subjects Protection:
Federal regulations (45CFR46) require that applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others, and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies (phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks to the participants (NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing).
Investigators should seek guidance from their institutions, on issues related to institutional policies and local IRB rules, as well as local, State and Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Rule.
for Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS):
NIH is interested in advancing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify common genetic factors that influence health and disease through a centralized GWAS data repository. For the purposes of this policy, a genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire human genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight), or the presence or absence of a disease or condition. All applications, regardless of the amount requested, proposing a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible. Data repository management (submission and access) is governed by the Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-088. For additional information, see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/
to Research Data through the Freedom of Information Act:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm. Applicants may wish to place data collected under this funding opportunity in a public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award.
Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model organisms for biomedical research (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm). At the same time the NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with Federal funding pursuant to the Bayh Dole Act (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm). All investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal, beginning with the October 1, 2004 receipt date, are expected to include in the application/proposal a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organism research resources generated using NIH funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not possible. This will permit other researchers to benefit from the resources developed with public funding. The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan is not subject to a cost threshold in any year and is expected to be included in all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated.
Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398; and updated roles and responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical Research:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research, conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in research involving human subjects (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key personnel. The policy is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for federal funding of research on hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-116.html. Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s) to be used in the proposed research.
NIH Public Access
Policy Requirement:
In accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html) investigators must submit or have submitted for them their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts that arise from NIH funds and are accepted for publication as of April 7, 2008 to PubMed Central (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/), to be made publicly available no later than 12 months after publication. As of May 27, 2008, investigators must include the PubMed Central reference number when citing an article in NIH applications, proposals, and progress reports that fall under the policy, and was authored or co-authored by the investigator or arose from the investigator's NIH award. For more information, see the Public Access webpage at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.
for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued final modification to the "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information", the "Privacy Rule", on August 14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection of individually identifiable health information, and is administered and enforced by the DHHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Decisions about applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher and his/her institution. The OCR website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/) provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review, funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and research contracts can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. For publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report, internet addresses (URLs) must be used for publicly accessible on-line journal articles. Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide any other information necessary for the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.
People 2010:
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and Regulations:
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372. Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants Policy Statement can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Loan Repayment Programs:
NIH encourages applications for educational loan repayment from qualified health professionals who have made a commitment to pursue a research career involving clinical, pediatric, contraception, infertility, and health disparities related areas. The LRP is an important component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the next generation of researchers by providing the means for developing a research career unfettered by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is not required for eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications are encouraged. The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing the LRP recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP awardees must commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week) for two years to the research. For further information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health®
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text:
With the sounds of protests echoing across the campus, President Barack Obama knew his 2009 commencement address at the University of Notre Dame would have to mention the religious issues that divided his listeners. "The ultimate irony of faith is that it necessarily admits doubt," he said. "It is beyond our capacity as human beings to know with certainty what God has planned for us or what He asks of us."
With this sweeping statement Obama essentially argued that religious faith contains no rational content and, thus, offers no concrete guidance for public actions, noted Thomas Farr, director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University. This would shock America's founding fathers or anyone else who has used religious doctrines and arguments in favor of human equality or in opposition to tyranny.
The president's views were even more troubling when combined with remarks weeks earlier at Georgetown by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said Farr, during a conference sponsored by the American Religious Freedom Program of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. The daylong event drew a variety of scholars and activists including Catholics, evangelical Protestants, Jews, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mormons and others.
Clinton's speech contained repeated references to freedom of "worship," but none to freedom of "religion." She also argued that "people must be ... free to worship, associate, and to love in the way that they choose."
Thus, the secretary of state raised sexual liberation to the status of religion and other central human rights, said Farr. This evolving political doctrine is now shaping decisions in some U.S. courts.
"Powerful members of our political class are arguing," he noted, "that there is no rational content of religion; that religious freedom means the right to gather in worship, but not to bring religiously informed moral judgments into political life; that religious freedom must be balanced by the right to love as one chooses, and that to make religious arguments against that purported right is unconstitutional."
In other words, argued Farr and other speakers, there is more to America's current debates about religious liberty than clashes between religious groups and the Obama White House over Health and Human Services regulations that require most religious institutions to offer health-insurance plans that cover sterilizations and all FDA-approved forms of contraception, including so-called "morning-after pills."
The larger civic argument, however, focuses on whether government officials can decree that "freedom of worship" is more worthy of protection than "freedom of religion," a much broader constitutional concept.
After all, the HHS mandate recognizes the conscience rights of a religious employer only if it has the "inculcation of religious values as its purpose," "primarily employs persons who share its religious tenets" and "primarily serves persons who share its religious tenets."
In other words, "freedom of worship" protects a nun when she prays for people with AIDS, but she may not be protected by "freedom of religion" when caring for non-Catholics with AIDS in a ministry that hires non-Catholics.
"The mandate ... covers houses of worship, but leaves out the manifold ministries of charity that flow directly from that worship," stressed Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, in the conference's keynote address. "This is the first time that the federal government has compelled religious institutions to facilitate and fund a product contrary to their moral teaching."
Thus, on May 21, 43 Catholic dioceses and other organizations -- including universities and institutions that don't fit the narrow HHS exemption -- filed a wave of lawsuits against the federal government in 12 jurisdictions nationwide. A dozen or more Catholic and evangelical Protestant organizations had already filed similar lawsuits.
Many bishops have warned that, if the lawsuits fail, Catholic schools, hospitals and charities may need to close. The New York Times editorial page responded by calling the lawsuits "a dramatic stunt, full of indignation but built on air."
Nevertheless, Lori said the nation's bishops have decided to make another dramatic move -- asking all Catholic churches to ring their bells at noon on June 21st and July 4th. The hope is that other houses of worship will join in.
"As Americans," he said, "we must learn about the legacy of the founding fathers. ... As people of faith, we must mine our own religious traditions on religious freedom and share the treasures we find -- not only with our own communities -- but with society at large."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The best things in life aren't things.
My name is Joshua Becker and we are a family of four living in Peoria, AZ. My wife and I are in our late-thirties/early-forties. My son is 14, my daughter is 10. We are just your typical middle-class family… minus the dog and physical possessions.
After a conversation with my neighbor on Memorial Day 2008, we decided to become minimalist and intentionally live with fewer possessions. We cleared the clutter from our home and lives.
As a result, we found a better way to live centered on more important pursuits. It has been a journey of discovering the abundant life is actually found in owning less. And it still ranks as one the best decisions we've ever made.
Our story has been seen on the CBS Evening News, NPR, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal and countless media interviews around the world. And our books have sold in the tens of thousands.
This blog is about our journey towards a rational approach to minimalism. It is about the joys and the struggles. It is about the lessons we have learned.
It has inspired millions around the world. It is written to inspire you to intentionally live with less. And find more life because of it.
Here is great place to get started. For interviews, media requests, or general questions, contact us at [email protected] | Twitter


text:
Things you view while shopping are saved here.
Children under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats.
Book with Confidence. Price Match Guarantee.
No Hotwire Cancellation Fee
We've Saved Customers over $3.1 Billion
Search for hotels near Lighthouse on Hotwire. You can easily find your hotels near Lighthouse using one of the methods below:


text:
Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg.com, has signed a deal with HarperStudio to write a book about "the secrets to his success." It will be titled One to One Million.
Debbie Stier, associate publisher of HarperStudio and director of digital marketing at HarperCollins, announced the deal tonight.
"I'm a huge fan — have been following his blog, twitter, videos, etc. for some time," she wrote, "and think he's one of the smartest tech entrepreneurs out there with lots of wisdom and experience to share."
HarperStudio, an imprint of HarperCollins, experiments with book formats and publishing experiments on the web. They publish just two books a month and offer authors 50-50 profit sharing, rather than a traditional 7% to 15% royalty. Their team has previously signed WineLibrary.tv's Gary Vaynerchuck for his Crush It! book and Jessica Amason and Richard Blakeley for This Is Why You're Fat.
More details on Kevin's book, and when it will be published, soon.
See Also: 10 ways the Apple tablet will change your life forever →


text:
Wigan pair eager for action
They may have been the subject of an FA Cup giant killing against Swindon Town at the weekend, but boss Roberto Martinez can take pride from fielding a few home talents in the defeat at the County Ground.
The players catching the eye were striker Callum McManaman and full-back Jordan Mustoe, with the latter making his first start for the club since graduating from the academy.
The two 20-year-olds are believed to have a big future at the club, and will be eager for more first-team action after coming through one of the Barclays Premier League's smallest youth systems.
McManaman, who has been particularly impressive, has only just been recalled from a fruitful spell at Blackpool where he managed 14 appearances under Ian Holloway in England's second-tier.
But with the uncertain future of striker Hugo Rodallega and the dip in form for Conor Sammon, McManaman, a distant relative of namesake Steve, may get a run of games in the Premier League.
Mustoe said of his team mate: "He did very well at Blackpool on his loan spell and it's great to have him back at the football club."
Next up for Martinez and his Latics are title-chasing Manchester City, who visit the DW Stadium next Monday evening.News Now - Sport News


text:
The Hartt School at the University of Hartford will present the musical "On the Twentieth Century," Thursday, March 14 through Saturday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 17, at 3 p.m., in Millard Auditorium, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave. in West Hartford.
Directed by Robert Davis, with music direction by Michael Morris and choreography by Darlene Zoller, the show features music by Cy Coleman, and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
Hartt's cast is lead by Zach Bencal as Oscar Jaffe; Katie Sarno as Lily Garland; Lars Lee as Bruce Granit; Alexandra Bartley as Letitia Peabody Primrose.
Also cast are: Alex Domini, Kristina Wilson, Jason Long Courtney Rada, Steven Gant, Zoe Stephens-North, Julian Sarria, Jenny Brescia, James Booth, Jimmy Bain, Justin Henry, Sarah Kozlowski and Riza Takahashi.
Members of the ensemble are Jonny Cortes, Andrew Martin, Mischa Storer, Allison Canning, Emily Cohn, Sarah Kawalek, Erin Kelly, Chloe Kounadis, Katie Moskowitz, Nina Paganucci, Cori Stolbun, Nicole Teebagy, Sofie Wasserman-Smith, Taylor Sumner, Kate Suppes and Jenna Zito.
Admission is $20, with discounts for students, seniors, and groups. Information: 860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.


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Currently running Ubuntu 10.04 LTS with this laptop. Only different in mine from this spec sheet is that it only runs 512MB of RAM.
Wireless did not work out-of-the-box with Ubuntu 10.04, but with b43 drivers I was easily able to get it up and running. Have had zero issues with the wireless since.
I got the drivers and information about the wireless adapter from here:
Linux Wireless
My adapter was literally the same one used as the example from that page (BCM4318).
Unable to test the card reader as mine fried ages ago.


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Australia's corporate earnings season is virtually done and dusted and the results have not been as bad as analysts feared, putting Aussie stocks on track to end the month on a firmer note than most of their peers.
About 39 percent of companies reporting have exceeded analyst expectations against 27 percent that missed expectations, analysts said.
"The best way to look at earnings season down in Australia is that you could probably give it a score of 6/10 and some people would say I'm probably being generous," said Evan Lucas, market strategist at trading firm IG.
"The reason I think it has done okay is that if you look at how the share market has performed over the four weeks of August compared with the S&P 500 stock index, Australian stocks have outperformed. So, we have some better-than-expected earnings and that has helped the market pick up," he said.
(Read more: Slowdown not stopping Australia's millionaire factory)
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the country's biggest lender by market value, posted a record annual profit earlier this month, while shares in national carrier Qantas jumped 7 percent on Thursday after the airline said it doubled its underlying annual profit.


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Running time : 42:21 min
Actors : Shana Lane, Trystan Bull, Marko Lebeau
This is your chance to see the brilliant Dr. Trystan Bull at his best. He's in the studio with brand new guests, Marko Lebeau and Shanah Lane. They're a couple who are having problems in the bedroom. Shanah won't suck Marko's dick! Let's see what the good doctor can do to help...
Dr. Bull is a therapist who cares and has the insight to diagnose relationship issues quickly and accurately. He can see that Shanah hasn't been stimulated enough by her husband Marko. That's why Trystan is going to have them run a few exercises that may do wonders for the couple's lackluster sex life. By the looks of it, Shanah loves cock in and around her mouth, so Trystan's having her slurp on Marko's hard boner a little to get things started. Then Dr. Bull is stepping in with an unorthodox technique by pulling out his own dick and getting involved himself. When Marko sees this, he jumps in as well, sucking hard on the doctor's stiffy. This proves to push the therapy in a progressive direction, so Trystan goes a step further. What other talk show doc would be so caring as to fuck his guest? It's a beautiful thing to see such genuine concern and involvement.


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It has been a long time since the diabetes world has seen a new rapid-acting insulin brought to market. The last one that I can remember was Apidra released back in 2004. It is not surprising then that the release of Fiasp by NovoNordisk is creating a lot of buzz.
Not to be left out, my son recently began using this insulin. Since Fiasp insulin is the new kid on the block, I thought I would give everyone a brief rundown on the highs and lows associated with it.
What is Fiasp?
Fiasp insulin was released by NovoNordisk onto the Canadian market in March of 2017. Many of us scrambled to get a prescription because it promised better blood glucose levels without pre-bolusing for meals! According to the press release, you can dose up to two minutes before a meal and up to 20 minutes after starting a meal without compromising overall glycemic control or safety!*
How is it different?
A Medscape article states that Fiasp is absorbed twice as fast as its counterparts. It does this with the help of two excipients–Vitamin B3 is responsible for the increase in the speed of absorption and Amino Acid (L-Arginine) has been added for extra stability.**
But what do Fiasp users think?
All of this science is great but most people are wondering how well it works in real life settings. From what I have seen, the bulk of users really like it. I could only find one person out of about a dozen users who had returned to their old insulin aspart.
When I asked my son for his review I was told "I still have highs. I still have lows BUT if I have a heavy carb loaded meal, Fiasp kicks butt and I don't have the same crazy swings that I always did before." For a 19-year-old who can definitely binge on carbs, this is huge.
Other users seem to have had similar results.
Some people with diabetes found that the insulin peaks were no longer as pronounced. They had some difficulty battling highs with Fiasp however while others found it perfect for corrections. In fact, some people are purchasing Fiasp just for corrections.
Other users explained that faster insulin action allowed them to more quickly respond to rising blood glucose levels. This, in turn, meant resulted in much tighter control. The quick action has also left one user to caution about the timing of any pre-bolus.
Most seemed to agree that Fiasp insulin resulted in fewer food spikes and more stable blood glucose levels but as I said not everyone loves it. For some users, their traditional rapid-acting insulin seemed to work better.
Final thoughts…
All in all, most people with diabetes who are trying the new kid on the block seem to be happy with it. It offers another insulin choice for those who struggled with post-meal spikes or don't pre-bolus meals.
It must also be noted however that while Fiasp is not currently approved for use in insulin pumps in Canada, both those on insulin pumps and MDI are using this insulin aspart.
I was also happy to see that the price of Fiasp insulin was par with NovoRapid. This meant that there was no need to worry about an increased cost for out of pocket insulin expenses. My understanding is that Fiasp insulin is not yet on many (or any) provincial formularies. This most likely will mean that if you decide to use the insulin and are currently using a publicly funded program, you may have to either pay for this insulin out of pocket or speak to your doctor about having special authorization added to your benefits to ensure full coverage.
Please remember to check with your diabetes team before starting any new insulin regimen.
You can read about all of the types of insulin available in Canada here.


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Spanish Level V - Fiction - Bundle of 12
by Hexagramm Books
$ 185.00
Hexagramm Books has listened to the overwhelming need for pre-assembled sets of leveled books for dual language immersion classrooms. To meet this need, we have curated a collection of leveled books bundles:
- Available at all guided reading levels, A to Z,
- Bundles are in English, Spanish and French,
- Books are bundled into sets of 12 or 25,
- Each set is available in fiction and non-fiction.
By purchasing our largest sets of fiction and nonfiction, your students will have 50 individual titles to choose from. Our leveled bundles come pre-sorted, pre-labeled, and include a corresponding book bin for each level. Designed with ease-of-use in mind, all that's needed is to unbox and shelve (book bin included!) upon delivery.
Like you, we know books need to be carefully leveled to make the greatest impact. We work with a dual language immersion consultant to re-evaluate the lowest levels and categorize each text to reflect its true reading level. All in all, we've leveled over 2500 titles (and counting!).We also know that student progress depends on exposure to a variety of print. That's why we've scouted dozens of leveled book publishers to offer students a range of topics, stories, and cultural perspectives. Wherever possible, we've added authentic literature from Spanish-speaking countries.


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General Forum Rules
General Forum Rules
- 1. Universal Rules for all forums
2. Suggestions and criticism
3. Limitations on Signatures
4. Traffic stealing & Copyright Rules
5. Foreign, Download and reflinks (adlinks)
6. Tools / Scripts / Aid programs
7. The Search Function
- Remember behind every screen name is a real person. Respect and treat each other the same way you would like to be treated in return.
- Please us meaningful titles in your messages - Titles such as "Help please?" or "Need Help Quickly" do not give any information as to what your question is about.
- Do not publicize PMs or IGMs in a direct quote on the board. The reason for this is that the content cannot be verified, and can be misinterpreted by the reader(s).
- Do not denounce other players whether it be in a topic, signature or just posting your personal 'blacklist' anywhere.
- Posting theories and leading discussions about the possibilities of bug-using, rule-breaking and the unfair misuse of game rules, are expressly prohibited. Should you witness any such discussion, or have been informed about ways to circumvent the game rules an/or exploit bugs, please contact our
- Always adhere to instructions made by the admin or moderating team. Recomposing an already closed or removed thread is expressly prohibited, as this runs counter to the actions of a moderating-team member.
- If a particular thread or event (i.e Competition) has become inactive then please add (CLOSED) in some format to the topic title, if possible while leaving the original content intact. This means the thread can be safely locked by the moderation team, and will still be searchable for later viewing.
- Edits to messages by Moderators/Administrators will be accompanied by a notice typically in red type. These include instructions, or a comment as to why the edit was made. Please mind these instructions for any future posts!
- Particularly when posting within the Trade forums, always include your User Name. The most effective way is to include it in your signature.
- Using more than one forum account per person is expressly prohibited!
- In case of problems, please feel free to directly contact one of the moderators. If the forum in question does not have a moderator at the moment, you are always welcome to contact our support-team, or, if your problem is not of a private nature, post it in the forum area Forum Problems.
- We would like to take the chance to mention that our forums should serve as platform our players can use to communicate with each other. Constructive criticism, as well as suggestions and proposals are always welcome (and can be posted in the respective forum ares) - but these should be based on facts, and improve the general enjoyment of playing. There is a decisive difference between a discussion and unverifiable speculations, the deliberate posting of false statements, allegations and provocations created with the sole intent of harming our company's reputation. We therefore reserve the right to remove entries that fall under that category, and might present a false image of our company and our games without comment, and of closing the respective threads / removing them from our forum.
3. Limitations on Signatures
Please take note of these limitations on signatures:
- A Maximum of 4 lines (including blank spaces and lines with images).
- The total height of all images must not exceed 150Px.
- The overall data size of all images in your signature should not exceed 50kB. Remember some users may still be using dial-up connections.
- The total width of all images must not exceed 550 pixels.
- Please do not add advertisements for other websites other than those run by upjers in your signature.
Note: Members of the Administration, Moderation or Editorial team may include buttons dedicated for support links in their signature (within reason).
4. Traffic stealing & Copyright Rules
- Please do not use any images an/or forum names & texts on the forum, which might infringe copyrights.
- We also do not support traffic stealing.
- This also refers to Smiley-Sites that do not expressly allow direct-linking.
So please be so kind and save us and yourselves any possible ensuing trouble.
5. Foreign, Download and reflinks (adlinks)
We would like to expressly add, that the use of Foreign, Download and reflinks (adlinks) and any further links in a post or signature is expressly prohibited, apart from the below mentioned exceptions:
- Exceptions:
Any sites owned by http://www.upjers.com/ and their games.
If you disregard this rule, your forum account will be closed for an entire week.
6. Tools / Scripts / Aid programs
- Do not publish any ads and/or links to to tools, scripts and other programs that may help you progress in the game. All related topics and entries will be removed.
7. The Search Function
Quite often you may find your question may have already been answered previously in an older, or even recent thread.
On occasion you might even find the question already answered in the In-Game Help or within the FAQs on the forum.
By using the search function before posting a new thread, you can save yourself waiting time and the support the time it would take to reply.
Click the Search button at the top of the forum and look at the various options available to you.
- Search for Keywords - This is pretty much self explanatory; type in a keyword or words that suit your query.
- Search for Author - This is used when you're looking for posts made by a particular user.
- Search Options Menu - These options are selected to narrow your search down to a particular forum, category, or post age.


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Çimsa meets the product and service needs of its customers in full and in a timely manner with its market-oriented approach and wide distribution network. Providing the required materials for living areas and infrastructures reaching to next generations as a reliable business partner of its shareholders, Çimsa is also leading the Turkish cement and building materials industry in terms of innovation with its special products such as white cement and calcium aluminate cement which it produces in addition to grey cement.
Çimsa serves for its customers with the new product development, customer support and technical marketing activities offered by Cement Research and Application Center.
Çimsa provides the necessary services demanded by the ready-mixed customers with competent and adequate number of staff, vehicle tracking system, communication network, and computer-based shipment program as well as with Central Shipment System integrated into cement plants in different locations.
In addition to Çimsa Central Shipment System, which is the first in the Turkish Ready-Mixed Concrete sector, another first in the country, advance order receiving service via the short message (SMS) compatible with mobile phones was put into service in July 2011. All concrete orders can be received via telephone, telefax and short messages.


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The Point Loma Nazarene University's womens' volleyball team won two of three matches on its road trip to Hawaii, with its only loss coming against No. 5 BYU-Hawaii. The Sea Lions still have a hold on first place in the Pacific West Conference with a 12-1 record (18-4 overall).
They have a one-match lead on BYUH in the standings, as both teams have one loss, but the Sea Lions have two more victories in the win column. PLNU had won 11 straight matches to open PacWest play before falling at BYUH.
Alyssa Dwyer continues to lead the PacWest with a .365 hitting percentage. She is also one of only three listed in the top 10 that has 200 or more kills. She is ranked 10th in the league with 3.18 kills per set. Heather Leavitt has moved into second place in the PacWest with 4 kills per set. Kelli LeClair is also ranked eighth (3.22 kills) to give the Sea Lions three spots in the top 10 in the PacWest. No other team has more than one player ranked in the top 10. Savannah Wedemeyer is also ranked second in the PacWest. She is averaging 11.24 assists per set and paces the league with 843 total assists. Delaney McCraney comes in third in aces with 0.45 per set.
Despite their only loss of last week coming to No. 5 BYU-Hawaii, the PLNU volleyball team has fallen back one spot, and out of the top 25, to the "others receiving votes" category. PLNU received 60 votes in the latest poll to rank as the top team in the "receiving votes" category. They are 21 points back of Northern State, which is currently No. 25 in the polls.
Women's golf finishes fourth at NCCAA Invitational
Three Sea Lions finished in the top 25 to lead the Point Loma women's golf team to a fourth-place finish at the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Women's Invitational on Oct. 23.
PLNU posted a 317 (+29) during the final round and a 935 (+61) over the three-day tourney to maintain their grip on fourth place. The Sea Lions finished 10 strokes ahead of fifth-place Shorter and 12 strokes back of third-place Oklahoma Christian.
Kathleen Crossley fought back nicely from a tough first round to lead the Sea Lions in scoring at the tournament with a 15-over, 231. She consistently improved throughout the tournament. She posted an 81 (+9) in the first round, but then whittled her score to 77 (+5) in the second before registering a 73 (+1) in the third. She finished tied for 11th in the tournament and her 73 (+1) in the final round was a tournament-low for PLNU. Alyssa Orito tied for 18th in the field with a 19-over, 235, followed by Mariah Fuller who tied for 22nd with a 237 (+21).
Ten Bosch named PacWest Player of the Week again
Point Loma sophomore forward Daniel ten Bosch (Irvine) has been selected the Pacific West Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 7-13. This is the second time this year ten Bosch has earned PacWest Player of the Week honors.
With the Sea Lions trailing Academy of Art 2-0, ten Bosch unleashed a natural hat-trick of assists that rallied Point Loma for a 3-3 double-overtime tie and a point in the PacWest standings on Oct. 12 in San Francisco. He helped cut the Art U lead in half by earning an assist on Nico Tagaloa's goal at 37:14, sending PLNU into the intermission down 2-1. At 52:31, ten Bosch assisted on Griffin Fuller's game-tying goal, while at 57:00 his corner kick set up Dylan Wingrove with the go-ahead score.
Ten Bosch now has a four-assist lead among the PacWest leaders. He is also ranked third in points (17).
Herrera grabs another PacWest Defender award
Point Loma sophomore goalie Lupe Herrera has been selected the Pacific West Conference Women's Soccer Defender of the Week for the Oct. 7-13. This is the second time this La Quinta native has been selected for the PacWest honor.
Herrera stopped all four shots on goal she faced in earning a 1-0 shutout at Academy of Art on Oct. 12. She kept the Urban Knights scoreless throughout the match to allow Amanda Mitchell to score in the 89th minute to pick up the victory for the Sea Lions (6-4-1, 5-1-1 PacWest).
Herrera is now tied for third in the PacWest with four shutouts. She is also tied for fourth in saves (45) and sixth in save percentage (.818) and goals against average (0.89).


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The issue:
Illegal immigration is a decades-old problem. With an estimated 11.5 million illegal immigrants living, and in many cases working, in the U.S. the question remains: What do we do with them? And how do we stop more people from coming? Lax enforcement potentially leads to more illegal immigrants competing with U.S. citizens for jobs and some social services. But a too-tight policy could mean farmers and others in industries that rely on the cheaper labor of illegal immigrants are left begging for workers, passing higher costs on to consumers or going out of business altogether.
Where they stand:
President Barack Obama has pushed for the DREAM Act, a path to citizenship for many young illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. Efforts to pass the bill have repeatedly failed, most notably in 2010 when it stalled in a Democratic-led Senate. In June, Obama announced a plan to delay deportations for many illegal immigrants who would have benefited from the DREAM Act for up to two years and let them get work permits.
Mitt Romney has said that as president he would veto the DREAM Act should it ever cross his desk, though during the second presidential debate he said he supports a path to legal status for young illegal immigrants. He would honor any work permits issued under Obama's plan to delay deportations for many young illegal immigrants but wouldn't accept new applications for the program. Romney favors completing a towering steel fence along the Mexican border, in addition to the 650 miles already constructed, and opposes letting illegal immigrant students pay in-state tuition at state universities.
Why it matters:
Illegal immigration has slowed in recent years, with the Border Patrol recently recording the fewest arrests in almost 40 years. But many people worry that the Mexican border, the most popular crossing point for newly arriving illegal immigrants, still isn't secure more than a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In the last several years, the government has spent billions building a fence, doubling the number of Border Patrol agents and adding a slew of high-tech gadgets to stop illegal immigrants. The numbers tell a compelling story: In the 2011 budget year, the Border Patrol arrested about 327,000 people at the Mexican border. In 2006, agents made more than 1 million such arrests.
Obama's administration also deported a record number of people last year, nearly 400,000. The government has been shifting its focus to finding and deporting criminal immigrants and those who otherwise pose a security threat.
There's room for debate about what has led to the steep drop in arrests; it's quite clear the struggling economy has made it less attractive to enter the U.S. Still, Republicans insist any illegal crossings are too many. And there's broad agreement that the border should be more secure.
As for illegal immigrants already in the country, there's no easy answer.
In 1986, under President Ronald Reagan, Congress approved an amnesty that granted millions of immigrants legal status while prohibiting the hiring of illegal immigrants.
Hiring has continued in many sectors, notably farming. And some lawmakers worry that agriculture would sink if there were an aggressive effort to verify that all farmworkers could legally work in the U.S.
Various overhauls of immigration policy have been proposed since the early 2000s. But the debate often boils down to Republicans wanting the border secure before anything else, and Democrats pushing for that security and for a path to legalization at once. The result has been a legislative stalemate.
Follow Alicia A. Caldwell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acaldwellap


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Through First Express Line you can do your banking on the run, because First National's services and information are as close as your touch-tone phone. You can also receive your information in either English or Spanish
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