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A Weekly Update of Policy News and Select Funding Opportunities Compiled by  Van Scoyoc Associates View this email in your browser January 31, 2025 Health The Republican doctor who could be a hurdle to RFK Jr.'s confirmation  Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) cast doubt Thursday over whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is qualified to be the next leader of the government’s largest and most powerful health agency. Cassidy, a doctor, has emerged as a key swing vote in Kennedy's bid to be the secretary of health and human services. Cassidy chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and sits on the Finance Committee, the two panels Kennedy testified before this week. Read more:   NBC News   N.I.H. trials and essential hiring may continue, acting director says  Clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health and at organizations it funds may continue, and patients may still travel to trial sites to participate in research, despite the Trump admi...

  Soundtrack Your Success: Using Music to Achieve Your Goals in 2025 The start of a new year often brings a sense of renewed purpose, and one underrated yet powerful tool can help you stay on track: music. by Sophia Omarji Before the start of a new year, many of us set goals for career advancement, fitness, personal growth, or to stay consistent with healthy habits. But there’s one thing that you may be passively engaging with every day, and missing its potential for helping you climb the mountain to success: music. In 2025, as we navigate an increasingly fast-paced world filled with technological advancements and the expectation of us to be productivity machines, music remains a constant force capable of inspiring, motivating, and grounding us. An active, more intentional use of music can help you both set and smash your goals this year. The psychology of music and motivation Research has found that listening to music has strong positive effects on mood, motivation, and concentrat...