CONTENTS:
- Congress Down to the Wire on FY17 Funding Deal
- Associations Express Concern Over Suspension of Federal Data Retrieval Tool
CONGRESS DOWN TO THE WIRE ON FY17 FUNDING DEAL
With one week until the FY17 continuing resolution (CR) expires on April 28, House and Senate negotiators continue hammering out details of the omnibus appropriations package to keep the government running through September. Among the issues remaining are how to address the Administration’s demand for added funding to build a border wall and bolster defense. Updated information about the package is not yet available, but Congress is likely to need a short-term CR to get a final FY17 deal over the finish line.
AAU on March 10 sent a letter to the President and congressional leaders urging them to use completion of the FY17 appropriations process and the beginning of the FY18 budget process “to revitalize the federal government’s scientific research and higher education investment strategy.” AAU also participated in the multi-society letter on FY17 appropriations for research, and in the higher education association letter on FY17 research and student aid funding.
ASSOCIATIONS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER SUSPENSION OF FEDERAL DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL
On April 12, a group of 26 higher education associations, including AAU, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos expressing “grave concern” about the recent suspension of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data tool that allows students to more quickly and accurately apply for student aid.
The Department of Education and the IRS announced March 30 they had suspended the tool because of concerns over data security and said they were working to fix it. The tool would not be available until at least October 1.
The ACE-led letter said, “This extreme delay will have a profound impact on low-income students applying (or reapplying) for federal financial aid and borrowers applying for income-based repayment plans.” The associations urged the agencies to resolve the security issues as quickly as possible.
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