- Budget and Appropriations Update
- House Updates Christmas Recess Schedule
- Negotiators Aim to Complete FY20 Talks This Weekend
- Lawmakers Warn of Potential Third CR
- Senate Advances Amended FUTURE Act to Restore HBCU Funding, Simplify FAFSA
- AAU, Associations Urge Congressional Leaders to Finish FY20 Appropriations Before December 20
- Senate Confirms Brouillette as Energy Secretary
- TOME Launches Website to Increase Access to Scholarship
- Upcoming Events
BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) recently announced that the House will remain in session until December 20. The Senate is still scheduled to leave for Christmas recess Friday, December 13.
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Senate Appropriations Ranking Member Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) yesterday told Roll Call that negotiators “want final negotiations” on all 12 FY20 appropriations measures “to be done this weekend.”
Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby (R-AL) was less confident that negotiations could be wrapped up this weekend, citing “the big hurdles” on which lawmakers haven’t come to a consensus – including the White House’s $8.6 billion border wall funding request. There are indications that the president may not sign any government funding bills until an agreement is reached on border wall funding in the Department of Homeland Security appropriations measure.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) yesterday said during a CNN town hall that she does not think a government shutdown is likely. During the event, Pelosi said that Congress is “on a good path. If not, we will go to a continuing resolution until after Christmas.” Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby (R-AL) told Politico Pro that he would “support whatever it takes to get our bills through … a few at a time, or all at once."
SENATE ADVANCES AMENDED FUTURE ACT TO RESTORE HBCU FUNDING, SIMPLIFY FAFSA
The Senate yesterday unanimously advanced H.R. 2486, the FUTURE Act, which was amended to permanently reauthorize $255 million in annual funding to historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. The measure also included language from S. 3611, the “FAFSA Act” of 2018, which would streamline the FAFSA application process by allowing the IRS to share taxpayer information directly with the Education Department. The legislation heads back to the House before it can be signed into law.
AAU, along with ACE, APLU, and eight other higher education organizations, yesterday sent a letter expressing their strong support for the amended FUTURE Act, which offered “practical solutions to critical issues facing students and institutions, and is fully offset.”
AAU, ASSOCIATIONS URGE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO FINISH FY20 APPROPRIATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 20
AAU, together with 161 other higher education and research organizations, on Wednesday sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging they complete work on FY20 appropriations and encouraging their continued strong support for increasing funding for research and development. “Federal investments provide the lifeblood for research, discovery and innovation in the United States, driving one of the most powerful engines for American prosperity and global leadership,” the letter says.
SENATE CONFIRMS BROUILLETTE AS ENERGY SECRETARY
The Senate Monday confirmed Dan Brouillette as secretary of the Department of Energy. Brouillette has served as deputy secretary since August 2017, and previously served as senior vice president of USAA, vice president of Ford Motor Company, and assistant secretary of the Energy Department during the George W. Bush administration.
TOME LAUNCHES WEBSITE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO SCHOLARSHIP
Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem, established by AAU together with the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of University Presses, yesterday launched a new website. The website aims “to build a community of scholars, publishers, librarians, university administrators that increases access to humanities and social sciences scholarship.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
DECEMBER 11 NATIONAL HUMANITIES ALLIANCE DIALOGUES ON THE EXPERIENCE OF WAR SHOWCASE; 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. ET, 2044 Rayburn House Office Building. More information here, RSVP here.
DECEMBER 11 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. ET. 2325 Rayburn House Office Building. To RSVP email [email protected].
DECEMBER 20 GOLDEN GOOSE AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE; Submissions here, more information here.