- House Advances $1.9T COVID-19 Relief Package
- AAU, Organizations Submit Comments on USPTO’s National Strategy for Expanding American Innovation
- AAU, Associations Urge Senate Leaders to Advance the Dream Act of 2021 Quickly
HOUSE ADVANCES $1.9T COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE
Earlier today, the House Rules Committee approved H.R. 1319, the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.” The full House is expected to advance the measure later this evening. The bill includes $39.6 billion in additional funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
Yesterday, the Senate parliamentarian ruled that under the budget reconciliation process they are using to pass the legislation Democrats would not be able, to include a provision to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 in the Senate version of the $1.889 trillion pandemic relief package. Senate Democratic leadership will likely remove the provision from the bill, but could find another way to incentivize businesses to increase their minimum wage. Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said in a statement that he plans to amend the measure to “take tax deductions away from large, profitable corporations that don't pay workers at least $15 an hour and to provide small businesses with the incentives they need to raise wages.”
The parliamentarian’s decision – and subsequent need to revise the bill – means it is likely the measure will return to the House for further consideration.
According to CQ News, the American Rescue Plan faces other hurdles in the Senate, including a provision that would put $86 billion into multiemployer pension plans facing insolvency and the potential for sequestration cuts to mandatory spending programs.
AAU, ORGANIZATIONS SUBMIT COMMENTS ON USPTO’S NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR EXPANDING AMERICAN INNOVATION
AAU on Tuesday joined APLU, COGR, and AAMC to submit comments on the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s National Strategy for Expanding American Innovation . The comments underscore the organizations’ support for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the innovation ecosystem; highlight efforts institutions are already taking to promote and track the inventions and entrepreneurship by diverse groups of students, post-doctoral scientists, staff, and faculty; and recommend steps the USPTO can take to expand participation in the innovation ecosystem.
AAU, ASSOCIATIONS URGE SENATE LEADERS TO ADVANCE THE DREAM ACT OF 2021 QUICKLY
On Monday, AAU joined ACE and 50 other higher education organizations on a letter to Senate leaders to urge them quickly to pass S. 264, the “Dream Act of 2021 ,” legislation that would “allow some undocumented young people, who have already invested in our country and in whom the country has already invested, to earn lawful permanent residence in the U.S., and ultimately a path to full citizenship.” The letter notes that “we cannot afford to shut the door to an entire generation of individuals who seek to contribute their best to America.”