- Congress and COVID-19
- Senate Sets FY21 Appropriations Markup Schedule
- AAU, Associations Request Delay of Title IX Rule to Support Campus Reopening Efforts
- Senators Urge Leadership to Provide More Higher Education Relief in “Phase Four” COVID-19 Legislation
- AAU, Associations Send Letter to House Committees Offering Expertise on Sec. 117 Foreign Gifts Reporting
- AAU Encourages Senate to Confirm Panchanathan as NSF Director
CONGRESS AND COVID-19
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has indicated that the chamber will likely consider the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation during their July 20 – August 4 session, according to The Hill. White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett told The Wall Street Journal that the administration would “definitely support” a “phase four” COVID-19 relief measure, and said “the odds of a phase four deal are very, very high.”
Meanwhile, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released a white paper titled “Preparing for the Next Pandemic.” The paper outlines five areas the committee should consider while drafting legislation. According to CQ, the areas include “how to accelerate research and development of tests, treatments and vaccines; improve disease surveillance; rebuild and sustain state and federal medical equipment stockpiles and improve supply surge capacity; bolster state and local health departments’ response capabilities; and strengthen federal agencies' coordination.” Alexander asked members to provide ideas they’d like to share with committee members by June 26.
SENATE SETS FY21 APPROPRIATIONS MARKUP SCHEDULE
The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to begin marking up FY21 spending measures the week of June 22, Bloomberg Government reports. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to start markups the week of July 6. Neither chamber has publicly released its 302(b) funding levels.
AAU, ASSOCIATIONS REQUEST DELAY OF TITLE IX RULE TO SUPPORT CAMPUS REOPENING EFFORTS
On Wednesday, AAU joined ACE and 13 other organizations on a letter to the Education Department urging them to delay the implementation of the recent Title IX rule, “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.” The letter cites the May 19 executive order, “Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery,” which encourages agencies to “address this economic emergency by rescinding, modifying, waiving, or providing exemptions from regulations and other requirements that may inhibit economic recovery.” The August 14 implementation of this rule would require campuses to redesign disciplinary and HR processes, which could divert “time and resources away from the reopening efforts that are of such paramount importance to our economy,” the organizations say.
RESOURCE AVAILABLE: AAU President Urges Delay of Complex Title IX Changes Due to COVID-19 Crisis
SENATORS URGE LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE MORE HIGHER EDUCATION RELIEF IN “PHASE FOUR” COVID-19 LEGISLATION
A group of 33 senators yesterday sent a letter to Senate leaders urging them to include $47 billion in relief funding for students and higher education institutions in the “phase four” COVID-19 relief package. The letter, led by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), mentions that “Students are facing complex financial emergencies that threaten their ability to remain on their path to degree completion.” The senators also note that colleges and universities have incurred “substantial cuts and losses,” which have far-reaching effects for their students, faculty, staff, and communities. The senators also requested colleges and universities be granted “the flexibility that they need to use the funding most effectively within their communities,” which will allow them “to meet the needs of these schools and their students during this challenging time.”
AAU, ASSOCIATIONS SEND LETTER TO HOUSE COMMITTEES OFFERING EXPERTISE ON SEC. 117 FOREIGN GIFTS REPORTING
On Tuesday, AAU, ACE, and eight other higher education associations sent a letter to the chairs and ranking members of seven House committees to request the opportunity to brief committee leadership and their staff about the history of Section 117 as members work to “address uncertainties in the current statute and efforts to enhance Sec. 117 through legislation.” In the letter, the associations note their shared interest in safeguarding federally funded research, defending academic freedom and free speech from foreign influence, and ensuring transparency about the relationships between American colleges and universities and foreign entities.
RESOURCE AVAILABLE: Seven House Committee Chairs Express Concern with Sec. 117 Foreign Gift Reporting
AAU ENCOURAGES SENATE TO CONFIRM PANCHANATHAN AS NSF DIRECTOR
AAU on Tuesday sent a letter to Senate leaders urging them to quickly confirm Sethuraman Panchanathan as the director of the National Science Foundation. The letter says that Dr. Panchanathan’s extensive experience and credentials, including his work at Arizona State University and his tenure on the National Science Board, make him an ideal candidate for the position. “NSF needs a permanent Director to provide necessary leadership for the agency, which is also is conducting important research on the pandemic,” the letter says.