- Biden Approves $1.9T COVID-19 Relief Plan
- House Appropriations Committee Releases FY22 Member Request Guidance
- AAU Joins Organizations to Support DHS Review of H-1B Wage Prioritization Regulation
- AAU, Organizations Urge House Committee Leaders to Support TREAT Act
- Coalition Requests at Least $600M for AFRI in FY22
- Biden Signs Directives Instructing Education Department to Review Title IX Amendment and Establishing Gender Policy Council
BIDEN APPROVES $1.9T COVID-19 RELIEF PLAN
Yesterday, President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion H.R. 1319, known as the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.” The measure had advanced through Congress largely along party lines and includes funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Education Sciences, National Endowment for the Humanities, and other pandemic relief efforts.
President Barbara R. Snyder issued a statement praising the president and Congress for coming together to provide relief for America’s colleges and universities and their students, faculty, staff, researchers, and communities. President Snyder called on the administration and lawmakers to remember that federal investments in student aid and research are essential as they begin their efforts on other economic recovery measures and FY22 appropriations.
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE RELEASES FY22 MEMBER REQUEST GUIDANCE
The House Appropriations Committee recently released instructions for members to submit FY22 appropriations requests . The Committee’s portal for submissions will open on March 29. Senate Appropriations deadlines are forthcoming.
RESOURCE AVAILABLE: AAU FY22 Funding Priorities Table
AAU JOINS ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT DHS REVIEW OF H-1B WAGE PRIORITIZATION REGULATION
AAU on Wednesday joined a group of 16 organizations to submit comments to the Department of Homeland Security in response to the department’s final rule, “Modification of Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions.” In the comments, the organizations indicate support for the delayed effective date of the H-1B Wage Prioritization regulation and for the department’s review of the regulation to ensure that it: lets U.S. employers hire foreign-born, early-career professionals, including international students completing degrees at American colleges and universities; and does not negatively impact employers.
AAU, ORGANIZATIONS URGE HOUSE COMMITTEE LEADERS TO SUPPORT TREAT ACT
On Monday, AAU joined ACE and 51 other organizations on a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee and Health Subcommittee leaders urging them quickly to advance H.R. 708 / S. 168 , the ‘‘Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act,” or TREAT Act. The bipartisan measure would temporarily extend license reciprocity for healthcare and mental health workers across the United States. According to the letter, the measure would address how the “patchwork of state and local licensing laws that restrict the provision of care across state lines remains a significant barrier to timely access to vital physical and behavioral health care,” causing confusion and delays in licensing and care.
AFRI COALITION REQUESTS AT LEAST $600M FOR AFRI IN FY22
The Agriculture Food and Research Initiative Coalition, which includes AAU, recently sent a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee leaders requesting they provide at least $600 million for AFRI in FY22 appropriations. The letter notes that the funding is “much needed to invest in crucial areas aimed at addressing our nation’s most pressing food, agriculture, and public health challenges … including COVID-19 recovery, climate change adaptation and resiliency, racial equity in the food system for farmers and farmworkers, bioenergy, nutrition, agricultural technology, rural economic prosperity, and food safety.”
BIDEN SIGNS DIRECTIVES INSTRUCTING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW TITLE IX AMENDMENT AND ESTABLISHING GENDER POLICY COUNCIL
On Monday, President Joe Biden issued an executive order directing the Education Department to review amendments made to Title IX regulations by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in May 2020. The order calls for the department to evaluate whether the regulations are “consistent with the policies” of the Biden administration. Last year’s rule changed definitions of misconduct, set new standards for launching investigations, changed the requirements for students to file complaints, and allowed the accused to challenge their accusers through lawyers or advisors. Biden also signed a second executive order to establish the White House Gender Policy Council, which will review domestic and foreign policy and programs to advance gender equity and equality.