CONTENTS
BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS, TAX ISSUES
- AAU and APLU Urge Strong Support for Research and Higher Education in FY17 Budget
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
- AAU, APLU, COGR Comment on Proposed Export Control Definitions
BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS, TAX ISSUES
AAU AND APLU URGE STRONG SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN FY17 BUDGET
AAU and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) sent a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget on August 4 urging the Administration to sustain its support for research and higher education in its FY17 budget.
The letter asks the White House to include in its FY17 budget expanded investments in student aid programs, as well as strong funding for graduate and international education programs and for the research agencies whose support of university-based research is so important to the nation’s continued technological and economic leadership.
The associations also ask the Administration to continue to “work for a long-term deficit reduction agreement that allows for sufficient investments in high priority areas such as education and research.”
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
AAU, APLU, COGR COMMENT ON PROPOSED EXPORT CONTROL DEFINITIONS
AAU, APLU, and the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) on August 3 submitted comments to the Departments of Commerce and State concerning proposed changes in export control definitions that would affect university research.
The regulations at issue are in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), respectively. Several AAU campuses have also submitted comments on the proposed revisions.
The associations view the proposed harmonization of definitions favorably. But they are concerned about a proposed change in an ITAR definition that would prevent any technical data that requires pre-publication review by a research sponsor from being considered “fundamental research,” thus subjecting that research to deemed export controls.
Currently, it is common practice for a prime sponsor to request the opportunity to review information and data before publication of research findings to ensure that no proprietary information is included. Since there is an assumption that the research results will still be published, even with prior review, such research has been considered fundamental and, therefore, not subject to export controls.
If the proposed ITAR definition goes into effect, however, universities will have to impose access controls and obtain export licenses for every foreign national working on any project that involves research or items on the U.S. munition list that requires pre-publication review by a research sponsor.
The AAU-APLU-COGR comment letters also address other proposed changes in EAR and ITAR definitions. Both letters are available on the AAU website.
NOTE: The next edition of the AAU Weekly Wrap-up will be published on Friday, September 11.