- From Mary Sue’s Desk: Balancing Scientific Openness with Security
- Budget and Appropriations Update
- AAU, Associations Comment on Revised Foreign Gifts and Contracts Reporting Proposed Information Collection (HEA Section 117)
- OSTP Extends Research Environment RFI Comment Period
- Congress Passes GREAT Act to Improve Federal Grant Data
FROM MARY SUE’S DESK: BALANCING SCIENTIFIC OPENNESS WITH SECURITY
AAU President Mary Sue Coleman on Tuesday posted a new blog about the recent National Science Foundation-commissioned JASON Report, which recommends broadening the definition of “research security.” This report analyzes the threat some foreign governments and researchers pose to the openness and collaboration that has always marked the United States’ research enterprise. We are encouraged by the recommendations of this report – especially the recommendation that NSF reaffirm the principles of NSDD-189 – and will continue to urge policymakers to balance the values of openness and collaboration with the need to ensure research integrity.
BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
The Senate yesterday approved two House-passed FY20 appropriations minibus packages, including $1.37 trillion in discretionary spending to fund the government until September 2020. The president is expected today to sign the pair of packages, thus completing the appropriations process nearly three months into FY20.
The first bundle includes defense-oriented funding, including: a 2.9 percent increase to $2.603 billion for the Defense Department’s 6.1 basic research program; a 2.5 percent increase to $8.278 billion for the National Science Foundation; a 3.4 percent increase to $7.139 billion for NASA science programs; an 8.1 percent increase to $784 million for NASA aeronautics programs; and an 18.7 percent increase to $1.1 billion for NASA space technology programs.
The second minibus package is focused on domestic-based funding, and includes: a 6.6 percent increase to $41.68 billion – including $25 million for gun violence research – for NIH; a 2.4 percent increase to $425 million for the AFRI program; a 6.3 percent increase to $7 billion for the Energy Department’s Office of Science; a 16.1 percent increase to $425 million for ARPA-E; and a 4.7 percent increase to $162 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The second bundle also includes: $22.5 billion in discretionary funding for the Pell Grant program (including a 2.4 percent increase to $6,345, funded through program surplus, for each maximum Pell Grant); a 4.4 percent increase to $1.18 billion for the Federal Work Study Program; a 3 percent increase to $865 million for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant; a 5.3 percent increase to $76 million for International Education Programs; and a 1.3 percent increase to $623 million for the Institute of Education Sciences.
AAU, ASSOCIATIONS COMMENT ON REVISED FOREIGN GIFTS AND CONTRACTS REPORTING PROPOSED INFORMATION COLLECTION (HEA SECTION 117)
AAU yesterday joined ACE, APLU, and 11 other higher education organizations to submit comments to OIRA and the Education Department about the Education Department’s revised proposed Information Collection Request on foreign gifts and contracts disclosure under HEA Section 117. In the letter, the organizations express concerns that the ICR “continues to clearly exceed the specific statutory authority set out in Sec. 117 by significantly expanding the disclosure reporting required under the statute.” The letter goes on to recommend that the Department adhere to the statute’s requirements for foreign gift and contract information reporting and recommends, among other things, the Department remove the requirement that “institutions produce true copies of gift, contract, and restricted or conditional gift agreements.”
President Coleman Wednesday sent a letter to OIRA to express her concerns about the ICR. Using the Paperwork Reduction Act’s “emergency” review process would shorten the PRA’s standard 30-day comment period to 10 days – of which only 7 are business days and fall over a federal holiday when the federal government and many university offices will be closed. In the letter, President Coleman strongly urges OIRA to reject the Education Department’s questionable request to proceed with an expedited review, highlighting the problematic consequences of a severely abbreviated review period.
RESOURCE AVAILABLE: ACE Sends Letter Opposing Emergency Processing of Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosure Proposed Rule
OSTP EXTENDS RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT RFI COMMENT PERIOD
The Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science and Technology Council’s Joint Committee on the Research Environment extended the deadline of their request for information on the research environment – the new deadline is January 28, 2020. The Committee is seeking input that the administration can use to “maximize the quality and effectiveness of the American research environment” from private industry, academic institutions, professional societies, non-profit and philanthropic organizations, and federal agencies.
RESOURCE AVAILABLE: Associations Request Comment Period Extension to RFI on the American Research Environment
CONGRESS PASSES GREAT ACT TO IMPROVE FEDERAL GRANT DATA
Lawmakers this week advanced H.R. 150, the Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency Act of 2019, legislation that would require the Office of Management and Budget to develop a standardized, government-wide reporting system for federal grant recipients. The measure now awaits the president’s signature.