- New Administration Presents Opportunity to Strengthen Government-University Partnership
- Biden’s Pandemic Relief Plan May Be Reconfigured to Garner Bipartisan Congressional Support
- AAU, Organizations Call on Congress to Overhaul Broken Immigration System
- White House Releases Memo on Securing Federally Funded Research and Development
- Upcoming Events
AAU PRESIDENT APPLAUDS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR DECISIVE, POSITIVE ACTIONS ON FIRST DAY
After his inauguration, President Biden issued several executive orders and proposed legislation that will roll back policies introduced by the Trump administration and “deliver immediate relief for families across America that are struggling in the face of converging crises.” The actions included: an extension of student loan payment relief through Sept. 30; legislation to preserve protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients; protections for employees against workplace discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation (which could apply to Title IX); repealing the executive order prohibiting or limiting diversity and inclusion training by federal contractors and grantees; and a federal mask mandate. The president also ordered the Office of Management and Budget to reverse the previous administration’s rescissions request. Punchbowl News has a comprehensive list of the president’s first actions.
As the president signed these executive orders, President Snyder issued a statement praising the president’s decisive, positive actions that will help move our nation forward, help heal the divisions of the past, and make us a more prosperous and welcoming country.
NEW ADMINISTRATION PRESENTS OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN GOVERNMENT-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP
President Snyder Wednesday issued a press release about President Joe Biden’s inauguration. In the statement, she notes that while the incoming administration feels like a new beginning, there is still much work to be done to overcome what was likely the most divisive presidential election – and presidency – in American history. The statement says President Snyder and AAU staff look forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to bolster the partnership that has produced many of the world’s greatest medical and technological advances.
BIDEN’S PANDEMIC RELIEF PLAN MAY BE RECONFIGURED TO GARNER BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT
The “American Rescue Plan,” the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan, will likely be adapted to garner enough support to advance through Congress, CQ News reports. According to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), the package is “a nonstarter,” but “has plenty of starters in it,” such as $20 billion for a national vaccination program. The largest sticking point in the bill is the cost of providing an additional $1,400 in direct payments for Americans, which is a priority for Democrats but largely opposed by Republicans.
This weekend, a bipartisan group of 16 senators is expected to meet with National Economic Council Director Brian Deese to review the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal. Roll Call reports that the group – which includes many of the bipartisan, bicameral coalition that negotiated the $902 billion relief package that passed in December – will focus on crafting a proposal that will receive broad bipartisan support.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has not revealed her plans for passing a COVID-19 relief package. Democrats are considering using the budget reconciliation process as a vehicle for pandemic relief, which could limit supplemental appropriations for higher education, research, and other sectors of the economy. Incoming Budget Committee Chair Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has said he will use the budget reconciliation process to push aggressively for increased COVID-19 aid and Democratic priorities for economic aid, infrastructure, and climate change, though Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) has indicated leadership would rather avoid using the reconciliation process to push pandemic relief.
AAU, ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON CONGRESS TO OVERHAUL BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
AAU on Tuesday joined a broad coalition of nearly 200 businesses and organizations on a statement calling on the incoming administration and 117th Congress to clarify “their commitment to reforming our nation’s outdated, broken immigration system.” The coalition specifically calls on Congress quickly to pass bipartisan legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship and allows Dreamers and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals beneficiaries to remain in the United States. “As we recover from COVID-19, the essential contributions of immigrants here today, and those to come tomorrow, will be critical to the health and well-being of American workers and their families,” the statement notes.
WHITE HOUSE RELEASES MEMO ON SECURING FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Last week, the White House announced that then-President Trump had signed a presidential memo, NSPM-33, “Securing United States Government-Supported Research and Development,” which aims to “[strengthen] the protections of United States Government-supported research and development … against foreign government interference and exploitation.” The memo was released yesterday. The Office of Science and Technology Policy previously issued a fact sheet and a recommended practices document .
UPCOMING EVENTS
JANUARY 26 RESEARCH SECURITY VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM; 12:00-4:00 p.m. ET. More information available here. Registration available here.