The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

NIH Halts Future Grants to Universities with DEI Programs, Israel Boycotts
OSTP Director Gives First Remarks
Education Department to Begin Collecting on Federal Student Loan Defaults
Education Department to Probe Harvard Foreign Gifts Reporting
Harvard Files Suit Against Trump Administration Over Funding Freeze

The Highlights 📰

Research

The latest updates on legislation and regulations that impact Duke's research enterprise.

NIH HALTS FUTURE GRANTS TO UNIVERSITIES WITH DEI PROGRAMS, ISRAEL BOYCOTTS

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued new terms and conditions for future research grants, prohibiting the awarding of new grants to any institutions that have DEI programs or boycott Israeli companies. In the notice, the NIH said this update applies "prospectively to new, renewal, supplement, or continuation awards issued on or after the date of this Notice." The notice's date was yesterday, April 21.

NIH News

NEW OSTP DIRECTOR GIVES FIRST REMARKS

New White House Director of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios gave his first major remarks since his confirmation last week on "the Golden Age of Innovation." In his speech, Kratsios called for a renewal of American scientific and technological leadership, urging a proactive government role in promoting emerging technologies, reforming regulations and protecting U.S. intellectual property.

OSTP Speech

Student Aid, Institutional Support and Taxes

The latest updates regarding legislation and regulatory actions related to student aid, higher education institutional support, taxes and more.

NASFAA Student Aid Reference Desk

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BEGIN COLLECTING ON FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN DEFAULTS

This week, the Education Department announced that it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans starting May 5. The agency said it will utilize the Treasury Offset Program, which collects debts by intercepting payments such as tax refunds and Social Security benefits, to administer the collections. Wage garnishment is expected to begin later in the summer following a required notice period. Collections have been paused since March 2020 due to the pandemic, and currently, millions of borrowers default on payments or are behind. According to POLITICO, Department officials say borrowers will be encouraged to enroll in income-driven repayment programs or participate in loan rehabilitation.

Student Loans Update

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO PROBE HARVARD'S FOREIGN GIFT REPORTING

The Education Department sent a records request to Harvard University Friday seeking information on the University's reporting of foreign gifts and contracts totaling $250,000 or more. The Department said that an initial review "revealed incomplete and inaccurate disclosures." According to the Department's announcement, Harvard has 30 days to provide the requested information.

Reporting Request

Additional Federal Relations Items of Interest to Duke

HARVARD FILES SUIT AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FUNDING FREEZE

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that its freezing of federal grants worth billions of dollars is unlawful. Its president, Alan M. Garber, announced the action on Monday in a letter to the university community, which said the funding freeze would "have stark real-life consequences for patients, students, faculty, staff, researchers and the standing of American higher education in the world." Last week, Harvard rejected a list of demands the Trump administration said were designed to curb diversity initiatives and fight anti-semitism at the school.

Harvard Sues

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