The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

House Fails to Pass Aid Bill, Senate Moves Forward
House Judiciary Staff Reports on NSF Stifling Free Speech
Duke Among Organizations to Submit Comments on March-In Rights
New Report Indicates Flawed Transfer Protocols in Higher Ed
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The Highlights 📰

Budget & Appropriations

The latest coverage on Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations that are relevant to Duke.

Duke Government Relations' primer on the federal appropriations process.

HOUSE FAILS TO PASS ISRAEL AID, SENATE MOVES FORWARD WITH FOREIGN AID

House Republicans this week rejected a $17.6 billion aid bill for Israel, once again delaying a decision on providing foreign aid. Reuters reports this was influenced by congressional in-fighting over a bipartisan Senate bill that also included aid for Ukraine, Taiwan and other foreign policy needs.

On the Senate side, however, members voted on Thursday to advance their foreign aid bill that included $95.3 billion in aid for Israel and Ukraine after Republicans blocked a more extended bill that would have included border security measures.

One Step Forward, One Step Back

Research

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

NSF INVESTS NEARLY $10M TO DEVELOP TRANSFORMATIVE BIO-INSPIRED SOLUTIONS

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced this week plans to invest almost $10 million to develop "transformative bio-inspired solutions." These bio-inspired design innovations seek to reduce environmental deterioration challenges through leveraging the understanding of living systems. This could touch anything from manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture and more. NSF reports during the initial phase, teams will refine their ideas, identify potential partners and help form the initial curriculum.

A More Natural Approach

HOUSE JUDICIARY STAFF REPORTS ON NSF STIFLING FREE SPEECH

A new staff report released this week from the House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government claimed that the NSF has been utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to censor and indoctrinate Americans online. The report outlined how the NSF has invested millions of dollars into projects that the committee alleges are to "develop AI-powered censorship and propaganda tools that can be used by governments and Big Tech to shape public opinion by restricting certain viewpoints or promoting others."

Ranking members on the House Space, Science and Technology Investigations and Oversight Committee pushed back against the report, citing concerns with the potential for targeting and intimidating federal scientists.

AI pAIns

DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT RELEASES LATEST STRATEGY DOCUMENT

The Pentagon unveiled its newest Defense Innovation Unit strategy plan this week, with the goal of removing obstacles to the DIU's mission. This includes addressing issues with staffing and a slow procurement process, both of which prevented the DIU from working at its best and most efficient capacity. This is the third iteration of the strategy plan since 2015, and will take the "capabilities developed during DIU 2.0 and apply them with the focus, scale, and speed necessary to deliver the strategic effect required," according to hub director Doug Beck.

New and Improved

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

DUKE AMONG ORGS SUBMITTING COMMENTS FOR MARCH-IN RIGHTS

Duke has joined its colleagues from other universities and higher education associations in writing comments for the Biden Administration's request for information of the guiding framework for march-in rights. We explained the implications of the Bayh-Dole Act in our final digest of 2023. Duke's Office for Research and Innovation argued that now is not the time to change the Act, and asked the proposal to be fully withdrawn citing the potential negative impacts on the public-private partnerships in the United States that bolster research and entrepreneurship.

March Out

Additional Federal Relations Items of Interest to Duke

NEW REPORT INDICATES FLAWED TRANSFER PROTOCOLS IN HIGHER ED

Data from two new reports indicates that fewer than half of community college students who transfer to a four-year degree actually end up earning their bachelor's degrees. The findings also detail this statistic has an even worse outcome for the more vulnerable student populations. Signifcant data points as reported by Inside Higher Ed:

Only 48 percent of students who transfer from community college to a four-year institution earn a degree
Only 16 percent of those transfer students completed a bachelor's program in six years
Only nine percent of Black students and 13 percent of Hispanic students complete a program in six years

Transfer Troubles

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT FEDERAL ISSUES? SIGN UP FOR FEDERAL FORUMS

Have questions about federal issues impacting Duke? Duke's Office of Government Relations (OGR) is hosting weekly virtual office hours for members of the Duke community, "Federal Forums." Join us on Fridays at 10:00 AM to hear OGR staff give a quick rundown of the latest news out of DC of most relevance to Duke, answer questions, provide connections to resources and more! Register in advance to receive the Zoom link, and please include any issues you'd like to discuss.

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