The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

Trump Names Michael Kratsios as New OSTP Director
Federal Judge Vacates Biden’s Title IX Rule
Republican Leadership Releases House Antisemitism Report
Duke Government Relations 2024 Legislative Activity Summary
First Senate Confirmation Hearings Scheduled

The Highlights 📰

Research

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

TRUMP NAMES MICHAEL KRATSIOS AS NEW OSTP DIRECTOR

Last month, President-elect Trump announced that Michael J.K. Kratsios will be nominated to replace Arati Prabhakar as the new director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and assistant to the president. Kratsios previously held roles as the U.S. chief technology officer and under secretary of defense for research and engineering during Trump’s first term. Trump also announced that University of Tennessee, Knoxville Associate Vice Chancellor Lynne Parker will serve as the executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) and counselor to the OSTP director.

New Nominations

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

FEDERAL JUDGE VACATES PRESIDENT BIDEN'S TITLE IX RULE

A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Biden administration's overhaul of Title IX was unlawful. The ruling vacates the changes nationwide. These changes had already been paused in 26 states and many colleges due to lawsuits filed by 26 Republican attorneys general. The court's decision is the first final ruling in these cases, brought by six states: Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Title IX Latest

REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP RELEASES HOUSE ANTISEMITISM REPORT

Six Republican-led House committees released a 43-page report last month, stating colleges failed to address antisemitism on campus and recommending stronger oversight from the Department of Education and other federal agencies that fund research. The report is the result of an investigation launched by House Speaker Mike Johnson in April 2024, following widespread campus unrest over the Israel-Hamas conflict. The investigation was carried out by the Education and the Workforce, Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Judiciary, Oversight and Veterans' Affairs committees.

Antisemitism Report

Additional Federal Relations Items of Interest to Duke

DUKE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 2024 LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY SUMMARY

With 2024 and the 118th Congress behind us and the Biden administration leaving office soon, we are sharing an update on the state of Duke’s federal priorities and DC-based activities from the last half of 2024. The update includes budget and appropriations, research, higher education and student aid policy and other policy engagement from the Office of Government Relations.

OGR Update

Trump Administration Transition

INITIAL SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR CABINET PICKS

Several of President-elect Trump's cabinet nominations have their confirmation hearings scheduled in the coming weeks.

Those include:

Pam Bondi, Attorney General--Jan. 14
Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary--Jan. 14
Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy--Jan. 15
Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary--Jan. 16

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