Top Bipartisan Group Relaunches $110 Billion Technology Bill
A group of top lawmakers of both parties in both chambers of Congress on Wednesday reintroduced legislation that aims to spend $110 billion on vital technologies to sustain American leadership and spur competitiveness against China. The draft bill, known as the Endless Frontier Act, championed by Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., is matched by a companion bill in the House by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. Unlike political rancor that accompanies most domestic spending legislation, bills targeting spending on U.S. technology, research and development appear to have broad bipartisan support in both chambers. The unity is undergirded by a shared sense that China is an adversary that intends to dethrone American leadership through gaining an upper hand on advanced technologies. The White House also welcomed the bill's introduction and said it would work with lawmakers to shape the bill. ( Roll Call - Apr. 21, 2021)
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Nelson Sails through NASA Administrator Confirmation Hearing
The Biden administration’s nominee for NASA administrator, Bill Nelson, got a friendly reception from former colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee during a confirmation hearing April 21 but offered few specifics about how he would run the agency. No members showed any sign of opposing his nomination to lead the space agency. The closest thing to a point of contention in the hearing was the recent NASA award of a contract to SpaceX for the Human Landing System (HLS) program. Nelson otherwise was aligned with senators on topics ranging from increasing diversity in NASA’s workforce and improving its education programs to aligning NASA’s Earth science capabilities to the Biden administration’s efforts to address climate change. ( SpaceNews - Apr. 21, 2021)
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DOT Appoints Chief Science Officer for First Time in 40 Years
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Wednesday it is appointing a chief science officer, the first time in more than 40 years the role will be filled in the department. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg designated Robert Hampshire, the current acting assistant secretary for research and technology, for the role. He will be the main adviser to Buttigieg on science and technology issues. Hampshire will focus on the administration’s commitment to address climate change and ensure that research, development and technology programs are scientifically and technologically well-founded, according to DOT. ( The Hill - Apr. 21, 2021)
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FY 22 APPROPRIATIONS NEWS
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CNSF Requests FY22 Appropriation of at Least $10 Billion for NSF
The Coalition for the National Science Foundation[, of which AAU and Vanderbilt University are members,] sent a letter on Monday to leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies requesting at least $10 billion in FY22 appropriations for NSF. The letter says, in part, “We encourage Congress to make bold investments in the NSF this year, setting the agency on a course to advance domestic innovation and to keep pace with investments other countries are making in research and development.” ( Association of American Universities - Apr. 21, 2021)
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Majority of Emergency Student Aid Went to Public Colleges
Students who were eligible for emergency student aid from the Department of Education received an average of $830 to help cover costs for housing, technology and course materials once colleges closed their campuses due to the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of the emergency financial student aid grants —$4.4 billion of the $6.19 billion distributed —in the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund went to public institutions, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. The fund was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act last March to help colleges respond to the pandemic. Colleges were required to distribute at least 50 percent of the funding they received to their students. As of November 2020, 4,778 institutions that applied had received the emergency student aid funds. By fall 2020, 85 percent of the funds had been distributed to students by their colleges. ( Inside Higher Ed - Apr. 22, 2021)
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Progressive Lawmakers Push for Free College for Most Families
Progressive lawmakers on Wednesday introduced the latest version of legislation to make four years of college or university free for most families in the country, paid for by new taxes on stock and bond transactions. The legislation, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., would also double the maximum Pell Grant award to nearly $13,000 and spend billions more on historically Black colleges and universities and programs for disadvantaged students. The bill would guarantee tuition-free community college for all students and allow students from families earning less than $125,000 to attend a public college or university for free. Sponsors said leveraging speculation on Wall Street would fund the education plan. ( Roll Call - Apr. 21, 2021)
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Lawmakers Asked to Consider Funding for Apprenticeships at 2-Year Colleges
As lawmakers consider additional funding for community colleges, higher education leaders are asking them to look at making targeted investments in apprenticeship programs. At hearings Tuesday, Democrats and Republicans seemed united in wanting to see that happen. The programs were a topic of discussion during two congressional hearings held Tuesday in the House Appropriations and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees about community college investment and the institutions’ roles in developing a postcoronavirus workforce. President Biden is proposing $12 billion in funding for community colleges as part of his infrastructure plan, and the House committee will soon develop its appropriations bills for fiscal year 2022. Witnesses testified that at least part of that funding could be used to aid in the creation of more apprenticeship programs that support workforce development and better accommodate adult learners. ( Inside Higher Ed - Apr. 21, 2021)
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House Democrats Introduce Bill to Regulate Nonprofit Conversion
Several Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a bill to reform processes around for-profit colleges and universities attempting to transition to nonprofit status. Representative Lucy McBath's office officially announced yesterday the introduction of the bill, the For-Profit College Conversion Accountability Act. It comes after for-profit institutions that have converted or seek to convert into nonprofit institutions came under fire from Democrats during a Tuesday meeting of the House Committee on Education and Labor. The legislation would create eligibility requirements, require nonprofit conversions to be made public in advance, prevent institutions from marketing themselves as nonprofits until the U.S. Department of Education grants final approval and create an office within the Department of Education to monitor conversions and determine institutions' nonprofit eligibility, according to McBath's office. ( Inside Higher Ed - Apr. 22, 2021)
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