The deadline for nominations is close of business, Monday, November 30.

Nomiees will be selected to provide a balance of perspectives and expertise, with diversity in industry, experience, and geographic area. Priority “may be given to successful entrepreneurs, innovators, angel investors, venture capitalists, and other experts drawn from non-governmental organizations, foundations and non-profits that have significant experience in innovation and entrepreneurship.” Candidates are limited to U.S. citizens who are not full-time government employees, registered foreign agents, or federally registered lobbyists.

Full Notice

Full Bill: HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Senator Reid’s bill includes a public insurance option with a state opt-out, and creates state-based insurance exchanges to expand access to affordable insurance and create new non-profit co-ops. Initial procedural votes on the legislation could take place as early as this weekend. Analysis of the Senate health reform legislation will be available momentarily.

Given that the Senate companion bill to the House Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) has been linked to the passage of health care reform, student aid reform remains on hold. Leaders on the Hill have indicated that both chambers will likely be in session until the third full week of December.

The FY10 appropriations process is moving slowly towards conclusion, and will likely end with the outstanding bills being lumped together into a “mini-bus.” Given that the new fiscal year begins each year on October 1st and several spending bills remain incomplete, Congress recently passed a second continuing resolution (CR) that is currently funding government operations at FY09 levels. The current CR runs through December 18th.

The House votes Monday on a bill to increase oversight of the financial industry bailout program.  Later in the week, the House will vote on a number of small business bills and a bill to overhaul the Medicare physician pay formula (HR 3961).  The House may also take up the fiscal 2010 Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill.

The Senate will continue its consideration of the fiscal 2010 Military Construction–VA spending bill, with votes on amendments Monday and Tuesday.

Markups and Hearings

Tuesday and remainder of the week:  House Financial Services will mark up a draft bill regarding a federal office of insurance, and bills on overdraft protection (HR 3996 and HR 3904).

Wednesday: 

• House Science and Technology will mark up HR 4061, a bill on cybersecurity.
• Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will mark up S 510, a bill on food safety.
• House Natural Resources will mark up several natural resources bills.  
• House Education and Labor will mark up HR 3017, an employment non-discrimination bill
• House Oversight and Government Reform will mark up HR 2517, a bill to provide domestic partner benefits to federal employees.
• House Armed Services hearing on long-term defense budget needs

Thursday:

• Senate Judiciary will mark up legislation on a media shield law; a criminal justice review; medical bankruptcy (S 1624); emergency medical service providers (S1353); cigarette trafficking; crimes against the homeless; and juvenile justice and delinquency.
• Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs marks up draft legislation that would overhaul the financial regulatory system.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on the Fort Hood shootings.
• House Foreign Affairs hearing on lifting the Cuba travel ban.

Several national higher education advocacy associations — Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and The Science Coalition (TSC) — are preparing to launch ScienceWorksForUS.org; an effort to highlight important research made possible at institutions across the country through funding provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). University-based projects, including from the UW, will be highlighted on the website. The official lauch will take place on Tuesday November 17th at a session on Capitol Hill in DC. A draft press release is provided below.

For Planning Purposes Only:                  
November 17, 2009      

Contact:

Barry Toiv barry_toiv@aau.edu 202/898-7847
Paul Hassen phassen@aplu.org 202/478-6073
Ashley Prime aprime@qga.com  202/429-4002

 
Members of Congress, Scientists to Highlight Stimulus-funded Research and its Role in Recovery and Reinvestment Nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC – Members of Congress, university leaders, researchers and others will gather Tuesday, November 17, to discuss how funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is fueling research, recovery and reinvestment activities across the country. They also will launch a new initiative, ScienceWorksForUS, sponsored by the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and The Science Coalition (TSC).

The centerpiece of ScienceWorksForUS will be a website (www.ScienceWorksForUS.org) that highlights Recovery Act-sponsored research in all 50 states, telling the stories of the research and the researchers contributing to America’s recovery. The website will go live on Tuesday.

The ARRA provided more than $21 billion for scientific research and development, the purchase of scientific equipment, and science-related construction.  This extraordinary investment, proposed by President Obama and enacted by Congress, is affirmation of the essential role scientific inquiry and discovery play in both short-term recovery and long-term economic growth.  On Tuesday, the senior research officers of several universities will be on hand to discuss the impact that ARRA research funding is having on their campuses.  Researchers from Princeton University and Johns Hopkins University will discuss the impact of ARRA funds on their work.
Who:  

Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ)

Dr. Steven Fluharty, Vice Provost for Research, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Michael Pazzani, Vice President for Research and Graduate and Professional Education, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Dr. Emily Carter, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Applied and Computational Mathematics, Princeton University

Dr. Jin Kang, Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Caroline C. Whitacre, Vice President for Research, The Ohio State University

Participants as of 11-12-09; other participants to be confirmed

When:   Tuesday, November, 17 at 12:30 pm

Where:   2253 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 

ScienceWorksForUS is an initiative of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (A۰P۰L۰U), and The Science Coalition (TSC).  AAU, A۰P۰L۰U, and TSC collectively represent more than 200 of the nation’s leading academic research institutions.  The organizations supported the inclusion of research funding in the ARRA because basic research contributes to both short-term recovery and long-term economic growth.  The funds for research are part of the reinvestment the nation must make to grow a strong economy that is based on addressing 21st Century challenges, including improving health and meeting energy needs in ways that help slow climate change. 

The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an association of 62 leading public and private research universities in the United States and Canada organized to develop and implement effective national and institutional policies supporting research and scholarship, graduate, professional, and undergraduate education, and public service in research universities. AAU universities award over one-half of all U.S. doctoral degrees and 55 percent of those in the sciences and engineering.

Founded in 1887, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (A۰P۰L۰U) is an association of public research universities, land-grant institutions, and many state public university systems. Its 219 members enroll more than 4.7 million students, award nearly one-million degrees annually, and conduct nearly two-thirds of all academic research, totaling more than $34 billion annually. As the nation’s oldest higher education association, A۰P۰L۰U is dedicated to excellence in learning, discovery and engagement.

The Science Coalition is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization representing 48 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities. It is dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in basic research as a means to stimulate the economy, drive innovation and secure America’s global competitiveness.
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The Senate will be in session on Monday and Tuesday only.    The Senate will take up HR 3082, Military Construction – VA Spending.

Senate Committee Meetings — Tuesday

• Budget — full committee hearing on Proposals for Long-Term Fiscal Stability;
• will hold a full committee hearing on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
• Finance full committee hearing on Climate Change Legislation and Jobs.

Source:  CQ Weekly Printed Edition

Senators Kerry (D-MA), Graham (R-SC), and Lieberman stated today that they intend to work on a compromise with business groups and the White House that can garner 60 votes. The three offered few details on what the essential elements of a compromise bill would include.

Of note to our community in the legislation:

Investments in Advanced Energy Research and Development- 4% (compared to 1.5 % in House legislation) of distributed allowances in 2012 and 2013, 2% in 2014 and 2015, and 1.7% of allowances in subsequent years will be allocated for research on advanced energy technologies, including funding for applied research at “Clean Energy Innovation Centers” at research universities and institutions.

Brad Portin, Director and Professor of Education at UW Bothell, was in DC mid-October to attend an educational conference.  While he was here, he met with a staff member in the Office of Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (member of the House Education & Labor Committee) to urge support for the Department of Education’s School Leadership Program, make recommendations for the anticipated reauthorization of “No Child Left Behind” legislation, and discuss the ongoing learning needs of teachers to more effectively meet the needs of diverse students.

Kenyon Chan, Chancellor of the UW Bothell campus, and Kelly Snyder, Director of Government and Community Relations at the Bothell campus, were both in DC October 20-22 to meet with Members of Congress and organizations of higher education.  They were able to meet with Senators Murray and Cantwell, Congressmen Inslee, Dicks, and McDermott, and professional staff from the offices of Congressmen Larsen, Reichert, and Smith.  They also had meetings at the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Education, and Diverse:  Issues in Higher Education.  They were able to discuss projects underway at the Bothell campus and learn of possible intersections with federal priorities and opportunities.

Also on October 20^th, Dr. Paul Ramsey, Dean of the School of Medicine, was in DC with J. Shan Mullin, Vice Chair of the UW Board of Medicine.  They met with both Senators and several members of the House to provide an update on how health reform may affect academic health centers and graduate medical education, as well as on UW’s plans to “grow” medical education opportunities in Spokane.

President Mark Emmert completed the visitors to DC.  He was in town to attend the National Security higher Education Advisory Board meeting.  He also had a meeting at The Chronicle of Higher Education, and attended a University Leaders Roundtable Discussion with India Prime Minister Sibal.

Note:  If you are planning a trip to Washington, DC, please contact the Office of Federal Relations (202.624.1420) for assistance in setting up appointments to meet with Members or staffers of the Washington delegation.  We’re happy to help.

News and Information

The $50 million appropriated by Congress last week to the Puget Sound Partnership for the clean-up of Puget Sound includes $4 million for the UW to launch an institute to provide expert advice about the Sound, based on the best-available science, to the partnership, policy makers and citizens.

The newly funded UW Puget Sound Institute is designed to be the bridge between the scientific community and those charged with restoring and protecting Puget Sound, says Joel Baker, UW Tacoma professor and science director of the Center for Urban Waters. The initiative is a partnership between the center and the UW’s new College of the Environment. Among other things the institute will convene panels of experts, much as the National Research Council does.

The $50 million for the Puget Sound Partnership is an increase of $30 million over the current budget. It’s part of the $32 billion Interior and Environmental Appropriations Bill approved Oct. 29. The bill now goes to the president.

As the Puget Sound Partnership begins implementing its “action agenda,” those overseeing the restoration want to ensure the steps being taken are based on the best possible scientific and technological understanding, says Baker. That’s the idea behind the institute.

“The independence of universities, combined with the unique academic culture of convening experts, puts us in a key position to provide elected leaders and policy makers responsible for the restoration and protection of the Puget Sound ecosystem with expert advice based on sound scientific information and principles,” Baker wrote in the proposal for the institute.

One key institute activity will be to convene leading authorities from a diversity of disciplines to conduct commissioned reviews and evaluations and provide consensus-based information to the State Legislature, agencies and other interested groups. The institute also will form working groups to synthesize available scientific information and identify research needs as they emerge.

“UW faculty regularly participate in similar activities addressing national and global concerns, now the institute will help focus their efforts and those of other scientists on the needs of Puget Sound,” says Stephanie Harrington, assistant dean of the College of the Environment.

The institute will be governed by a standing advisory board of senior policy makers, scientists and staffed by an executive director, an assistant and a few program mangers.

Offices for the Puget Sound Institute will be located in the Center for Urban Waters building now under construction in downtown Tacoma.