February 19, 2009
Peter Orszag, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director, has issued guidance (see link below) to federal agency heads on how to implement use of funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The linked memorandum provides the first installment of government-wide guidance for carrying out programs and activities enacted in the legislation. As was… Read More
February 18, 2009
Today in a briefing at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Acting NIH Director Raynard Kington provided an outline of the plan his agency will utilize to spend the $10.4 billion provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. However, Dr. Kington mentioned many times during the briefing that the details… Read More
February 18, 2009
The Association of American Universities (AAU) has prepared a grid (link below) that details the final higher education and research provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grid breaks funding out by agency account, and also provides a comparison of the House and Senate bills that led to the final conference agreement. As has been… Read More
February 17, 2009
Today, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. As previously discussed on this site, the legislation provides critical funding for research and student aid. Additionally, assistance is included for state governments so that they are able to lessen the severity of cuts to education and other critical services. At present, the… Read More
February 17, 2009
Last week, the Brookings Institution released a proposal to establish a network of regional energy discovery and innovation institutes (e-DIIs). According to the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, the e-DIIs would support the overarching goals of renewing America’s economy, promoting energy independence, and addressing climate change. Cities that are currently leaders in innovation, like Seattle, would… Read More
February 13, 2009
The scope of the subcommittee includes such issues as climate change and renewable energy. Senator Cantwell intends to focus much of the subcommittee’s efforts on advancing clean energy initiatives. According to a news release from the Senator’s office, “Renewable energy, smart grid technologies, research at national labs, energy market regulation and nuclear waste cleanup are… Read More
February 13, 2009
House and Senate negotiators have finalized an economic recovery package conference report, which passed the House on a largely party-line vote Friday afternoon and will pass the Senate in the late evening. The $787 billion package includes significant funding for research and student aid, but does not provide resources desired specifically for higher education infrastructure… Read More
February 12, 2009
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the fact sheet below on the economic recovery package conference report that is being prepared for a final vote in the House and Senate. The information below should be treated as preliminary. We will provide additional information as it becomes available. The conference report on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act… Read More
February 11, 2009
House and Senate negotiatiors, in collaboration with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag, worked throughout Tuesday night and well into Wednesday to reach an agreement on a $789 billion economic recovery package. The proposed bill is less than the figures that emerged from the House and… Read More
February 10, 2009
The Office of Federal Relations (OFR) is pleased to present a new website and blog, which will help increase the level of connectedness between campus and Washington, DC. The new website features links that will enable you to navigate the higher education associations, review background information on the legislative process, obtain current legislative information and… Read More
