The House passed the America COMPETES Act of 2022 (H.R. 4521) on a nearly party-line vote. The bill has a broad focus attempting to tackle research, climate, supply chain, education, and immigration issues. As it stands, the legislation reauthorizes the NSF and key components of the Department of Energy, invests in semiconductor chips production, and contains diplomatic, research security, and immigration provisions. Several amendments were adopted, and the bill will need to be conferenced with the bipartisan US Innovation and Competition Act (USICA, S. 1260). You can find a fact sheet here.
Category: Committee Work
Register Now: Federal Relations Spring Town Hall
The Office of Federal Relations will host a virtual town hall for the campus community on Thursday, March 24th from 12pm-1pm PT. Our staff will provide an update on the federal budget, infrastructure and competitiveness bills, and preview the UW’s 2022 federal agenda. This will be followed by an opportunity for Q&A. Register here (NetID restricted).
Shelly Lowe Confirmed as NEH Chair
Yesterday the Senate confirmed Shelly Lowe, of Arizona, to be the Chairperson of the National Endowment of the Humanities for a four year term. President Biden is expected to make the appointment in the coming days and she will begin her term shortly after. Ms. Lowe previously served in positions at the University of Arizona and Yale University, and is currently completing her doctorate in higher education. She grew up in Arizona and is a member of the Navajo Nation.
You can read her statement on being confirmed here.
House Releases America COMPETES Act of 2022
Today, House leadership revealed the America COMPETES Act of 2022 (H.R. 4521). Much like the bipartisan United States Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260), which passed in the Senate last summer, the bill authorizes strategic investments in advanced scientific research at NSF and the Department of Energy, semiconductor chip manufacturing, supply chain and natural resource issues, and key diplomatic efforts.
Of particular relevance:
- $52B for the CHIPS for America Act.
- Comprehensive reauthorization of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
- Reauthorizes the entire National Science Foundation and establishes a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions (SES).
- Establishes a National Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative.
- Enhances outreach and access to STEM education at all levels.
- Reauthorizes Title VI International Education programs.
A factsheet is available here and a section-by-section summary is available here.
CR until February 18
The House and Senate have agreed to pass a continuing resolution (CR), which would keep the federal government open and funded, until February 18, 2022. Congress has previously passed a CR that expires at midnight on Friday, December 3, 2021.
The extension gives the House and Senate additional time to finish FY2022 funding and try to pass other legislative priorities, like Build Back Better and raise the debt ceiling, before the end of the calendar year.
While the extension is not happy news, there had been political rumblings of allowing the federal government to shut down for a short time in December for political gains. The CR until February 18, 2022 avoids that situation.
The legislation would be a straight extension of existing funding with the only increase in appropriations for Afghan refugees.