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GAO Recommends Improved Export Control Guidance for Universities

A report published May 12th from the US Government Accountability Office recommends the US Departments of State and Commerce work together to improve export control guidance to colleges and universities. The report notes that, among schools visited for the report, security practices generally comply with US Government guidance. However, many schools have requested more detailed guidance specific to academia. The full report is available here.

NSF and NASA Resumption of Operations

The National Science Foundation issued the following notice concerning the reopening of the government:

A Resumption of Operations at NSF page has been developed that includes Important Notice No. 145, Resumption of Operations at the National Science Foundation, dated January 28, 2019, as well as supplemental guidance that addresses grant and cooperative agreement-related policy and systems issues.  This page will be of interest to your membership and we would appreciate your sharing this link as soon as possible. This page will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.

Policy-related questions regarding resumption of operations at NSF may be addressed to policy@nsf.gov.

 

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine issued a message to the NASA workforce today.

CBO: Shutdown Cost $11B

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a report today that the recent 35 day, 5 week government shutdown cost the U.S. economy $11 billion. Other take aways:

  • It permanently lost $3 billion in economic activity for the 4th quarter.
  • The shutdown delayed approximately $18 billion in federal discretionary spending for compensation and purchases of goods and services and suspended some federal services.
  • The level of real GDP in the first quarter of 2019 is expected to be reduced by 0.2 percent, or $8 billion less than it would have been if the government had been open.

Read the report here. 

Trump to Announce Sweeping Reorg of Federal Gov’t

Today Politco is reporting that “The Trump administration is preparing to release a sweeping plan for reorganizing the federal government that includes a major consolidation of welfare programs — and a renaming of the Health and Human Services Department.

The report, set to be released in the coming weeks by the White House OMB, seeks to move safety-net programs, including food stamps, into HHS, two sources with knowledge of the plan told POLITICO. The plan would also propose changing the name of the sprawling department, while separately seeking cuts at USAID and the State Department.”

Read more from Politico and check back here for more information as it’s available.

Administration “Rescission” Package Expected This Week

The Trump Administration is expected to send to Congress a “rescission” package this week that would seek about $15 billion in cuts to already approved spending in prior years.

Unhappy about the size of the recently passed FY2018 omnibus spending bill, a group of House conservatives had asked the Administration to take steps to cancel or “rescind” parts of the spending package.  While there is some receptivity to the proposal in the House, it is a non-starter in the Senate, in which Senators of both parties would oppose such a move.

In an attempt to placate the conservatives, the Administration is expected to send to Congress this week a package of proposed cuts from prior years, totaling approximately $15 billion.  In order for the cuts to be adopted, Congress must agreed to them in 45 days.  Although the exact contents of the package are currently unknown, it is believed that none of the programs funded by the omnibus bill would be affected.

Regardless of how Congress officially reacts to the the Administration proposal, the funds for the programs listed for rescission by the Administration would be “impounded,” or frozen, for 45 days.

The Office of Federal Relations will provide updates throughout this process.