Month: November 2019

Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team has read this week.

Public Impeachment Hearings: The House Intelligence Committee has been holding public hearings related to the impeachment inquiry. Key figures have had the chance to testify publicly regarding what they knew and heard in the events surrounding the infamous Ukraine call. The testimonies exclude classified information, but shed light on how career government officials interpreted President Trump’s behaviors. Live updates on CNN.

A Uniform Federal Grant Application: A report from the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs recommends a uniform federal grant application as a key tool to deter foreign influence. Supporters argue a single application would reduce administrative burden, and allow agencies to assess foreign threats against unified criteria. Full story at Science Magazine.

New Data on Study Abroad: A report from the Institute of International Education, which receives Department of State funding, shed light on the demographics of US college students who study abroad. In the last year, the total number has increased slightly, and about 16% of all college students study abroad at some point. Two-thirds of participants are women, and half study in Europe. STEM majors make up the majority of participants, at about 25%. Continue reading at Inside Higher Ed.

Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team has read this week.

House Begins Public Impeachment Hearings: On Wednesday the House Intelligence Committee began public hearings in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. The former US Chargé d’affaires in Ukraine Bill Taylor and the former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affiars George Kent were the first to testify. Former Ambassador to Ukraine and career Senior Foreign Service Officer Marie Yovanovitch will testify today. More at CNN.

NIH Expanding Data Sharing Requirement: A new rule proposed by the NIH would require all investigators to make their data sets publicly available, not just those above a dollar threshold. Comments are open through January 2020, and NIH hopes to finalize the rule in the next year. More at Science Magazine.

Appeals Court Rules Against Sacred Heart University: The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that creditors can sue to have tuition returned when parents or guardians file for bankruptcy. Previously, lower court rulings were mixed and some opted to protect colleges. Now, creditors can seek payment directly from colleges when someone pays a tuition bill and then goes bankrupt. More at Wall Street Journal.

Italy Declares Emergency Over Venice Flooding: Flooding has caused significant damage in Venice, Italy, damaging historical structures and cutting power. The flooding is higher than normal, leading PM Giuseppe Conte to declare an emergency. More at BBC.

Secretary DeVos Narrowly Avoids Subpoena: The Department of Education handed over documents to the House Education Committee just hours before Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) was set to issue a subpoena. The House Education Committee asserts that they have been asking for documents since 2018. The documents are related to the Department of Education’s continued collection of loan payments from students who were defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges. This is the latest development in the saga which has been unfolding since last year. More at NPR.