White House Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Shalanda D. Young and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Eric Lander issued a memorandum outlining the Administration’s FY23 R&D priorities for agencies submitting budget requests to OMB. The memo focuses heavily on pandemic preparedness, climate change, national security, and emerging technologies.
Category: Administration
USCIS Publishes New DACA FAQs
USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) has published updated FAQs regarding the DACA program following the recent decision in State of Texas, et al., v. United States of America, et al., 1:18-CV-00068, (S.D. Texas July 16, 2021) (“Texas II”).
Federal Judge Blocks New DACA Applications
A federal judge in Texas has issued a ruling to block all new DACA applications nationwide. Existing recipients and renewal applications will be unaffected for now.
US District Judge Andrew S. Hanen stated that the program oversteps executive authority. He remanded the issue to the Department of Homeland Security, which asserted it is ready and willing to try and fix legal defects in the program.
Read more here. The full opinion is available here.
UW’s 2021 Federal Agenda urges Congress to pass permanent, positive solutions for DACA recipients and their families as part of a comprehensive immigration reform package.
Deal Reached on an Infrastructure Package
Today the White House announced a deal has been reached with the Administration and a group of bipartisan Senators on the outline of a $1 trillion (including approx. $579 billion new spending) traditional infrastructure package. These priorities include roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicles, coastal infrastructure, rural broadband access, and supporting IRS tax collection efforts on high earners. The legislation must still be written and pass both chambers.
Calls from within the Democratic caucus for a “human” infrastructure package- addressing paid leave, childcare, housing, and community college, is likely to go through the budget reconciliation process in a similar manner to the American Rescue Plan Act. The President indicated he would want to see both pieces of legislation arrive on his desk together.
Read more here.
Bipartisan ARPA-H Legislation Introduced
US Representatives DeGette (D-CO) and Upton (R-MI) released yesterday bipartisan legislation which would create the new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health outlined in President Biden’s FY22 budget request. Titled the Cures 2.0 Act, the legislation would provide more than $6.5 billion for US research efforts on health issues such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, as well as improve Medicare coverage, patient access to health information, caregiver training, and diversity in clinical trials.
Draft text is available here.