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Trump Signs Executive Orders on Nuclear Energy & Federal Research

Last week, President Trump signed two Executive Orders on nuclear energy and Gold Standard Science.

The Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base order seeks to expedite and promote the production and operation of nuclear energy in America by streamlining regulations, allowing reactor construction on federal lands, and requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to issue licensing decisions within 18 months. The orders also promote uranium mining and enrichment to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel supply.

Meanwhile, the Restoring Gold Standard Science Executive Order mandates that federally funded research adhere to stricter principles of transparency and reproducibility standards. The Executive Order cites falling public trust in scientific research as justification for the new instructions, which include new definitions for numerous terms and strict enforcement guidelines. The new procedures are set to take place within 30 days.

 

House Republicans passed their multi-trillion-dollar reconciliation package this morning, a major victory for Speaker Johnson and President Trump. The passage comes after weeks of infighting amongst Republicans, with both moderate members and conservative hardliners threatening to withhold their support over certain provisions. Eventually, after a meeting with President Trump and last-minute changes made by Republican leadership, the bill passed by a 215-214-1 vote. Every House Democrat voted no. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Warren Davidson (R-OH) were the two Republicans who voted against the legislation. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-MD.) voted present.

The legislation includes $3.8 trillion in tax cuts and cuts to Medicaid and SNAP coupled with the phase out of clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act. These programs were cut in order to offset the impact of the extension of President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will result in $698 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $267 billion in cuts to SNAP.

Additionally, the bill makes significant changes to higher education legislation — particularly student borrowing. If signed into law, this package would cap lifetime borrowing for a student or their parents at $200,000 and eliminate entirely subsidized student loans and Grad PLUS loans. The bill also includes changes to Pell Grant eligibility, the creation of a risk-sharing program for universities, and would cap the availability of federal aid to the median cost of a specific program nationally.

The reconciliation package now heads to the Senate for consideration, where it will likely be significantly altered.  While reconciliation bills are not subject to the filibuster in the Senate, meaning only a simple majority is needed for passage, there are stricter rules around what can be included in the Senate. Furthermore, many Senators have expressed misgivings over many of the cuts made by House lawmakers.

 

 

 

UW Partners with White House OSTP to Host Climate Change Solutions Forum

Representatives from approximately 80 colleges and universities met in Washington D.C. on March 8th and 9th for an exciting two-day forum co-hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the University of Washington to discuss how to leverage the capabilities of colleges and universities to catalyze climate solutions in communities across the country. The attendees represented a cross-section of American higher education from almost all 50 states, including those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions. UW was represented by Maya Tolstoy, Dean of the College of the Environment and Meade Krosby, University of Director of the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (pictured below).  

The first day of the forum was held at the White House campus where higher education professionals were joined by government officials for three panels to discuss the various ways that higher education and the federal government can partner together to showcase how campuses can act as proving grounds for new climate solutions and pathways to net-zero emissions; provide essential climate extension services to states, municipalities, and indigenous communities; and ensure that students have the knowledge and skills to lead in the clean industries of the future.  The meeting also included remarks from prominent speakers including the White House Deputy National Climate Advisor Mary Frances Repko; OSTP Deputy Director for Energy Sally Benson; National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Geosciences Alexandra Isern; OSTP Chief of Staff for Climate and Environment and Assistant Director for Climate Resilience Laura Petes; and UW’s very own Maya Tolstoy, who delivered final remarks for the day.  

The attendees then headed to the University of the District of Columbia for Day 2 which included a full day of panels and breakout sessions where attendees discussed strategies and experiences around four themes: campus sustainability and resilience, providing climate services to communities, living laboratories for climate solutions, and climate action in the classroom. The forum ended with a call for action to continue this momentum and maintain a strong channel of communication between higher education and the federal government to advance climate change solutions.   

To learn more, click here for the White House Read Out of the event and here to watch the full live stream of Day 1. 

Biden Signs Reconciliation Bill

Last Tuesday, President Biden signed into law H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act.  Though smaller than the original plans for a reconciliation package, both the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats are touting the measure as a major accomplishment.

Senate Clears Reconciliation Package; House to Take It Up Friday

After a marathon series of votes on amendments over the weekend, the Senate cleared by a vote of 51-50 a version of the reconciliation budget package.  With all 50 Democrats supporting the measure and all 50 Republicans voting against it, Vice President Harris cast the tie-breaking vote.  Because the measure isa reconciliation bill, which provided it procedural protections, it could move forward in the Senate with a simple majority vote.

The House is currently scheduled to take it up on Friday.

We will provide further details about the bill  in the near future.