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).
Category: Climate
Guidebook to Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The White House has released a guidebook for state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to navigate the bipartisan infrastructure law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) which was signed into law in November 2021. The guidebook is intended to serve as a “one stop shop” on the law and contains all the most up-to-date information. The law contains numerous provisions and $1.2 trillion in spending, over half of which is dedicated to improving hard infrastructure such as roads, ports, and bridges.
A press statement is available 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.
House Passes “Build Back Better” Package
After months of intraparty discord among Democrats, both within the House and between chambers, the House passed early this morning the “Build Back Better” reconciliation package. The House cleared the measure by a vote of 220 – 213, with one Democrat voting against it. The vote was delayed to this morning after Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke for more than eight hours against the package, lasting into the very early hours of this morning.
The package now goes to the Senate, where changes are likely, as at least one Democrat in that chamber has made clear his reservations about several parts of the House bill.
It’s “Infrastructure Week”– Infrastructure Bill Officially Signed
With more than 800 guests in attendance at the White House, President Biden officially signed into law yesterday the $1.2-trillion infrastructure legislation. The signing ceremony became possible after Democrats were able to come to an agreement on how to proceed on it and the reconciliation package and the House cleared the infrastructure bill before leaving town for Veterans Day last week.