HEA Bill Finally Clears Committee

Posted on October 31, 2019

The House Education and Labor Committee returned this morning for a third day of markup to finally approve the bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA). It was reported out by a vote of 28 to 22. Approximately five dozen amendments were considered during the consideration of the legislation.

The committee Democrats issued the following press release after the committee passage. Not surprisingly, the committee Republicans had a different take on the HEA measure.

The texts of the amendments offered during the markup are available here.

Even though the bill has emerged from committee, if and when it moves to the floor for consideration by the full House remains uncertain.

House Committee Still Working on HEA

Posted on October 30, 2019

Having lasted two days so far, the House Education and Labor Committee is still in the process of marking up the Democratic version of a bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA). The committee is currently in recess, allowing members to vote on bills being considered on the floor.

By the time the session concludes, the committee will have entertained approximately 60 amendments.

We will follow up with further details after the conclusion of the markup.

CR Signed, Now What?

Posted on September 30, 2019

On Friday, President Trump signed the first continuing resolution of FY2020, buying everyone time until the end of November 21 to figure out the next steps in the appropriations process.

Fights over the border wall and abortion were going to be difficult enough to resolve; the new battles over impeachment will make the entire legislative process even more unpredictable. Although the majority of Congress left town last Friday on a two-week recess, those involved in impeachment will continue to work on their investigations.

Spending Details Now Available

Posted on September 27, 2019

The Senate Appropriations Committee has made available the details of the spending bills it cleared yesterday.

The text of the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) bill is available here and a copy of the report is available here.

The committee has also posted the Interior spending measure and the accompanying report.

With respect to what is in the bills, the Senate CJS legislation would:

Fund the National Science Foundation at $8.32 billion, an increase of $242 million above the current level.
- Within NSF, the Research and Related Activities Account would receive $6.77 billion, an increase of approximately $250 million above current levels.
- Activities funded through the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction Account would be funded at $253 million, which is $42.5 million below the current level. The committee funds the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope at the Administration-requested level.
- Education and Human Resources would see a total of $937 million under this bill.
Fund NASA at $22.75 billion, $1.25 billion above the FY2019 level.
- The Science Mission Directorate would be funded at $6.91 billion.
  - Within Science, the bill proposes to fund the various accounts in the following manner:
    - Earth Science: $1.945 billion
    - Planetary Science: $2.631 billion
    - Astrophysics: $1.171 billion
      - $445.7 million for WFIRST
    - Heliophysics: $735.0 million
  - Aeronautics: $725.0 million
  - Space Technology: $926.9 million
  - STEM Engagement: $112.0 million
    - Space Grant: $47.0 million

The Interior Appropriations Bill also funds a number of agencies, programs, and accounts of interest to UW as well. For example, the committee-approved bill would fund the National Endowment for the Humanities at $157.0 million, $2 million above the current level.

In addition, the bill also funds, among other agencies and programs, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Within USGS, the report includes the following language with respect to the Climate Adaptation Science Centers:

The new Climate Adaption Science Center sub activity receives $44,488,000. The recommendation includes funding to maintain the fiscal year 2019 levels for the Centers. It is the Committee’s expectation that funding will be distributed according to the allocation methodology in previous years ensuring all Centers remain open and at current levels.

It also contains the following text with respect to the early earthquake warning system:

Natural Hazards.—The bill includes $170,838,000 for Natural Hazards programs. Within the Earthquake Hazards program, the Committee continues to support the multitude of regional earthquake initiatives, but is concerned about the budget structure for each network as it relates to operations, maintenance, and infrastructure; therefore, the Committee directs the Survey to report back within 90 days after enactment of this act with a breakdown of funding between the operations, maintenance, and infrastructure expenditures in 2018 and 2019 along with recommendations on how to better structure the funding for these initiatives. This recommendation provides funding to ensure all the regional networks receive 2019 base funding level for operations and maintenance, including earthquake early warning and the Central and Eastern USNetwork [CEUSN]. Within these amounts, the Committee directs that regional networks which recently acquired the USArray stations from the National Science Foundation receive $3,000,000 for the operations and maintenance as these networks work to incorporate and use all Earthscope data. On top of base operations and maintenance for each network, the recommendation includes $17,500,000 for equipment and infrastructure costs. The Committee is also concerned that the updates to the national seismic hazard maps do not consistently include all 50 States and directs the Survey to update these maps for all 50 States, not just the lower 48, and provides $2,000,000 for this effort.

The Committee is concerned about the lack of knowledge and real time instrumentation available for the Cascadia subduction zone; therefore, the Committee encourages the continued development of a system for Cascadia that will help prepare for and mitigate the negative human and economic impacts of a major seismic event.

The Cooperative Research Units, also funded by the USGS, would receive $18.4 million next year, the same amount as this year.

We will provide further details as the process moves forward.

Walking and Chewing Gum at the Same Time… For Now

Posted on September 26, 2019

While the Director of National Intelligence was testifying on the other side of the Capitol, the Senate Appropriations Committee took up five FY2020 appropriations bills today: Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS); Interior; Homeland Security; Legislative Branch; and State-Foreign Operations. We will provide details about the bills of greatest interest to UW as soon as they become available.

While the committee process moved forward, none of the 12 spending bills have been signed into law. The Senate passed the House-adopted CR earlier this afternoon 82-15, sending it to the President’s desk. While the White House has signaled that the President will sign it into law, thus keeping the government open through mid-November. However, with the recent political developments, what happens after this CR expires is anyone’s guess.