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Category: COVID-19

House Updates HEROES Act

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House Democrats have released an updated, smaller, “HEROES Act 2.0”, totaling approximately $2.2 trillion. This COVID relief bill would provide support for small businesses, airline workers, childcare, food security, the Census, education, local governments, and healthcare. Specifically, $39 billion would go to colleges and universities, $3 billion would go to research relief for NIH, and $2.9 billion would go to research relief for NSF. Research relief for other agencies is not included.

A one-pager is available here.

A vote is expected in the coming days. The Senate is not expected to take action, however negotiations between House Democrats, Senate Republicans, and the Administration continue.

Senate Republicans Release Targeted COVID-19 Package

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Today, US Senate Republican leaders released a smaller, targeted COVID-19 package. Titled “Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act”, the legislation focuses on specific priorities including childcare, COVID-19 testing, unemployment insurance, and the USPS. It would cost approximately $500 billion and a vote is expected as soon as this week. A larger relief package remains in limbo as Democratic and Republican leaders failed to reach an agreement on a topline number.

House Hearing on COVID Impacts to University Research

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On Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Subcommittee on Research and Technology, will host a hearing on COVID impacts to University Research.

  • Title: The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on University Research
  • Date: Wednesday, September 9th, 2020
  • Time: 8:00 am PT/11:00 am ET

Witnesses:

Dr. Joseph Walsh, Interim Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation, University of Illinois System

Dr. David Stone, Vice President for Research, Oakland University

Dr. Theresa Mayer, Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships, Purdue University

Mr. Ryan Muzzio, Physics Ph.D. Student, Carnegie Mellon University

The link to watch the hearing is here.

 

 

White House Reveals FY22 R&D Priorities

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The White House has published a memorandum outlining the FY22 Research and Development priorities for federal agencies. AI and QIS remain a top priority, however due to COVID-19, significant focus has been placed on public health concerns including vaccine development and infectious disease research. Other areas of interest include energy, space, and security.

Read the full memo here.

Still Not Close

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Even as the federal unemployment enhancement support of $600 per week officially expired last week, the White House, Congressional Republicans, and Congressional Democrats are still not close to a deal on the next COVID-19 relief bill.  While Republicans offered a short-term unemployment extension, Democrats rejected it as the sides are not close on a deal on anything else.

Different provisions of importance to UW and other institutions of higher education are included in various bills in both chambers of Congress.

We will continue to provide updates.