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Category: COVID-19

NSF Issues Updated Guidance for Grant Recipients Impacted by COVID-19

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The National Science Foundation has issued guidance in accordance with OMB Memorandum M-20-26, “Extension of Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations”.  The guidance extends two of the short-term administrative relief related to salaries and other project activities, and single audit submissions. Recipients are reminded to maintain appropriate documentation of all charges.

The full updated guidance can be found here.

 

Presidential Proclamation on Non-Immigrant Visas

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Today, President Trump signed an executive order curtailing H-1B, H-2B, H-4, L, and certain J visas, as well as immigrant visas, through December 31, 2020: “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak”.

Limited exemptions may be provided for those working in the food supply chain, as well as limited national security exemptions as determined by the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security. Also exempted under Sec. 4(a)(i) are persons providing medical care for COVID-19 patients or conducting medical research to combat COVID-19. With regards to J visas, professors, alien physicians, and research scholars appear to be exempt.

The proclamation applies only to persons who are outside the United States and who do not hold a valid non-immigrant visa or official permission to travel as of June 24, 2020.

The full text of the proclamation is available here. Our office is actively working with our partners to better understand the scope of this proclamation, and will update this post as new information becomes available.

GOP Reps Sign Letter in Support of International Students

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Today, several Republican members of the US House of Representatives, including Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf supporting Optional Practical Training (OPT), and requesting that agencies improve processes to allow international students to enroll for Fall 2020.

The letter, led by Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), specifically notes the important role international students play in our communities and for the US economy. The full letter is available here.

 

Senate Hearings on Reopening Schools

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The US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will hold two hearings related to school reopening and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first hearing “COVID-19: Going Back to College Safely” is on reopening colleges and universities.

Date: Tuesday, June 4th, 2020

Time: 7am PT/10am ET

Watch live here.

The second hearing “COVID-19: Going Back to School Safely” is on reopening K-12 schools.

Date: Wednesday, June 10th, 2020

Time: 7am PT/10am ET

Watch live here.

 

 

 

Research Community Reiterates Call for At Least $26 Billion for Research

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In an updated letter to Congressional leadership, associations representing a swath of research institutions reiterated their call to invest at least $26 billion in scientific research in future COVID-19 response bills.  Unlike previous communications, this letter calls out specific funding levels for a number of individual agencies, including:

  • $3 billion for NSF
  • $3 billion for DOD
  • $10 billion for NSF
  • $5 billion for DOE
  • $2 billion for NASA

The letter also calls for additional funds for agencies which have research budgets greater than $100 million, including NOAA and the Institute for Education Science.

The letter is available here.