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Category: Pure Politics

Senate Passes Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

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The Senate voted 69-30 to pass a $1 trillion, bipartisan, infrastructure bill. The legislation includes numerous provisions for rail, roads, water pipes, ports, combatting pollution, and electric vehicle charging stations among other things. Read more here. The bill now heads to the House, which is in recess until the end of the month.

And coming up- Democrats are expected to use the reconciliation process to pass their “human infrastructure” agenda. Many House progressives say they will not send the bipartisan infrastructure bill to the President’s desk without the human infrastructure component. This is slated to include more education-related provisions, childcare, and a path to citizenship for DREAMERS, as well as a deficit reduction. However, the rules of reconciliation are very narrow, so it’s very possible not everything will make it through.

Deal Reached on an Infrastructure Package

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Today the White House announced a deal has been reached with the Administration and a group of bipartisan Senators on the outline of a $1 trillion (including approx. $579 billion new spending) traditional infrastructure package. These priorities include roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicles, coastal infrastructure, rural broadband access, and supporting IRS tax collection efforts on high earners. The legislation must still be written and pass both chambers.

Calls from within the Democratic caucus for a “human” infrastructure package- addressing paid leave, childcare, housing, and community college, is likely to go through the budget reconciliation process in a similar manner to the American Rescue Plan Act. The President indicated he would want to see both pieces of legislation arrive on his desk together.

Read more here.

Biden Announces Additional OSTP Appointees

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President Biden announced two additional appointees to leadership roles in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco will serve as Deputy Director for Climate and Environment. An accomplished environmental scientist, Dr. Lubchenco is a professor at Oregon State University and formerly served as US Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Administrator of NOAA, as well as the US Science Envoy for the Ocean. She is also a UW alum, having received her Masters degree in Zoology (’71)!

Dr. Jason Matheny will serve as Deputy Director for National Security. He has served as a Commissioner on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence since 2018. Prior to that role, he served as Assistant Director of National Intelligence and Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

House Votes on Significant Immigration Bills

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This week the House is set to vote on, and likely pass, two significant pieces of legislation as part of the Administration’s immigration overhaul push.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 would provide a path to legal status for certain undocumented agricultural workers.

The American Dream and Promise Act would offer a path to citizenship for DACA recipients via green card who arrived in the US before their 18th birthday, before 01/01/21. This is provided the applicant meets specific education, employment, or service requirements. It would also offer a path to citizenship for individuals in the US from nations under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).

The American Dream and Promise Act is not to be confused with the bipartisan DREAM Act reintroduced in the Senate which would offer some expanded protections for DACA recipients.

While the bills are likely to pass in the House, and have support from President Biden, the Senate would need to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold for the legislation to become law.

American Rescue Plan Act Summary

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Yesterday President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law.  The total package is expansive and includes numerous provisions such as funding for vaccines, testing and tracing, school reopening, SNAP, housing programs, substance abuse services, and expanding the child tax credit among other relief measures. It also includes stimulus checks, supplemental unemployment insurance and support for businesses. The legislation totals about $1.9 trillion.

Some relevant provisions for higher ed include:

  • $600 million to National Science Foundation (NSF) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
  • $500 million for emergency grants for rural healthcare.
  • $150 million to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
  • $135 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
  • $100 million to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
  • Nearly $40 billion to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
  • Extends the expiration of the payroll tax credit through September 30, 2021 and allows public universities to claim the credit.
  • Extends the employee retention tax credit through December 31, 2021.
  • Establishes a new fiscal recovery fund for state and local governments, with $195.3 billion dedicated for states and Washington, DC and $20 billion for tribal governments.
  • Creates a Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund administered by the Department of Treasury to carry out capital projects enabling work, education, and health monitoring in response to the pandemic.
  • $50 billion to replenish the FEMA disaster fund to assist state and local governments with National Guard deployment, vaccination, PPE, and disinfecting public spaces.
  • Makes student loan forgiveness tax-free through 2025.

Bill text is available and you can read more about specific provisions here.