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News and updates

News and updates

Department of Education Revamps Student Aid Application Process

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**The following press release was made available by the Department of Education on June 24th**

The Obama Administration today announced a shorter, simpler, and more user friendly Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will make it easier to apply for college financial aid. The changes—some of which are already in place while others will be phased in over the next few months—are designed to increase postsecondary enrollment, particularly among low- and middle-income students.

“President Obama has challenged the nation to once again have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world,” said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education. “To do that, we need to make the college-going process easier and more convenient, and to send a clear message to young people as well as adults that college is within their reach. Simplifying the financial aid process is an important step toward reaching that goal.” Continue reading “Department of Education Revamps Student Aid Application Process”

House FY10 Energy & Water Spending Bill Advances

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The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy & Water has advanced a spending bill for fiscal year 2010. The legislation funds the Department of Energy Office of Science at the President’s Budget Request of $4.94 billion. The legislation also adds $20 million for fusion energy sciences. At this point, information on the proposed Innovation Hubs and RE-ENERGYSE is unavailable. Two University of Washington projects were included in the bill:

  • $1 million for the UW led Washington State Biofuels Industry Development project; and
  • $880,000 for the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, of which the UW is a partner.

Funding identified in the subcommittee bill does not guarantee project support, but is a critical step in the appropriations process.

FY10 Energy and Water Appropriations Chart

Senate Advances CJS and Interior-Enviornment Appropriations Bills

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Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations committee marked up the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) Appropriations bill and the Interior-Environment Appropriations bill. The CJS bill funds OSTP, NASA, NSF, NOAA, and NIST among others. Interior-Environment Appropriations bill funds the NEH, NEA, EPA Office of Science, and the US Geological Survey. Highlights of the two bills are provided below.

Summary: FY 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee Mark

2009 Enacted: $57.7 billion
President’s Request: $64.7 billion (including overseas contingencies)
Subcommittee Mark: $64.9 billion (including overseas contingencies)

The Subcommittee mark totals $64.9 billion in discretionary budget authority for fiscal year 2010, $7.27 billion above fiscal year 2009, excluding supplemental funding provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009.

Priorities for the bill include:
(1) Keeping America safe from terrorism and violent crime;
(2) Investing in America’s scientific infrastructure to create new technologies and new jobs; and
(3) Ensuring a timely and accurate 2010 Census Continue reading “Senate Advances CJS and Interior-Enviornment Appropriations Bills”

NOAA OAR FY10 Appropriations Update

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Late Thursday of last week, the House passed (by a vote of 259-157) its fiscal 2010 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) measure, HR 2847. The House measure provides $4.6 B for NOAA, and strongly supports NOAA research. The request for the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) in the FY 2010 President’s Budget (PB) is fully funded, with minor changes. Specifically, the House provides $19.9M above the request for Climate Research; adds $4.4M in Weather and Air Quality Research funding, and $8.1M in Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Research funding – for a total increase of $32.5M over the FY 2010 PB. Of this amount, $5.6M is for “Congressionally Directed Projects.” Senate subcommittee markups of fiscal 2010 spending measures are expected to begin this week, and the full Senate Appropriations is scheduled to mark up CJS this Thursday, June 25.

Within the President’s FY10 budget request, OAR requests a total of $404.6M. In summary, OAR requests: $209.8M for Climate Research; $63.9M for Weather and Air Quality Research; $107.4M for Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Research; $13.1M for Information Technology, R&D, and Science Education; $10.4M for Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction.

[Provided by NOAA OAR Staff]