A leading Congressional Republican is asking Education Secretary Arne Duncan for significantly more information about how the department plans to spend $100 billion in new funds from the economic stimulus package and to monitor how the money is used. Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon wrote to Duncan last week to ask how the department will oversee the flow of funds to states and the effectiveness with which states spend the money.
News and updates
FY09 Budget in the Senate
The Senate will begin voting today on amendments to the FY’09 omnibus spending bill. One amendment, offered by Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), would simply extend the current continuing resolution (CR) for the remainder of the year. The current CR, which funds most all domestic agencies and the State Department at 2008 levels, expires midnight Friday, March 6th. Congress would likely need to enact a short-term extension if it can’t clear the bill by Friday. Senate leadership has not yet decided on how many amendments to allow but they have indicated that they want to conclude work on the omnibus by Thursday.
CBO Says Stimulus Will Create Jobs
The economic recovery law enacted last month could create up to 3.6 million jobs by the end of 2010, equaling the Obama administration’s claim the measure will create 3.5 million jobs in that time, according to a final cost estimate of the legislation released Monday by CBO. For job creation, CBO estimates the bill could create from 0.9 million to 2.3 million jobs by the end of 2009 and from 1.2 million to 3.6 million jobs by the end of 2010, with more jobs created than declining. On economic growth, CBO estimates a boost in GDP of 1.4 percent to 3.8 percent by the end of 2009, 1.1 percent to 3.4 percent by the end of 2010, and 0.4 percent to 1.2 percent by the end of 2011 — with a small possible decline beginning in 2015.
UW FY10 Federal Agenda Project Sheets Available
Below, please find individual projects information sheets for the initiatives selected for the UW Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Agenda. The projects identified below combined with a forthcoming set of federal agency/program funding recommendations constitute the University’s primary federal advocacy plan for the coming year.
President Obama Rounds Out Cabinet
Today, President Obama nominated Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Prior to serving as Governor of Kansas, Sebelius served as the state’s insurance commissioner for eight years. The Sebelius pick has, thus far, drawn bipartisan praise from the Senate. If Sebelius and Commerce Secretary-designate Gary Locke (D-WA) are confirmed, President Obama’s cabinet will be complete.
In addition to the HHS selection, today, the President announced that former Clinton administration official Nancy-Ann DeParle will serve as director of the White House Office of Health Reform, which is a new post created to oversee the anticipated health care reform effort. President Obama’s budget outline included $634 billion over 10 years for an overhaul of the health care system. Leaders in Congress have expressed a belief that hearings will begin by this summer.