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News and updates

News and updates

House Passes Continuing Resolution

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The House passed a continuing resolution (“CR”), H.R. 8337, to fund the Federal Government through December 11th, 2020 and avoid a potential shutdown. The bipartisan resolution passed 359-57 and is part of a deal reached by House Democrats, Senate Republicans, and the Administration. The CR must still pass in the Senate and be signed by the President. The full story is available here.

As of now, all 12 FY 2021 appropriations bills have passed in the House, but none have passed in the Senate, indicating a likely long road ahead.

 

What We’re Reading this Week (September 14th-18th, 2020)

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Keep up with what’s happening in DC. Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: It was announced on Friday that Associate US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has passed away. She had a long and successful legal career, culminating in over 30 years on the Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg was widely respected for her tireless pursuit of equality, especially for women.

Health Officials Warn Public: In a Senate hearing, top public health officials testified that the US won’t return to a pre-COVID normal anytime soon. More here.

Iranian Hackers Charged in Criminal Case: Two Iranian nationals were charged by the FBI with hacking and selling data on the black market to the Iranian Government. The data included nuclear and national security information, personal data, and intellectual property. Full story at Politico.

737 MAX Updates: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee pulled a bipartisan air safety bill from consideration following disagreement over various amendments. The bill was prompted by investigations into the 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Meanwhile, a House report found that a “spectacular” regulatory failure at the FAA and a culture of profit over safety at Boeing contributed to the crashes. Story here and here.

TikTok Ban: The Department of Commerce has ordered that TikTok be banned from US mobile store apps beginning Sunday, pursuant to an Executive Order halting US business with TikTok’s Chinese parent company. The President indicates a deal could be reached to keep the app on the market. More.

President Chastises FBI Director: President Trump expressed dissatisfaction on Twitter after FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Homeland Security Committee. Director Wray testified that antifa is “more of an ideology or a movement than an organization”, and confirmed that Russia is actively working to undermine Joe Biden in the Presidential race and sow discord. President Trump said later that he “did not like his answers”. Full story here.

Puerto Rico Aid Package: The White House announced an almost $12 billion aid package for Puerto Rico to rebuild critical infrastructure, following severe damage by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Full story.

What We’re Reading this Week (September 7th-11th, 2020)

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Keep up with what’s happening in DC. Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

DOJ Seeks to Defend President: Lawyers for the Department of Justice have stepped in to try and take over President Trump’s defense in a defamation lawsuit related to sexual assault allegations. Full story at New York Times.

Middle East Diplomacy Wins: President Trump announced Bahrain will establish normal relations with Israel, following a similar move by the United Arab Emirates. Both countries are US allies, and were not at war with Israel, however disputes over Palestinian territory have previously marred their relations. The move signals stronger cooperation between US allies in the region. Full story at Washington Post.

FBI Announces Arrest in North Korea Sanctions Violation: The Department of Justice announced Ri Jong Chol, who was previously arrested on suspicion of killing Kim Jong Un’s half brother, has been arrested for violating sanctions against North Korea and purchasing commodities on behalf of the DPRK. More here.

GOP Skinny Bill Fails: A “skinny” COVID-19 Relief Bill introduced in the Senate by GOP leaders failed to advance. Democrats criticized the bill for being too lean to be effective. Full story.

Russian Interference: Microsoft announced in a blog post that Russia-backed entities continue hacking in order to interfere in the 2020 US elections. Read more.

9/11 Anniversary: The US acknowledged the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Both President Trump and Presidential Candidate Joe Biden paid their respects at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania. Read the full story.

Senate Hearing on FAFSA Simplification

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The US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) will hold a hearing on simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Witnesses are from the National College Attainment Network, University of North Carolina, HCM Strategies, Harvard University, and Columbia University.

  • Title: Time to Finish Fixing the FAFSA
  • Date and Time: Thursday, September 17th, 2020 at 7:00 am PT/10:00 am ET
  • Link to watch live is here.

Dept. of Education Publishes Final Rule on Religious Liberty

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In a press statement, the US Department of Education announced the publication of the final rule Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities. The rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

The final rule intends to “ensure that public institutions of higher education uphold fundamental rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and that private institutions of higher education adhere to their own policies regarding freedom of speech, including academic freedom”.

Among other things, the press statement outlines major aspects of the rule, including :

  • Requires that public institutions must comply with the 1st Amendment as a requirement to receive Department grants.
  • Clarifies how private institutions may demonstrate they are controlled by a religious organization for the purposes of Title IX.
  • Ensures equal treatment of religious student organizations at public colleges and universities.
  • Revises regulations governing some discretionary grant programs under Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act of 1964, as amended. The rule more narrowly tailors the prohibition on the use of these grants to religious instruction, religious worship, or proselytization.

The full press statement and link to fact sheet is available here.