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News and updates

News and updates

Spending Bills Move to the House Floor

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After a flurry of activities in subcommittee and full committee the last two weeks, the vast majority of FY2021 spending bills is scheduled to move to the House floor this week and next for consideration by the full chamber.  Rather than considering them individually, the bills will be grouped into two different “minibus” legislative packages.

The first grouping of bills, H.R 7608, is made up of four pieces of legislation and it is slated for consideration later this week:  State-Foreign Operations; Agriculture; Interior; and, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs.  A summary of the package, prepared by the House Democratic staff, is available here.

The second batch, H.R. 7617, is currently scheduled for floor action next week.  This second minibus pulls together seven of the eight remaining spending measures:  Defense; Commerce-Justice-Science; Energy and Water; Financial Services; Homeland Security; Labor-HHS-Education; and, Transportation-Housing.  A summary of the different parts of the large bill is available here.

Should these packages pass, only the Legislative Branch would remain unapproved in the House by the end of next week.

What We’re Reading this Week (July 13th-17th, 2020)

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Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

Seattle Police- Mayor Jenny Durkan wants to reallocate $76 million in the 2021 SPD budget. More at Seattle Times.

End of Fulbright in China- President Trump has indicated the administration will take steps to end the Fulbright program in China and Hong Kong, as part of an executive order ending policy exemptions for Hong Kong. More at Inside Higher Ed.

Review of College Tax Exempt Status- Legal analysts believe the IRS would face legal hurdles to reconsider the tax exempt status of colleges and universities. More analyses at Bloomberg.

Hacking COVID Research- US, UK, and Canadian intelligence services have asserted that the Russian Government has hacked COVID-19 vaccine research centers in the UK. More at BBC.

Additional Information from ICE and the Department of State

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On July 15th, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement published an updated FAQ for SEVP stakeholders following the repeal of the “July 6th Directive”. Of note, initial students should not travel to the US to begin their program. SEVP provides further guidance for designated school officials.

Additionally, the US Department of State has announced that certain visa holders departing from the Schengen Area, UK, and Ireland may travel to the US, even under current prohibitions. This does not apply to travelers departing from China, Brazil, or Iran.

  • F-1 and M-1 visa holders do not need to apply for an exception to travel to the US.
  • J-1 visa holders should contact their nearest US Embassy or Consulate to request an exception to travel to the US.
  • H-1B and other visa holders must qualify for a national interest exception. This requires that they are seeking entry for purposes related to the public health response to the pandemic, humanitarian, or national security reasons. If travelers believe they qualify, they should contact their nearest US Embassy or Consulate.

Defense, CJS Bills Approved; Last Two Bills Slated for Today

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The House Appropriations Committee cleared three more FY2021 spending bills yesterday, all by votes of 30 – 22:  Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Transportation-Housing Urban Development.  Yesterday’s action leaves the last two bills for FY2021 for committee action today, the Homeland Security and Financial Services-General Government measures.

The Senate has yet to take up any of its bills.

ICE SEVP Directive Withdrawn

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US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has withdrawn the “July 6th” directive requiring F-1 and M-1 students to leave the US if their classes are entirely online. The Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) will revert back to guidance issued at the beginning of the pandemic, meaning students will not face deportation based on the format of their classes.

Live updates here.