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Author: jnurse

President Obama Announces American Innovation Strategy

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On Monday (9/21), President Obama announced his American Innovation Strategy. The strategy includes doubling the research and development budgets of three key science agencies: the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology. The President also proposed an investment of more than 3% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in public and private research and development.

The President’s plan has three primary parts:

1. Invest in the Building Blocks of American Innovation: We must first ensure that our economy is given all the necessary tools for successful innovation, from investments in research and development to the human, physical, and technological capital needed to perform that research and transfer those innovations.

2. Promote Competitive Markets that Spur Productive Entrepreneurship: It is imperative to create a national environment ripe for entrepreneurship and risk taking that allows U.S. companies to be internationally competitive in a global exchange of ideas and innovation. Through competitive markets, innovations diffuse and scale appropriately across industries and globally.

3. Catalyze Breakthroughs for National Priorities: There are certain sectors of exceptional national importance where the market is unlikely to produce the desirable outcomes on its own. These include developing alternative energy sources, reducing costs and improving lives with health IT, and manufacturing advanced vehicles. In these industries where markets may fail on their own, government can be part of the solution.

The President’s plan provides no timeline for implementation. However, we are hopeful that these investments will be proposed and adopted as funds provided by ARRA run out, so that we can see sustained funding in the referenced agencies.

American Innovation Strategy Fact Sheets and White Papers

This Week on Capitol Hill, September 21-25

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In the Senate:

The Senate will debte amendments to the fiscal 2010 Interior-Environment Spending Bill, with votes expected on Tuesday.  A vote on pasage is likely by the end of the week.  The Senate is then likely to consider either the fiscal 2010 Defense Spending Bill or the Military Construction-VA Spending Bill.

The Senate Finance Committee marks up its health care overhaul bill this week beginning on Tuesday and continuing the rest of the week.

In the House:

The House votes on a number of measures under suspendion of the rules on Tuesday, including an extension of unemployment aid.  Later in the week, they are scheduled to take up a defense production reauthorization bill, as well as a number of bills to extend certain authorizations — including for small business programs, the Federal Aviation Administration and surface transportation programs.  The House is also expected to vote on a continuing resolution to make stopgap appropriations into fiscal 2010.

Source:  CQ Today Print Edition

Full House Passes Landmark Student Aid Bill

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Today, the full House of Representatives passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (HR 3221) by a 253-171 vote. The bill utilizes savings from the elimination of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) in favor of 100% college/university participation in the Direct Loan program. The legislation would index future Pell increases to the Consumer Price Index plus 1%. Financial institutions that provide student loans have fought the elimination of FFELP, as it essentially removes them from the federal student aid market. Funding recouped from the elimination of FFELP will also fund much of President Obama’s college access and persistence plan, as well as a number of additional initiatives.

The University of Washington’s Office of Student Financial Aid, and Office of Federal Relations have been active in providing members of the Washington Congressional delegation with feedback on HR 3221. There remains room to make improvements on the House bill, particularly in its provision of a College Access and Completion Fund, where funding provided to states could result in increased regulatory control by states over institutions of higher education. The legislation is now being worked on the Senate, and is expected to receive full consideration later this fall or early in 2010.

Full Summary of HR 3221

This Week on Capitol Hill, September 14-18

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Monday, September 14

Floor Action:

  • The Senate will resume consideration of the fiscal 2010 Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill (HR 3288). Roll call votes are possible after 5:30 p.m. 
  • The House is expected to take up several measures under suspension of the rules. Votes expected at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 15

Both the House and the Senate will be in session.

Committee Meetings:

  • Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources will hold a full committee hearing on the Impact of Greenhouse Gas Trading Program

Wednesday, September 16

Both the House and the Senate will be in session

  • The House is expected to take up a fuel efficiency technology measure (HR 3246).
  • The House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a full committee hearing on Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources

Thursday, September 17

The House is expected to take up the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (HR 3221).

Committee Hearings:

  • Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources will hold a full committee hearing on the Economic Effects of Climate Change Legislation  
  • The House Committee on Natural Resources will continue its full committee hearing on Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources

  Friday, September 18

The House is not in session.

Student Aid Legislation on the Table in Senate

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As Congress returned from August recess earlier this week, student aid advocates immediately focused their efforts on the Senate. In the coming weeks, the Senate will likely consider a companion bill to the House Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (HR 3221) -which passed easily in the House Education and Labor Committee on July 21st. The House legislation would implement much of President Obama’s student loan proposal, most notably ending the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) in favor of 100% participation in the Direct Lending (DL) program in order to realize savings that can be used to bolster the Pell Grant program. The House bill was set on a course that would allow for it to be considered as part of a budget reconciliation process or the normal legislative process. The budget reconciliation process may also be utilized for health care reform, as it allows a simple majority (51 votes) to pass legislation in the Senate as opposed to a super-majority of 60 votes. Reconciliation instructions require the House and Senate education committees to report reconciliation bills by Oct. 15. If the deadline is missed, leaders will have to utilize the normal legislative process. 

Although the legislation has traveled a relatively smooth path in the House, the outcome in the Senate is less certain. Some members with FFELP lenders in their states have balked at the Administration’s plan and are exploring alternatives. As a Direct Lending school with a large population of Pell grant students, the UW is actively pushing for legislation that will enable increases in mandatory spending for Pell.

In related news, Senator Harkin (D-IA) will take over the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee that was previously chaired by former Senator Ted Kennedy. Despite some concerns about the President’s proposal to end FFELP, Senator Harkin has long been viewed as a reliable advocate for student aid.