OMB Grants Regulatory Flexibility on Non-COVID-19-Related Research

Posted on March 19, 2020

As noted on March 18, the higher education community asked the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for regulatory flexibility on federally supported research not directly related to COVID-19. Today, OMB issued a memo to agencies that would enable them to grant such flexibility on other non-COVID-19-related research activities.

The OMB memo reads, in part:

This memorandum provides similar administrative relief listed in M-20-11 to an expanded scope of recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis. Many of the operational impacts and costs are unknowable at this point, as they will depend on the spread of the coronavirus and response dictated by public health needs. This memorandum provides short term relief for administrative, financial management, and audit requirements under 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, without compromising Federal financial assistance accountability requirements.

House Clears Bill to Protect GI Bill Benefits, Sends It to White House

Posted on March 19, 2020

By Unanimous Consent, the House cleared early this morning S. 3503, a bill aimed at ensuring that the disbursement of GI Bill benefits is not disrupted as a result of the coronavirus and COVID-19. The Senate approved the measure quickly earlier this week.

The bill now heads to the White House for the President’s signature.

A large coalition of groups and individual institutions asked for the bill’s quick adoption.

State Department Suspends Most Visa Services Worldwide

Posted on March 19, 2020

The US Department of State announced the temporary suspension of routine visa services at most overseas posts.

Any country with a travel advisory of 2, 3, or 4 will be affected. Among others, this includes the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Israel, South Korea, Italy, Japan, France, Ukraine, Russia, India, Denmark, Turkey, and Brazil. The Visa Waiver Program, which allows 90 day visas for certain nationalities, remains unaffected.

No timeline has been given. US Embassies and Consulates will continue to provide emergency visa services and American Citizens Services.

Administration Seeks to Add $45.8 Billion in Emergency Spending to FY2020 Bills

Posted on March 18, 2020

To add to the many moving pieces in response to COVID-19, the Administration yesterday sent an emergency spending request to Congress to add another $45.8 billion to the FY2020 appropriations bills.

The request was officially made by the White House Office of Management and Budget yesterday. The request includes $50 million for the National Science Foundation to “support near real-time research at molecular, cellular, physiological and ecological levels to better understand coronavirus characteristics such as genetics, modes of action, transmission, virulence and population dynamics.” Funds would be distributed through NSF’s Rapid Response Research mechanism to “rapidly fund quick-response research related to
COVID-19.”

Senate Passes, Trump Signs Coronavirus Bill; Next Relief Package Being Readied

Posted on March 18, 2020

The Senate passed earlier this afternoon by a vote of 90 to 8 and the President just signed H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This is the second bill signed into law in response to the outbreak.

The Administration and Congress have now shifted their collective focus to the next relief package, which could total approximately $1 trillion and could include, among other provisions, direct payments to households as well as assistance to various sectors of the economy. Read more about the discussions in the Washington Post and Politico.