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Category: Federal Agency Developments

Obama proposes Race to the Top for College Affordability

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Details are beginning to emerge on Obama’s proposal to make college affordable.  He spoke to this during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, and again today at an event at the University of Michigan.  US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan has also been talking about this issue since late last year, and often refers to the challenge as looking “beyond the iron triangle” of cost, quality, and access.

Obama is proposing a financial aid overhaul that would – for the first time – tie colleges’ eligibility for campus-based aid programs (Perkins loans, work-study, and supplemental grants for low-income students) to the institutions’ success in improving affordability and value for students.  Under the proposed plan, the amount available for Perkins loans would grow to $8 billion, from the current $1 billion. Obama also wants to create a $1 billion grant competition, along the lines of the Race for the Top program for elementary and secondary education, to reward states that take action to keep college costs down.  Finally, he has also proposed a separate $55 million competition for individual colleges to increase their value and efficiency.

The administration also wants to give families clearer information about costs and quality, by requiring colleges and universities to offer a “shopping sheet” that would make it easier to compare financial aid packages and post-graduate earnings and employment information – all in an attempt to give students and families a better sense of what to expect from the college and after graduation. This would be in addition to the requirement imposed this year on the “college cost calculator.”

These proposed changes would all require Congressional approval, which is not likely to happen this year.  While some legislation may get introduced, most of the discussion around these ideas will take place out on the campaign trail.  Hang on for a bumpy ride!

Read more about the State of the Union address. 

Read more about the President’s speech at University of Michigan. 

Read more about Secretary Duncan’s “Beyond the Iron Triangle” speech.

DOE Reports on Tidal & Wave Energy

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The Department of Energy today released two reports assessing US ocean wave and tidal energy resources along the US Coasts. DOE reports that the two assessments, combined with ongoing analyses of technologies and other resource assessments, show that water power, including conventional hydropower, and wave, tidal, and other water power resources, can potentially provide 15 percent of our nation’s electricity by 2030.

The reports are the most rigorous assessments thus far undertaken by DOE and its collaborative partners, including the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Georgia Tech Research Corporation.

The DOE reports may be accessed here:

“Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource”

“Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States”

FY12 Spending Package Conference Report Released

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After negotiations late into the night and leaders finally reaching an agreement, the House today released the conference report containing details for the remaining nine spending bills. The House is expected to vote on the package this afternoon and then send it to the Senate for quick passage. It looks like Congress will remain through the weekend to try and work out a deal to extend the payroll taxcut for another year.

FY2012 Spending Bills Conference Report (HR 2055)

Defense

  • Overall Discretionary= $518.1 billion, an increase of $5.1 billion over FY11
  • RDT&E (Overall) = $72.4 billion, a decrease of $2.5 billion from FY11
  • DARPA language: The conferees recommend a total of$166,122,000 in undistributed reductions

throughout the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).  The conferees

direct the Director of DARPA to provide a report to the congressional defense

committees, not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, detailing by program

element and project the application of each undistributed reduction

  • NAVY University Research Initiatives = $133.2 million

Energy & Water

  • Department of Energy overall discretionary = $32 billion, increase of $328 million over last year’s level
    • ARPA-E = $275 million, increase of $95 million from FY11
    • EERE = $1.825 billion, decrease of $10 million from last year
    • Office of Science = $4.889 billion, increase of $5 million over FY11

Interior and Environment

  • Department of Interior
    • USGS = $1.07 billion, $30 million less than FY11
    • NEH = $146.3 million, $9 million less than FY11
    • NEA – $146.3 million, $9 million less than FY11
  • EPA
    • Office of Science and Technology = $795 million

Labor-HHS-ED

  • HHS overall discretionary = $69.7 billion, decrease of $700 million from FY11
    • HRSA = $6.5 billion, decrease of $41 million from FY11
      • Health Workforce  = $734.4 million
      • Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program = $2.33 billion, level funded
      • Healthcare Systems = $83.5 million, $3 million cut from FY11

**Note: language included that states that an additional $161.8 million may be used to supplement programs under the sections: “Primary Health Care”, “Health Workforce”, “Maternal and Child Health”, “Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program”, “Health Care Systems”, “Rural Health”

    • CDC = $6.1 billion ($38 million above FY11)
      • NIOSH (overall funding level)= $182.9 million, also includes language: “in addition to amounts provided herin, $110.7 million shall be available from amounts available under section 241 of the PHS Act”
        • Education and Research Centers = $24.3 million
        • Agriculture Forestry and Fishing Program = $22 million
    • NIH = $30.7 billion, $299 million above FY11 level
    • SAMHSA = $3.5 billion, $27 million below FY11
  • Education overall discretionary = $71.3 billion, decrease of $153 million below FY11
    • Pell = $5550 maximum award is maintained by implementing the following changes (estimated to save $11 billion over 10 years):
      • Eliminate the interest subsidy during the 6 month student loan grace period
      • Limit grants per student to max of 6 yrs/12 semesters
      • Require HS Diploma, GED/completion of homeschool program for eligibility
      • Slight adjustment of minimum Pell grant
      • Reduce eligible automatic income level from $30K to $23K
  • International Education = $74.2 million
    • IES = $594.8 million
    • JAVITS and GAANN programs will be consolidated at the recommendation of the administration
    • TRIO = $840 million

State

  • International Fisheries Commission (top line number) = $36.3 million

And this language:

The conference agreement includes funding for the  operational costs of  the International

Pacific Halibut Commission, including current lease expenses, and the conferees direct the

Commission to fund these costs prior to investing in new programs or expanding existing

programs

Future of SBE Sciences at NSF

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NSF released a new report this morning that outlines their research priorities in the coming decade in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.  The report, titled “Rebuilding the Mosaic, Fostering Research in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences at the National Science Foundation in the Next Decade,” can be downloaded here.  

Read more about the development of this NSF report.