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News and updates

This Week on Capitol Hill June 28 – July 2

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Senate Floor Activities
On Monday, the Senate convenes and will begin confirmation hearings on the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

House Floor Activities
The House of Representatives may take up the FY10 war supplemental spending bill later in the week.

Senate Committee Activities

Tuesday, June 29

Joint Economic Committee
Full Committee Hearing – “Fueling Local Economies: Research, Innovation and Jobs” Witnesses include Dr. Samuel Stanley, President, Stony Brook University

Wednesday, June 30

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
Full Committee Hearing – “Farm Bill Reauthorization Hearing 1, Maintaining Our Domestic Food Supply through a Strong U.S. Farm Policy”

House Committee Activities

Tuesday, June 29

Joint Economic Committee
Full Committee Hearing – “Fueling Local Economies: Research, Innovation and Jobs” Witnesses include Dr. Samuel Stanley, President, Stony Brook University

House Appropriations Committee
Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee Markup – FY2011 C-J-S Appropriations Bill

House Science and Technology Committee
Investigations & Oversight Subcommittee – Setting New Courses for Polar Weather Satellites

Research and Science Education Subcommittee – 21st Century Biology

Wednesday, June 30

House Appropriations Committee
Agriculture Subcommittee Markup – FY2011 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

House Appropriations Committee
State, Foreign-Operations Subcommittee Markup – FY2011 S-FOPS Appropriations Bill

Thursday, July 1

House Science and Technology Committee
Technology & Innovation Subcommittee – Smart Grid Architecture and Standards

Senator Robert Byrd, 1917-2010

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Early this morning, US Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) passed away at a hospital in Virginia.  Byrd was 92.  

Byrd, who was first elected to the Senate in 1958, was President Pro Tem, a largely ceremonial post but one that put him third in succession to the presidency.  On November 18th of this year, his 20,774th day of service in Congress, Byrd reached a milestone as the longest-serving lawmaker in Congressional history.  He had previously held the title of the longest-serving US Senator.

With the Senator’s death, West Virginia GovernorJoe Manchin (D) must select an interim replacement.  A West Virginia law appears to state that the replacement will likely hold the seat for the remainder of the late senator’s record ninth term, through 2012.  For that reason, Byrd’s death would not impact the partisan makeup of the Senate, nor would it directly impact the pending 2010 elections.  However, there is some ambiguity in the law that has left some election experts questioning the what should happen with the seat.

The Senator’s passing may cause a slight shake-up with Senate Appropriations Committee members.  Byrd has been the second senior member of that committee, behind Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), and the Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee.  Depending on who replaces Byrd as chair of that subcommittee, it could cause a small round of musical chairs with other subcommittee chair positions.  I don’t expect any shocking changes, and the Democrats may not make any permanent changes until after the mid-term elections in November. 

As an observer of Congress, I will miss Senator Byrd’s eloquent floor speeches and the way he was able to make his political points using both West Virginia and US historical references.  I didn’t always agree with him, but I certainly respected his point of view — and I almost always learned something new from him.  Thank you Senator Byrd and may you rest in peace.

Senate Fails to Pass Extenders for the Third Time

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On Thursday, Senate Democrats failed for a third time to pass a jobs and economic relief bill (tax extenders bill).  Republicans rejected the $100 billion-plus package, which included payments to states to cover for Medicaid costs and an extension of unemployment benefits.  This latest version of the bill reduced the original $24 billion in new state assistance for Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) to just $16 billion and also included a phase out of payments altogether. The smaller FMAP payments were also fully paid for with offsets.  Unfortunately, that was not enough to attract the 60 votes necessary and the measure failed 57-41.  Both Senators Murray and Cantwell supported the measure.

Individual portions of the bill may be revived, especially given the almost 1.2 million unemployed workers who are currently living without unemployment benefits.  The FMAP payments are also critical to roughly 29 states – including Washington State – as they have all included these anticipated funds in their current budgets. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has expressed great frustration with yet another failure to pass this measure and announced he would pull the bill from the floor and turn to other legislation. 

The Senate will go home at the end of next week for the July Fourth recess period.  When they return, it is expected that they will focus their debate on energy policy, including legislation related to off-shore oil drilling. They will break again on August 6th for a 5-week period.  Unless there is a major breakthrough with those opposed to the bill, Reid seems prepared to wait until after Labor Day before trying again on the extenders bill.

House and Senate Likely to Bypass Formal Budget Resolution

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Leaders in the House and Senate have apparently decided to forgo the development and passage of a typical 5-year budget resolution and will instead set a one-year spending plan. The plan will provide caps for discretionary spending in the 12 appropriations bills that fund federal government operations. According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the proposed spending caps will require reductions below the budget figures recommended by President Obama in February.  Further, the House plan calls for the 12 appropriations sub-committees to find efficiencies through the elimination of unnecessary programs within their jurisdiction.

In the House, it is expected that the spending caps will move alongside an FY10 supplemental spending bill prior to the July 4th congressional recess. The Senate timeline for approving the spending caps is less clear at this time, though budget chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) has expressed tentative support for the concept.

The long expected decision will likely clear the way for consideration of the individual FY11 spending bills, as it gives the various sub-committees top-line allocations to work with. Although some appropriations bills may advance in July, it remains highly likely that most will be rolled into an omnibus appropriations package after the November election.

Dept. of Ed. Announces Availability of Competitive FIPSE Funds

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The U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Program (FIPSE) will accept competitive FY10 proposals. FIPSE supports innovative reforms and improvements in postsecondary education that respond to problems of national significance. Approximately $27 million will be available for 37 awards of up to $750,000 per year; projects can last up to three years.

Over the past several years, FIPSE funds have been largely distributed through congressionally directed appropriations. While the majority of new FIPSE funds will continue to be distributed in this manner, the competitive program represents a signficant opportunity for colleges and universities. The following priority areas are identified in the full solicitation:

Invitational Priority 1
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in centers of
excellence for teacher preparation as described in section 242 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
Invitational Priority 2
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in university
sustainability initiatives as described in section 881 of HEA.
Invitational Priority 3
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in rural
development initiatives for rural-serving colleges and universities as
described in section 861 of HEA.
Invitational Priority 4
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in initiatives
to assist highly qualified minorities and women to acquire doctoral
degrees in fields where they are underrepresented as described in
section 807 of HEA.
Invitational Priority 5
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in modeling and
simulation programs as described in section 891 of HEA.
Invitational Priority 6
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in higher
education consortia to design and offer interdisciplinary programs that
focus on poverty and human capability as described in section
741(a)(11) of HEA.
Invitational Priority 7
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in innovative
postsecondary models to improve college matriculation and graduation
rates, including activities to facilitate transfer of credits between
institutions of higher education (IHEs), alignment of curricula on a
State or multi-State level between high schools and colleges and
between two-year and four-year postsecondary programs, dual enrollment,
articulation agreements, partnerships between high schools and
community colleges, and partnerships between K-12 organizations and
colleges for college access and retention programs.
Invitational Priority 8
Under this priority, we are particularly interested in activities
to develop or enhance educational partnerships and cross-cultural
cooperation between postsecondary educational institutions in the
United States and similar institutions in Haiti.