The President released his much anticipated budget this week, while UIC's next Chancellor made his Washington debut.
House Republicans voted again to repeal Obamacare, while Senate Republicans struggled to undo President Obama's executive actions on immigration ahead of a key deadline.
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President Obama released a nearly $4 trillion budget blueprint this week that would un-do sequestration and serve as a shot in the arm for higher education and research. However, Republicans mocked his budget—which was released on Groundhog Day—as a "dead on arrival" spending increase they see every year.
While the President's budget stands little chance of being enacted, it is nonetheless important because it provides a baseline for UI's advocacy with Congress. Moreover, it seeks to fund some priorities many Republicans share.
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Not all provisions will be non-starters. Some budget winners that Republicans might support include:
- Precision Medicine. Obama's budget seeks to invest $215 million to harness the potential of genomics and genetics to accelerate treatments and cures, goals which resonate with the House Energy and Commerce's 21st Century Cures initiative.
- Advanced Manufacturing. The President wants to add 7 new centers to the 9 that are either already established—like Chicago's Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute—or under competition. He wants to provide $200 million to train new workers in these fields.
- Cybersecurity. The recent hack of Sony Pictures puts pressure on the Administration and Congress to do more, and the budget seeks to increase the unclassified cybersecurity budget.
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... But These Don't Stand a Chance
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To pay for these priorities, the budget includes a variety of tax increases, which congressional Republicans oppose. These include higher taxes on capital gains and corporate global profits, as well as capping the value of charitable deductions for high-income taxpayers.
New this year is a proposal to disallow the deduction for charitable contributions that are a prerequisite for purchasing tickets to college sporting events. College sports fans can currently deduct 80 percent of the cost of some tickets as charitable donations.
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The Republican Congress has struggled to turn back President Obama's executive orders on immigration.
Last month, the House narrowly passed a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill that would end the delayed deportations for "DREAMers" (DACA) brought to the United States illegally as children. But this week, Senate Democrats filibustered the House bill, demanding a "clean" reauthorization of the agency that administers immigration and customs enforcement as well as other programs that protect the country.
Time is running short. DHS funding expires later this month.
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As expected, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) re-filed legislation that seeks to rein in "patent trolls"—bad actors that do not make or develop products but gum up the courts with abusive patent litigation. The measure—identical to the bill he filed last year—will weaken the intellectual property rights for all, including universities. Big Ten presidents and chancellors showed early leadership with a letter last month that demonstrates the key role universities play in translating discoveries into new products and urged caution. This week AAU and APLU followed suit with their own joint letter, which UI and our campuses have signed onto.
The stakes are high. Last year, UI ranked #11 among the "Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted US Utility Patents" list. In FY 2013, UI patented 96 inventions, resulting in 11 new startup companies and more than $25 million in royalty revenues.
UI collaborated with Northwestern University to distribute the Big Ten letter to Illinois delegation members last week. Early indications are promising and that members are taking university concerns with the bill very seriously. These efforts build upon efforts by Vice President for Research Larry Schook and Urbana's Director of Technology Management Lesley Millar-Nicholson.
The Judiciary Committee is expected to mark up the bill later this month.
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UIC's next Chancellor Debuts in DC
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UIC Chancellor-elect Michael Amiridis may not have officially started yet at UIC, but he is already off to a fast start in Washington. On Wednesday, he testified alongside Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) at a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing that explored expanding opportunity in America's schools and workplaces.
Amiridis' testimony highlighted innovations and programs that the state and the University of South Carolina enacted that broadened access and closed the achievement gap. Under questioning from both Democrats and Republicans, Amiridis advocated for year-round need-based aid because it both broadens access and allows students to complete degrees faster with reduced debt load. Year-round Pell is a top priority for UI as we approach Higher Ed Act reauthorization. Amiridis also challenged Congress to maintain investments in basic research and to close the innovation deficit. The lively hearing went on for almost three hours.
Showing true southern grace, USC gave UIC some of Dr. Amiridis' very precious time to connect with Illinois lawmakers. Amiridis and Rep. Danny Davis explored ways to help students, while he and Rep. Robin Kelly, the new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust, discussed ways UIC can help her task force address health disparities.
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Research Park Director Showcases UI Innovation Ecosystem
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UI Research Park Director Laura Frerichs participated in a briefing to Illinois delegation members and staff organized by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) that explored how innovation drives key state industries. Frerichs showcased how the entire UI innovation ecosystem in both Chicago and Urbana-Champaign protects technology, funds startups, supports fledgling enterprises, and launches fully grown companies into research parks. R+D executives from ADM, AbbVie, and SiNode Systems presented, as did Northern Illinois University's Vice President for Research Lesley Rigg. Their message:
While in Washington, Frerichs—an ISTC board member—met with Rep. Rodney Davis as well as staff from the offices of Reps. Robin Kelly and Robert Dold.
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Congressman Danny Davis held a press conference today at UI's Mile Square Health Center in recognition of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. More than 50 community leaders gathered together to spread awareness about the importance of getting tested for HIV. Two University of Illinois representatives made remarks: Henry Taylor, Executive Director of the Mile Square Health Center and Robert Winn (pictured at left), Associate Vice President for Community Based Practice at the UI Hospital & Health Sciences System.
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Thank you,
Jon Pyatt and Melissa Haas | OGR Federal Relations
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