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Although all the action was at the committee level, the focus this week in Congress revolved around the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budgets introduced by House and Senate Republicans.
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GOP Budgets Cast Dark Cloud Over Research, Student Aid
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House and Senate Republicans released their budgets this week, both of which ushered in concerning implications for higher education and research programs. While these budgets are largely political messaging documents, they bear significance in that they signal spending and policy priorities.
Both the House and Senate budget blueprints attempt to balance the federal budget by slashing more than $5 billion in spending within ten years. They both maintain the $1.016 trillion overall spending cap for FY2016 appropriations bills. However, between FY2017 and FY2025, the House budget proposes $759 billion in additional reductions to non-defense discretionary appropriations, and the Senate budget proposes an additional $236 billion in reductions over that same time period.
Both call for changes to federal student aid programs, including the Pell Grant program. The House version would freeze the Pell grant maximum award for 10 years at the current level of $5,775. It would also tighten eligibility requirements. The Senate version would cut all mandatory funding for Pell, amounting to a $90 billion reduction over 10 years. Additionally, it would do away with the in-school interest subsidy for undergraduate student loans.
Both House and Senate Budget Committees approved the budget resolutions yesterday on party-line votes. Full floor consideration is expected for both resolutions next week. Should the resolutions pass, they would then go to conference in order to reconcile differences.
OGR will be communicating UI's concerns to the Illinois delegation, and will continue to encourage Congress to lift the discretionary budget caps imposed by sequestration. If you have specific questions regarding the budget proposals, please contact Melissa Haas.
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Durbin Receives Science Award, Unveils Major Research Bill
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Nominated by UI and other Illinois research universities, Sen. Dick Durbin received The Science Coalition (TSC) Champion of Science Award this past Monday at the 1871 tech incubator. This award recognizes members of Congress whose actions and votes regularly reflect their commitment to supporting basic scientific research.
The award was presented by UI President Robert Easter, President-elect Timothy Killeen, Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro, Southern Illinois University System President Randy Dunn, University of Chicago Provost Eric Isaacs, and Northern Illinois University Vice President for Research and Innovation Partnerships Lesley Rigg.
More than 30 University of Illinois administrators, researchers, students, and entrepreneurs from our Urbana and Chicago campuses attended the event. Dr. Michael Amiridis, who officially started as UIC Chancellor that day, attended and had a chance to speak with Sen. Durbin. UI Vice President for Research Larry Schook, UIC Vice Chancellor for Research Mitra Dutta, and Urbana's Applied Research Institute Director Jeff Binder were among the UI contingent that attended.
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Sen. Durbin used the award ceremony toannounce significant legislation to boost funding for federal research. The legislation, called the American Innovation Act, would increase funding for five scientific research agencies/programs: the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, the Department of Defense (DOD) Science and Technology Programs, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Scientific and Technical Research, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Directorate. The bill has been embraced by the higher ed community (see AAU statement, APLU statement). Illinois Rep. Bill Foster introduced the House companion legislation.
During his speech, Sen. Durbin praised Dr. Sivalingam Sivananthan, UIC Physics Professor and Director of UIC’s Microphysics Laboratory. He applauded Dr. Siva's game-changing research in solar technology and advanced military infrared night vision technology.
Photos: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin/UIC Photo Services
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UI Supports Re-Introduction of Manufacturing Universities Act
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A bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives re-introduced the Manufacturing Universities Act—legislation which would allow NIST to designate up to 25 “manufacturing universities.” As part of an effort to reduce the skills gap, it incentivizes university engineering programs to focus on advanced manufacturing. The legislation has been endorsed by AAU, APLU, and individual institutions, including UI.
Rep. Rodney Davis—one of the original co-sponsors—issued a press release which included a quote from UIPresident Robert Easter:
“Universities are the incubators of the breakthrough discovery and next-generation workforce that is needed to drive a new era of growth in American manufacturing.” said Dr. Robert A. Easter, President of the University of Illinois. “I’m grateful to Representative Davis and his House and Senate colleagues for their efforts to boost U.S. competitiveness by investing in our nation’s engineering programs.”
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UI Health Leadership Shares Priorities with Hill
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Senior leadership from the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health) were in DC for the America's Essential Hospitals spring policy assembly. The group included Chief Executive Officer Avijit Ghosh, Chief Operating Officer David Loffing, Senior Director of Health Policy and Strategy Nicole Kazee, and Assistant VP of Human Resources Mary-Jo Smith.
Following the conference, UI Health senior leadership meet with staff and Members on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of UI Health priorities, including protecting Medicare payments to Hospital Outpatient Departments, Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME), and adjustments for socioeconomic status in ACA quality programs. They met withRepresentative Danny Davis, the offices of Representatives Adam Kinzinger, Peter Roskam, Jan Schakowsky, and Aaron Schock, as well as the offices of Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk.
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Urbana, UIC Faculty Participate in Humanities Advocacy Day
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Humanities faculty from our Urbana and Chicago campuses were in Washington to attend the National Humanities Alliance annual meeting. Representing Urbana was Dianne Harris, Director of the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities, and representing UIC was Imke Meyer, Director of the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics. As part of a Humanities Advocacy Day, they met with the offices of Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk, as well as Representative Rodney Davis to promote the importance of federal support for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Thank you,
Melissa Haas | Acting Director | OGR Federal Relations
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