| |
|
The House and Senate returned to DC this week. There was movement on two items of interest to universities: appropriations and patent reform.
|
|
|
|
|
Appropriations Outlook Worsens Under Senate Minority Leader Threat
|
|
Word is spreading that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid plans to use Senate procedural rules to prevent appropriations bills from receiving votes on the Senate floor. This is part of an effort to put pressure on Republicans to negotiate with Democrats on a larger deal that would lift sequestration-level spending caps on defense and non-defense discretionary spending while also addressing sequestration. Rather than waiting until the end of the fiscal year (September 30), Democrats are insisting that Republicans work with them now to try to flesh out an agreement. Sen. Dick Durbin chimed in. "Do we have to go through this process…taking this to September or November? Or can we sit down now, in a timely fashion, and work this thing out? Let's start this conversation. We all agree there is an issue."
Meanwhile, the House passed a Fiscal Year 2016 appropriations bill to fund the National Science Foundation (NSF), among other agencies. Although the bill provides a slight increase to NSF over the FY2015 level, __________. The White House issued a veto threat.
|
|
|
Sen. Durbin Offers Helpful Amendment During Patent Reform Debate
|
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee marked up the PATENT Act, patent litigation legislation which is intended to curtail abusive behavior by bad actors in our nation's patent system. As a member of the committee, Senator Dick Durbin stood up for universities by sponsoring an amendment that the University of Illinois—along with other institutions, as well as APLU and AAU—supported. The amendment called for providing an exemption for universities and their licensee partners from the bill's broadly-written fee-shifting provisions. While the amendment was not adopted at the committee level, UI greatly appreciates Sen. Durbin's efforts to try to ensure that the university technology transfer process is protected.
The overall legislation was approved by the Committee, and now awaits floor consideration. After delaying a mark-up of its own patent litigation legislation, the House Judiciary Committee will likely take up its bill next week. That version has even more concerning fee-shifting provisions than the Senate bill.
|
|
|
UI Partners with Rep. Bustos in Hosting Manufacturing Roundtables
|
 |
|
| Left to right: UI Extension Director George Czapar, Rep. Cheri Bustos, VPR Larry Schook, and UI Extension County Director Jenny Garner |
|
| |
Last week, the University of Illinois teamed up with Congresswoman Cheri Bustos to convene a series of roundtables in Rockford, the Quad Cities, and Peoria as part of a "Partnering for Illinois' Economic Future" initiative. The roundtables brought together local manufacturers, economic development groups, and individuals from UI's Chicago and Urbana campuses, including representatives from the Urbana Applied Research Institute, UI Extension, and theUIC College of Medicine.
UI Vice President for Research Larry Schook and Rep. Bustos moderated the discussions, which aimed to identify opportunities for intra-regional coordination. With manufacturing as the overarching focus area, each meeting delved into the major sub-industries within each region: aerospace in Rockford, defense in the Quad Cities, and health care in Peoria.
UI Director of Innovation & Economic Development Joey Mak and Economic Outreach Coordinator Amelia Salter worked closely with Rep. Bustos' team to organize these successful events, which will set the foundation for future collaborative efforts to drive economic revitalization in those regions.
|
|
|
Urbana Participates in Rep. Davis Aviation Listening Session
|
|
In preparation for the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Rep. Rodney Davis held a listening session with local stakeholders at the University of Illinois-Willard Airport. Representing the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was Associate Chancellor Mike DeLorenzo, Executive Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Melanie Loots, and Aerospace Engineering Department Head Philippe Geubelle. Our Urbana representatives shared the campus' perspectives on aviation research as well as regulations governing the use of small unmanned air systems (sUAS) in research and education.
|
|
|
Ashley Smith, a rising senior at Urbana, started interning in OGR's DC office this week. Originally from Bolingbrook, Ashley is studying Political Science and Spanish. On campus, she is on the executive board for the Illinois Trial Team as the Social Coordinator and Technology Chair. Ashley also serves as a LAS 101 teaching intern as well as being a member of the Political Science Honors Society. She has interests in International Relations and Law.
OGR is thrilled to have her on board for the summer. Welcome, Ashley!
|
|
|
Thank you,
Melissa Haas | Acting Director | OGR Federal Relations
|
|
|
|
