blog posts

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 10.31.2014

  Oct 31, 2014 3:00 pm2 views

  The election is days away, and DC is a ghost town. Elected officials are either back in their home districts fighting for survival or criss-crossing the country to help others...

• Rep. Bustos & UI Issue Economic Report

  Nov 5, 2013 2:00 pm2 views

  This past August, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos hosted three regional meetings as part of her “Partnering for Illinois’ Economic Future” initiative...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.24.2014

  Jan 24, 2014 3:15 pm1 views

  Following last week's passage of an omnibus appropriations bill, both chambers recessed for a week...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter- 2.27.2015

  Feb 27, 2015 3:15 pm1 views

  Fallout from President Obama's immigration action casts a long shadow over DC this week. As the final seconds tick away on both the work week and Homeland Security funding, the House and Senate have so far not been unable to identify a compromise to keep the agency funded. The Senate passed a clean bill that would keep funding secure through September, while the House has proposed, but so far not passed, a continuing resolution for a few more weeks...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.13.2015

  Mar 13, 2015 3:15 pm1 views

  With several Member submission deadlines for appropriations right around the corner, Congressional offices are now in the process of reviewing external programmatic requests. Meanwhile, House and Senate Republicans are putting final touches on their fiscal year 2016 budget resolutions, which are expected to be unveiled and marked up by budget committees next week. Majority leadership in both chambers intend to bring the budget blueprints to their respective floors the last week of March before adjourning for a two-week Easter and Passover recess...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.27.2015

  Mar 27, 2015 3:15 pm1 views

  Before heading into a two-week Easter and Passover recess, Congress tackled two significant items: Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget resolutions and a Medicare "Doc Fix"...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter- 4.10.2015

  Apr 10, 2015 3:15 pm1 views

  With Congress in recess these past two weeks, the University of Illinois seized several significant opportunities to interact with members of the Illinois Congressional delegation...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.11.2014

  Apr 11, 2014 3:30 pm1 views

  The House narrowly approved Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's FY 2015 budget resolution along highly partisan lines...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 5.9.2014

  May 9, 2014 3:45 pm1 views

  Next week, the Senate will be in and will consider wind energy tax credits. The House will be in recess...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 5.16.2014

  May 16, 2014 3:45 pm1 views

  Next week, the Senate is expected to continue its consideration of a tax extenders bill, which contains the deduction for tuition and fees, IRA charitable rollover, and the research and development tax credit...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter- 5.22.2015

  May 22, 2015 3:30 pm1 views

  After wrestling with appropriations, authorization bills, and other measures over the past couple of weeks, Congress has adjourned for its Memorial Day recess. Both the House and the Senate will reconvene on June 1...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 5.23.2014

  May 23, 2014 3:45 pm1 views

  Next week, the Senate is out for a district work period. The House is in and will consider an NSF spending bill, as well as other matters...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter- 6.5.2015

  Jun 5, 2015 3:30 pm1 views

  The House and Senate returned to DC this week. There was movement on two items of interest to universities: appropriations and patent reform...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter- 6.19.2015

  Jun 19, 2015 3:30 pm1 views

  Although no appropriations bill made it to the House or Senate floor this week, there was ample movement at the committee level. University of Illinois President Tim Killeen was in DC to meet with other institution presidents and chancellors, as well as the leader of the the world’s largest general scientific society.

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 7.2.2015

  Jul 2, 2015 3:30 pm1 views

  After being in session last week, Congress spent this week in a district work-period. Both the House and Senate will return in full force on Tuesday to consider appropriations and other matters...

• Senate Passes Student Loan Interest Rate Deal

  Jul 25, 2013 1:45 pm1 views

  Yesterday, the Senate took up an amended version of the House-passed "Smarter Solutions for Students Act," which reflects the compromise brokered by a bipartisan group of Senators.

• This Week in IL: Sen. Durbin Visits UIUC

  Jul 25, 2013 1:45 pm1 views

  Earlier today, Senator Durbin visited the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. To kick off his visit, he held a press event to publicize the long-term deal that was reached on student loan interest rates...

• DC Visitors: Week of July 29

  Jul 29, 2013 1:45 pm1 views

  College of Medicine Dean Dimitri Azar and Dr. Gene Robinson, Professor in Entomology and Neuroscience were in DC this week.

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 8.21.2015

  Aug 21, 2015 3:30 pm1 views

  With Congress in recess and Members back in their districts, University of Illinois campuses are seizing opportunities to meet with federal officials and host events...

• Farm Bill Update - 10.7.2013

  Oct 7, 2013 1:00 pm1 views

  Although the 9-month extension of the 2008 farm bill expired on the 1st, Congress is close to negotiating the final reauthorization language...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 12.6.2013

  Dec 6, 2013 3:00 pm1 views

  Upon returning from the Thanksgiving recess, the chairs of the House and Senate Budget committees, Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Patty Murray, resumed discussions over spending levels and sequestration...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 12.12.2014

  Dec 12, 2014 4:00 pm1 views

  It's been a climactic final week of session, and we have not quite reached the finish line...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 12.13.2013

  Dec 13, 2013 3:00 pm1 views

  On Tuesday evening, the chairs of the House and Senate Budget Committees, Representative Paul Ryan and Senator Patty Murray, announced that they had reached a two-year budget agreement after weeks of deliberation...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.9.2017

  Jan 9, 2017 3:00 pm0 views

  University of Illinois President Tim Killeen and Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones started off 2017 in Washington, D.C., traveling to the nation's capital early last week to welcome new and returning members of Congress during Congressional swearing-in activities..

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.10.2014

  Jan 10, 2014 3:15 pm0 views

  Both the House and the Senate returned to DC this week with a critical deadline looming—the expiration of the current continuing resolution on January 15...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.17.2014

  Jan 17, 2014 3:15 pm0 views

  Just weeks after a prolonged government shutdown in October, both the House and Senate passed an omnibus appropriations bill that returns Congress to some semblance of budgetary normalcy...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.23.2017

  Jan 23, 2017 3:00 pm0 views

  Another short but busy week lies ahead on Capitol Hill before Republicans head to Philadelphia for their annual joint retreat to strategize on their agenda for this session...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.29.2016

  Jan 29, 2016 3:45 pm0 views

  Although this week was a bit quieter due to the aftermath of last weekend's major snow storm, the past few weeks have been busy here in DC with the kick off of the 2nd session of the 114th Congress and activity prompted by the President's State of the Union Address...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.30.2018

  Jan 30, 2018 4:15 pm0 views

  The federal government briefly shut down after funding for fiscal year 2018 (FY18) ran out at midnight on Friday, January 19...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 1.31.2014

  Jan 31, 2014 3:15 pm0 views

  On Wednesday, the House approved the farm bill conference report by a vote of 251-166...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 2.6.2017

  Feb 6, 2017 3:00 pm0 views

  Attention and debate last week centered around two primary topics — President Trump's recent executive order on immigration and Cabinet confirmations. Discussions surrounding both of these topics will spill into this week...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.4.2016

  Mar 4, 2016 3:45 pm0 views

  We're now in the thick of appropriations season. Both on the House and Senate side, committees held budget hearings this week to gear up for Fiscal Year 2017...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.7.2014

  Mar 7, 2014 3:15 pm0 views

  President Barack Obama released his preliminary budget request on Tuesday...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.13.2017

  Mar 13, 2017 3:00 pm0 views

  Numerous University of Illinois leaders descended on Washington, D.C. last week for meetings on Capitol Hill and with key federal agencies.

  The Illinois congressional delegation—particularly Rep. Rodney Davis—devoted significant time and attention to the U of I ambassadors who were in town to advocate and strengthen partnerships...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.18.2016

  Mar 15, 2016 3:45 pm0 views

  As Congressional committees continued holding budget hearings, more top officials from federal agencies made their way to the Hill this week to testify before Members of Congress about their respective budgets...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.16.2018

  Mar 16, 2018 4:15 pm0 views

  While Congress continues to work on a final appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2018, the appropriations process for FY2019 has already begun...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.17.2017

  Mar 17, 2017 11:00 am0 views

  The Trump Administration released its budget blueprint for fiscal year (FY) 2018 on Thursday. The so-called "skinny" budget proposal provides broad, preliminary funding proposals for Cabinet-level departments and several other major agencies. Although it mostly provides top-line numbers, the blueprint provides an initial preview of the new Administration's priorities for federal programs...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 3.21.2014

  Mar 21, 2014 3:30 pm0 views

  Both the House and the Senate were on recess this week. The House returns on Monday...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter 03.23.2018

  Mar 23, 2018 4:15 pm0 views

  Congressional leaders released a $1.3 trillion FY2018 omnibus spending bill on March 21. Research and education fared...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.4.2014

  Apr 4, 2014 3:30 pm0 views

  Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) announced she will hold a hearing on innovation and budget cuts on April 29...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.4.2016

  Apr 4, 2016 3:45 pm0 views

  Although there has been little movement lately on appropriations, there have been some positive developments relating to regulatory relief for institutions of higher education...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter 04.06.2018

  Apr 6, 2018 4:15 pm0 views

  The Office of Governmental Relations (OGR) has uploaded all of the University of Illinois System's Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations requests to the federal webpage...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.7.2017

  Apr 7, 2017 4:00 pm0 views

  After a relatively light legislative week, Congress will adjourn today for a two-week recess. Once members return the week of April 24, they will have a pressing item on their plate — they will need to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) for the remaining five months of FY 2017 since the current CR is set to expire on April 28...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter 04.13.2018

  Apr 13, 2018 4:15 pm0 views

  Congress returned to DC this week after a two-week recess. Although national attention was focused primarily on Facebook...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.15.2016

  Apr 15, 2016 3:45 pm0 views

  Things are in full swing this spring—the past few weeks have involved a successful alumni association board meeting in DC, advocacy on the Hill, a campus visit by DHS dignitaries, and positive grant news. Meanwhile, federal appropriations bills are inching along...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.25.2014

  Apr 25, 2014 3:30 pm0 views

  Both the Senate and House were in recess this week and will return to session on Monday...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 4.29.2016

  Apr 29, 2016 3:45 pm0 views

  In this week's edition, efforts to enact campus sexual assault legislation are revived, UIC advocates for NSF on the Hill, and Rep. Hultgren visits Urbana's College of Engineering...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 5.2.2014

  May 2, 2014 3:30 pm0 views

  This week, a House Appropriations subcommittee pleased the university community with an opening mark of $7.4 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF)...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 05.11.2018

  May 11, 2018 4:30 pm0 views

  The Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 appropriations process is in full swing and several funding bills were approved this week by their respective subcommittees. Specifically...

• Federal Relations E-Newsletter - 5.19.2017

  May 19, 2017 4:00 pm0 views

  Both the House and Senate were in session this week. While the chapter for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 appropriations has finally closed, much work remains for FY 2018 appropriations, and very little time...