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Good afternoon,

The goal of this email is to provide a regular source of useful information to staff and faculty of the University of ÑÇÖÞÓ°Ôº System regarding the federal government and higher education. We have put together a list of news articles that will keep you informed of the actions taken by the executive, legislative, and judicial branch of government. These articles are meant to be informative and are not a reflection of the views or stance of the system regarding these issues. 

If you would like more information regarding any of the stories we share, or if you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact Dusty Schnieders and/or Emily Lucas .

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Appropriations News

Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole – June 13, 2024
The House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act. The measure was approved by the Committee with a vote of 34 to 25. The Defense Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $833.053 billion, which is $8.57 billion (1%) above the Fiscal Year 2024 level and consistent with the limit set in law by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
A summary of the bill is available .
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available .

Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole – June 11, 2024
The House Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee met to consider its Fiscal Year 2025 bill. The measure was approved by the Subcommittee. Note, the subcommittee markup included funding for the University of ÑÇÖÞӰԺ’s Center for Agricultural Animal Genetic Engineering and Health and the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Telemedicine Expansion, these can be referenced in the community project funding requests table below. 
A summary of the bill is available .
Bill text is available .
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available .

Capitol News

The Hill – June 14, 2024
The House on Friday approved its version of the annual defense policy bill that includes a number of controversial culture-war amendments, setting the stage for a showdown with the Democratic-controlled Senate over legislation that typically enjoys bipartisan support. The chamber cleared the $883.7 billion measure — known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — in a largely party-line 217-199 vote. Six Democrats voted in favor of the measure, while three Republicans opposed it. The House edition of the legislation is all but certain to languish in the Senate where Democrats, who hold the majority, abhor many of the amendments Republicans added, including those pertaining to abortion, transgender rights, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

USA Today – June 13, 2024
Republican-controlled House committee made the first substantial move, approving a single-purpose bill that would prevent college athletes from being employees of schools, conferences or a national governing association. However, with Democrats controlling the Senate, and Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) having engaged in months of negotiations with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) over more comprehensive legislation addressing issues in college athletics, there is no question that they will remain pivotal figures in whether a bill actually gets through Congress this year.

Washington Examiner – June 13, 2024
House Republicans are eyeing the tax-exempt status of universities as a way to ensure administrators will stop campus antisemitism. At a House Ways and Means Committee hearing titled "Crisis on Campus: Antisemitism, Radical Faculty, and the Failure of University Leadership," Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) called into question the tax-exempt status of universities that do not properly respond to campus antisemitism and commit possible Title VI civil rights violations.

Center for Strategic & International Studies– June 12, 2024
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a hearing titled about the need for the United States to develop a robust critical minerals supply chain that both sets the U.S. to compete and remain independent from China.

Federal News

Department of Energy – June 7, 2024
The Department of Energy Office of Science issued a request for information last week on a proposed fusion energy public-private consortium framework that aims to amplify federal funding, by catalyzing and bringing together state/local government, private, philanthropic funding, and partnerships to accelerate fusion energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment. The Office of Science is seeking input on how universities can support the framework and what roles they can serve.

National Science Foundation – June 5, 2024
The U.S. National Science Foundation has announced a new risk mitigation process, the Trusted Research Using Safeguards and Transparency (TRUST) framework, which will guide the agency in assessing grant proposals for potential national security risks. The revised procedures will help safeguard U.S. taxpayer investments in research and innovation while strengthening international collaboration.

Important Dates

House Appropriations 

Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) released the markup schedule for Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills. This schedule is subject to change. 

Thursday, June 27, 2024

• Subcommittee Markup

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill

Friday, June 28, 2024

• Subcommittee Markup

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Bill

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

• Full Committee Markup

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Bill

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

• Full Committee Markup

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill
  • Fiscal Year 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill
  • Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill