Congress Clear Defense Policy Bill

BU IN DC

School of Public Health Dean Sandro Galea addressed the National Institutes of Health Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lunch Series on “The Contagion Next Time: Underlying Socioeconomic and Racial Divides and Our Risk from COVID and Future Pandemics” on December 16th.

 

CONGRESS CLEARS DEFENSE POLICY BILL

Last week, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021, an annual policy bill that sets priorities for the Department of Defense. The bill creates a new requirement that investigators applying for grants from any federal research agency must disclose foreign funding sources, and penalties for noncompliance could include discontinued federal funding for the investigator. The bill also authorizes a national artificial intelligence research initiative, a national strategy on microelectronics research, and an update to the National Biodefense Implementation Plan. While President Donald J. Trump has threatened to veto the bill over an unrelated matter, the bill passed both chambers by margins sufficient to override his planned veto.Find out more

 

BUZZ BITS…

  • The National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting input for the NSF’s five-year strategic plan. The request asks stakeholders to help shape what the agency’s research priorities should be through 2026. Comments are due by January 22, 2021.
  • Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education announced changes to its College Scorecard that will allow prospective students to compare how much students at a given university earn after graduation, as well as student loan indebtedness for both students and parents.
  • A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated last week that the guidance for international students whose course of study was interrupted by the pandemic would remain unchanged for spring 2021. Universities had asked for clarification that the guidance would remain, as well as additional flexibility to permit newly enrolled students to use distance learning.

 

WHAT COULD BIDEN MEAN FOR ARTS & HUMANITIES?

As President-elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris prepare to take office in January, Beltway BUzz will occasionally highlight what the higher education community can expect from the new administration.

The Biden-Harris Transition Team for the Arts and Humanities is populated by leaders from museum administration, public television, arts advocacy, and municipal cultural agencies. The incoming administration is expected to reconstitute the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, a White House advisory board that lapsed under the Trump Administration. As part of its economic recovery agenda, the Biden Administration is likely to focus on the role the National Endowments for the Arts (NEA) and the Humanities (NEH) can play in spurring economic growth. Beyond the NEA and NEH, a Biden State Department may also utilize American art and artists as a tool of cultural diplomacy.

Learn about the review team

A Note To Our Readers: Beltway BUzz will bring you the latest developments once Congress passes a fiscal year 2021 appropriations package and COVID-19 relief bill. If a deal is not reached by next week, we will return in the new year. Have a safe and happy holiday!

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