OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Legislation and Policy Report
April, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress rolled up their sleeves to agree on a FY2010 budget resolution and began to move forward with appropriations requests and began discussions on national energy policy and health care reform.
Appropriations and Budget – Members of Congress approved the conference report for the FY2010 concurrent budget resolution and prepared reconciliation instructions to House and Senate education committees on reductions in student aid spending over the next five years.
Education – An effort urging Congress to move Pell Grant program from discretionary to entitlement spending in the budget.
Energy Policy – Update on development of House energy policy and legislation .
Healthcare Reform – The president and Congress begin discussions on national healthcare reform.
NASA – The agency begins process of decadal survey on robotic exploration and concerns grow over lack of a permanent leader at the agency.
National Institutes of Health – A report on the first meeting of the agency’s Scientific Management Review Board.
Patent Reform – Senate Judiciary Committee passes out a revised patent reform bill to the Senate floor.
Research – Updates on guidance related to implementation of Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act for research activities, NIH guidelines on embryonic stem cell research, and HHS guidance eon HIPAA security breaches.
Odds and Ends – Miscellaneous items of interest.
Comings and Goings – Appointments, resignations, deaths.
THE BUCKEYE STATE
FY2010-2011 Biennial Operating Budget – The House passes its version of the budget , the Governor announces a $600 million state revenue shortfall for April, and the Senate begins work on its version.
Legislative Issues – Update on legislation affecting colleges and universities.
Other States – Updates on ways other states are addressing educational and research issues legislatively.
Comings and Goings – Appointments, resignations, deaths.
LOCALLY... Two Cleveland City Council members announce their resignations.
Sources of information for this report include the Association of American Universities, American Institute of Physics, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio’s updates and reports, newspapers, political and legislative wire services, and others.