Appropriations Update: House Looks to Pass Funding Bills Before August Recess

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the House of Representatives will vote next week and the week after on bills to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2023. The House Rules Committee is set to meet on Monday, July 18 to consider the rules of debate for several spending bills, including for the Department of Energy. Read more.

Budget Reconciliation Back on the Table

After talks in the Senate stalled in December 2021 regarding the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act, it seemed any chance of passage in 2022 was slim at best. Yet there is now optimism in the Senate regarding a vote on a slimmed down version of budget reconciliation before the August recess. Read more. 

GRAD Caucus Launch Event

On July 13, a bipartisan group of Members of Congress launched the Graduate Research and Development (GRAD) Caucus. The new caucus is co-chaired by Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Stephanie Bice (R-OK). Read more.   

American Rescue Plan Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund

The U.S. Department of Education announced the final award of $198 million in American Rescue Plan Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF). Read more. 

NSF CyberCorps Program Rulemaking

The National Science Foundation recently released a federal register notice regarding the Cyber Scholarship-for-Service Program. The proposed rulemaking seeks to change the standards for how a scholarship would be repaid if a recipient fails to meet the program requirements. Read more. 

Senate Hearing on Student Veterans Legislation

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing on pending legislation impacting veterans. During the hearing, committee members discussed the unintended consequences of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) recent 85-15 policy reset. Read more.