Higher education groups sent a letter to Congress supporting increasing the research capacity at HBCUs and MSIs within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
CGS signed on to a letter asking the 117th Congress to take action in the lame-duck to protect DACA and Dreamers.
CGS sent a letter to the four co-chairs of the Graduate Research and Development (GRAD) Caucus in establishing the House caucus.
15 organizations sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees regarding the 85-15 rule.
CGS sent a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committees addressing the importance of federal funding for higher education programs at the Department of Education for Fiscal Year 2023.
CGS sent a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees addressing the importance of federal research funding at the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation for Fiscal Year 2023.
104 organizations, including CGS, signed on to a letter urging the highest possible allocation to robustly fund the basic and applied research and education programs in the portfolio of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees.
CGS sent a letter to Congress ensuring they make the mental health and wellbeing of graduate students and their families a high priority when developing mental health legislation.
CGS and a group of nearly 100 signers sent a letter to Congress urging their support in addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of students in higher education.
CGS sent a letter to Congress supporting Dr. Nasser Paydar to be the next Secretary of Postsecondary Education at the Department of Education. The Office of Postsecondary Education promotes and expands access to postsecondary education, including graduate education, and broadens global competencies that drive the economic success and competitiveness.
The Energy Sciences Coalition urges Congress to appropriate $8.8 billion in FY 2023 for DOE Office of Science, an increase of 18 percent above FY 2022 and consistent with the bipartisan House and Senate DOE Science for the Future Act.
CGS and 21 other organizations sent a letter to Congressional leadership outlining priorities of a conference agreement between the Senate-passed USICA and House-passed America COMPETES legislation.
CGS signed on to a letter emphasizing the importance of allowing individuals with graduate STEM degrees to be exempt from caps on green cards and providing for dual intent to streamline the visa process in any competitiveness legislation.
CGS and 15 other organizations sent a letter to members of Congress regarding recent Department of Veterans Affairs actions.
CGS and other organizations sent a letter to members of Congress advocating for the creation of a temporary license reciprocity for all practitioners or professionals (those who treat both physical and mental health conditions) in all states for in-person or telehealth visits during a declared national health emergency.
On March 7, CGS and more than 100 other organizations sent a letter to members of Congress regarding the conferencing of the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) of 2021 and the America COMPETES Act of 2022. A final package should include growing core research in the physical sciences and other Office of Science-supported scientific disciplines. As well as investments in new research and emerging technology initiatives to maintain U.S. leadership.
On March 7, CGS and 31 other organizations sent a letter to members of Congress regarding the conferencing of the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) of 2021 and the America COMPETES Act of 2022. The bills reauthorize key Title VI foundational programs that address the nation’s critical needs for expertise in foreign languages, world regions, and international business.
In response to divisive concepts legislation throughout the country, CGS and the higher education community sent a statement. To best serve American society, higher education institutions are committed to transparent intellectual inquiry and academic excellence, free speech, and civil discourse. It is incumbent on our governmental institutions to share and support this commitment.
On February 25, CGS sent a letter to Members of Congress regarding issues of importance to the association. Specifically, CGS called upon Members of the 117th Congress to support federal legislation and policies that improve access to graduate education, promote the United States as a global leader, and create a more equitable and prosperous society for all.
On February 14, CGS and other higher education organizations sent a letter to Congressional leadership requesting they take immediate action to support and protect Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) following the bomb threats made against HBCUs around the country.
The Task Force on American Innovation, of which CGS is a member, sent a letter to appropriations leadership regarding the importance of federally funded research in the physical sciences and engineering. Given the urgent need to recommit our nation to prioritizing science and technology research and the increasing global competition we face in emerging technologies, we strongly encourage Congress to complete the FY22 appropriations process in a timely manner.
CGS joined other higher education associations and social science organizations to support the inclusion of reauthorization provisions for international education programs in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act.
On November 23, the Coalition for National Science Funding sent a letter of thanks to Congressional Leadership for their plans to move to conference the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) with House-passed authorization legislation for the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
CGS sent a letter with 33 other organizations to Congress regarding the inclusion of rounding out language in legislation to ensure that more student veterans can maintain full-time benefits during the last term of their program. Without the ’rounding out’ fix to the recent Veterans’ Affairs rulemaking, these students will be forced into making life-altering decisions, such as abruptly relocating, taking on additional work or a new job, or accumulating even more debt through student loans, that will undoubtedly impact their ability to complete their studies.
On November 2, members of the Coalition for National Science Funding sent a letter to appropriators regarding support for National Science Foundation (NSF) funding in Fiscal Year 2022. NSF investments are key to bolstering U.S. innovation and competitiveness by funding highly meritorious curiosity-driven research; building and fostering U.S. STEM education and workforce programs; supporting cutting-edge facilities that enable the work of scientists and engineers; and addressing the most pressing issues of our time.
CGS and Higher Education Community Thanks Congress for their Support of Student Veterans (10/21/21)
On October 21, the Higher Education community sent thank you letters to Members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs for their continued support of student veterans. Specifically, the community thanked Committee Members for the introduction of the Student Veteran COVID-19 Protection Act (H.R. 5509) and the Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions (REMOTE) Act (H.R. 5545). Here are the thank you letters for H.R. 5509 and H.R. 5545.
On October 14, CGS joined other higher education associations in a sending a letter to the White House and the Centers for Disease Control concerning international students, scholars, and researchers. Specifically, the letter urges the Biden Administration to allow these students, scholars, and researchers, who are from countries where the COVID vaccine is not widely available, to enter the United States.
On September 23, CGS joined other Higher Education associations in sending a letter the House and Senate Leadership requesting their support for legislation to assist students and scholars displaced by the crisis in Afghanistan.
On September 22, CGS joined other Higher Education associations in sending a letter to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. Specifically, the letter urges technical corrections to the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 and the Training in High-demand Roles to Improve Veterans Employment Act
On September 13, CGS sent a letter to House Leadership on the FY22 Budget Reconciliation Act: Build Back Better Act. This letter urges the inclusion of legislative language that would provide income-eligible graduate students, who received Pell Grant support as undergraduates, the ability to apply remaining semesters of Pell support towards a graduate degree.
On August 4, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter urging Congress to enact permanent, legal protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
On July 14, CGS joined a community letter supporting the House Appropriations Committee’s legislation that provides FY 2022 funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
On June 28, CGS joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee recommending Fiscal Year 2022 funding for HEA-Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs.
On June 11, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to House Appropriators requesting fiscal year (FY) 2022 funding for programs of interest to graduate education and research, including $35 million for Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need.
On May 12, CGS joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee supporting Fiscal Year 2022 funding for HEA-Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs
CGS Letter Supporting NSF for the Future Act (05/03/21)
On May 3, CGS sent a letter to members of the House Science Committee endorsing the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Future Act, which would make meaningful improvements to graduate STEM education and research training,
On April 27, CGS joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to Senate leadership supporting international and foreign language education through Title VI reauthorization in upcoming Senate competitiveness legislation.
CGS Joins Letters to Congress on Federal Student Loan Origination Fees (04/19/21)
On April 19, CGS joined community letters to congressional leadership and to leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in support of S. 847, the Student Loan Tax Elimination Act, which would eliminate costly origination fees on federal student loans disbursed on or after March 27, 2020.
On April 14, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions leadership in support of James Kvaal who has been nominated to serve as the Under Secretary in the Department of Education.
On March 31, CGS joined a community letter urging Congress to provide $1.51 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs for FY 2022. (03/31/21)
On March 17, CGS joined the Student Aid Alliance on a FY 2022 appropriations request letter to Congress, including $35 million for the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program.
On March 15, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter thanking Democratic leaders for passing the American Rescue Plan Act (H.R. 1319) which provides significant assistance for postsecondary institutions and students.
CGS Sends Letters to House and Senate on the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act (3/11/21)
On March 11, CGS sent a letter to leaders of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology endorsing the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act (H.R. 144), which would establish a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship program through the National Science Foundation to support early-career scientists whose employment prospects have been affected by COVID-19. On February 23, CGS sent a letter to Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) endorsing the companion legislation in the Senate.
On March 2, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Senate leaders voicing support for the reconciliation package that would provide $40 billion for students and institutions.
On February 22, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Senate leadership in support of the bipartisan Dream Act (S.264).
CGS Endorses House and Senate RISE Act Reintroduction (2/9/21)
On February 8, CGS joined a community letter to the leaders of the House Committee on Education and Labor in support of the $40 billion in emergency relief for institutions and students included in the FY21 budget resolution’s reconciliation instructions.
On January 27, CGS joined the Coalition for National Science Funding on a letter requesting Congress include $3 billion in emergency relief funding for the National Science Foundation in future COVID-19 relief legislation.