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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 �ǿմ�ý 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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Defense News

Defense News – December 14, 2023
Congress today passed its $874.2 billion defense policy bill. The Defense Department is currently operating under a stopgap funding bill, which means it can’t start most new initiatives or move forward with many acquisitions authorized in the NDAA absent a full spending bill. It also authorizes $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative in both FY24 and FY25.

U.S. Department of Defense – December 14, 2023
Both the House and Senate have passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to be signed by the president. Among other things, the bill authorizes:

• 5.2% pay raise for both service members and civilian defense employees.
• Bill increases family separation allowance to $400 per month
• Authorizes the Navy to enter into multiyear procurement contracts for up to 13 Virginia class submarines
• Authorizes the department to enter into multiyear procurement contracts for rare earth elements. Rare earth elements are used to manufacture the permanent magnets used in major U.S. military weapons systems and in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries.

Federal News

U.S. National Science Foundation – December 14, 2023
The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced the first-ever Accelerating Research Translation (ART) investment — more than $100 million to 18 teams at academic institutions across the nation. NSF's investment will enable academic institutions to accelerate the pace and scale of translational research that will grow the nation's economy. One of the awardees was the �ǿմ�ý (mentor: Washington University in St. Louis).

US Department of Health and Human Services – December 14, 2023
The Biden-Harris Administration is announcing the latest part of a broader commitment - PDF to ensure AI is deployed safely and responsibly in healthcare – voluntary commitments from a group of 28 healthcare provider and payer organizations to help move toward safe, secure, and trustworthy purchasing and use of AI technology.

Health Care News

 
American Hospital Association – December 12, 2023 
The House Dec. 11 voted 320-71 to pass legislation (H.R. 5378) that would delay a Jan. 19 payment reduction to Medicaid disproportionate share hospitals for two years, but permanently reduce Medicare payments for drug administration services in off-campus hospital outpatient departments. Among other provisions, the bill codifies the Hospital Price Transparency Rule but makes key changes, including no longer allowing the use of price estimator tools to meet the shoppable services requirement and increasing civil monetary penalties for noncompliance. 

Science and Technology News

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) – December 12, 2023
In this report, GAO reviewed the implementation of AI at major federal agencies. In addition, GAO identified requirements from executive orders, OMB guidance, and a law regarding the implementation of AI. While there are varying definitions of AI, they generally refer to computing systems that “learn” how to improve their performance. AI has the potential to rapidly change the world and holds substantial promise for improving government operations.

Higher Education News

House Education & Workforce Committee – December 12, 2023
The Education and the Workforce Committee reported out two bipartisan workforce development bills—the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act (H.R. 6585) and A Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 6655)—that would help workers, students, and businesses benefit from our nation’s economic growth.

•  (H.R. 6585): would expand opportunities for students and workers looking to gain skills in high-demand fields by allowing Pell Grants to support students enrolled in high-quality, short-term education programs that will lead to career advancement.
•  (H.R. 6655): will expand and improve skills development, strengthen connections between employers and the workforce system, and put more Americans on the pathway to a successful career.

Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences – December 14, 2023
On December 12^th, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee considered Senate bill 3392, . The legislation would reauthorize the long-expired Education Sciences Reform Act 2002 that guides the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) including on the collection of statistics and research on the country’s education system. Key provisions include: 

• New provisions which include updated definitions of “evidence-based” and “evidence use”, allow for a year-long extension to the agency director’s term, and expand federally funded research opportunities. 
• The bill also makes considerable changes to the National Board on Education Sciences (NBES), changing appointment from President to Secretary of Education, reducing the number of members from 15 to nine, and extending terms from four to six years.

Inside Higher Ed – December 14, 2023
The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution to condemn the testimony of three university presidents at a hearing last week and call on those presidents to resign. The presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ignited a furor when they failed to clearly state at the hearing that calling for the genocide of Jewish people violates university policies on bullying and harassment. The resolution says their answers “were evasive and dismissive.” Penn president Liz Magill resigned over the weekend following the backlash. The boards at Harvard and MIT have publicly backed their presidents.