Good afternoon,
The goal of this email is to provide a regular source of useful information to staff and faculty of the University of èapp 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 schniedersd@umsystem.edu and/or Emily Lucas el59bz@umsystem.edu.
Follow èappGovernment Relations on Twitter:
Federal Update
House
Congress faces a deadline of tonight before midnight to avoid a partial government shutdown. Lawmakers are currently negotiating the end date for a stopgap spending bill. This week, Speaker Johnson introduced over 1,500 pages of bill text for a continuing resolution (CR) that would extend funding until March 14. The bill includes $110 billion in disaster relief, a one-year farm bill extension, and several provisions aimed at gaining Democratic support. After this proposal, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Donald Trump strongly campaigned against the CR, urging GOP members not to support it. Trump advocated for a clean CR and for addressing the debt ceiling, arguing that this would reflect the current administration's responsibility rather than something he would have to handle if elected.
In response, Speaker Johnson introduced a new stopgap funding bill, which would fund the government for three months, suspend the debt ceiling until January 2027, and include the same $110 billion in disaster relief. However, this bill, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, failed 235-174, with 38 Republicans voting against it.
The third potential strategy involves a multi-pronged approach, allowing separate votes on the different measures.
Senate
Democrats have finalized committee leadership assignments for the next session. Please see the details below.
- Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee
- Senator Patty Murray (D-WA): Senate Appropriations Committee
- Senator Jack Reed (D-RI): Senate Armed Services Committee
- Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee
- Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA): Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee
- Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NV): Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee
- Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
- Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR): Senate Finance Committee
- Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT): Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee
- Senator Gary Peters (D-MI): Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee
- Senator Mark Warner (D-VA): Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
- Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): Senate Judiciary Committee
- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY): Senate Aging Committee
- Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR): Senate Budget Committee
- Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH): Senate Joint Economic Committee
- Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA): Senate Rules & Administration Committee
- Senator Ed Markey (D-MA): Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee
- Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
- Senator Chris Coons (D-DE): Senate Select Committee on Ethics
- Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI): Senate Indian Affairs Committee
Federal News
CBS News – December 16, 2024
Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank plans to invest $100 billion in the U.S. and create 100,000 jobs in artificial intelligence and technology, President-elect Donald Trump announced at Mar-a-Lago alongside SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son.
The Hill – December 17, 2024
The House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) released its sweeping end-of-year report, laying out a roadmap for Congress as it crafts policy surrounding the advancing technology. takes a deep dive into how the U.S. can harness AI in social, economic and health settings, while acknowledging how the technology can be harmful or misused in some cases.
House Committee on Education and the Workforce – December 17, 2024
Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott delivered floor remarks in support of , the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act of 2023. This bill reauthorizes the bipartisan Never Again Education Act through 2030 and directs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to provide educators across the country with resources and training to teach important lessons pertaining to the Holocaust.
2025 Congressional Calendar
Tentative 2025 congressional calendar, subject to change.
Reviewed 2025-02-14