Washington Update January 19, 2015
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMITTEE CHAIRS & RANKING MEMBERS OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCED
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) officially announced the Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs for the 114th Congress. Subcommittee memberships are still being
formulated and will be announced shortly.
Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) previously announced the
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Members for the 114th Congress.
SENATORS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO EXPAND H-1B VISAS FOR HIGH-SKILLED
IMMIGRANTS
A bipartisan group of Senators on January 13 introduced legislation aimed at expanding the ability of highskilled workers to live and work in the United States. It contains a number of provisions AAU has advocated.
The Immigration Innovation ("I-Squared") Act of 2015 would increase the number of employment-based
nonimmigrant (H-1B) visas and broaden access to green cards for high-skilled workers by expanding
exemptions and eliminating the annual per-country limits. The measure was introduced by Senators Orrin
Hatch (R-UT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
The I-Squared Act includes the following provisions of specific interest to universities:
-- Uncapping the existing U.S. advanced degree exemption for H-1B visas (currently limited to 20,000 per
year);
-- Allowing dual intent for foreign students at U.S. colleges and universities;
-- Exempting U.S. STEM advanced degree holders and outstanding professors and researchers from the
employment-based green card cap (note: I-Squared uses the Department of Homeland Security definition of
qualified STEM fields); and
-- Reforming fees on H-1B visas and employment-based green cards and directing the revenue to fund a
grant program to promote STEM education and worker retraining to be administered by the states.
OTHER NEWS
NATIONAL ACADEMIES PUBLISH GUIDE TO EVIDENCE-BASED UNDERGRADUATE STEM
TEACHING
The National Academies on January 15 published a guide for college-level faculty on how to implement
teaching strategies in undergraduate STEM education that research has shown to be most effective in
promoting student learning.
The report, Reaching Students: What Research Says About Effective Instruction in Undergraduate Science
and Engineering, follows up on a 2012 report that synthesized literature from several research fields on how
students learn, particularly in scientific disciplines, and ways to improve instruction.
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES OF INTEREST THIS WEEK
FLOOR ACTIVITIES
The Senate reconvened at 10 a.m. and was in a period of morning business for one hour. At 2:15 they are
expected to begin voting on amendments to legislation that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline.
At 9 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20th both the Senate and House of Representatives will meet to hear President
Obama’s annual State of the Union address.
The House reconvenes at 2 p.m. and is expected to consider measures under suspension of the rules. No roll
call votes are expected.
COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
·
Wednesday, January 21
House Science, Space and Technology Committee
Full Committee Hearing: Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research and Development
Witneses: Ed Waggoner, Director, Integrated Systems Research Program, NASA; James
Williams, Manager, UAS Integration Office, Aviation Safety Organization, FAA; John Lauber,
Co-chair, Committee on Autonomy Research for Civil Aviation, National Research Council;
Brian Wynne, CEO & President, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International; Colin
Guinn, CRO, 3D Robotics, Small UAV Coalition Member; John Hansman, T. Wilson Professor
of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2:30 p.m., 2318 Rayburn
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Full Committee Hearing: Protecting the Internet and Consumers through Congressional Action
Witnesses: Gene Kimmelman, President and CEO, Public Knowledge; Robert McDowell, Senior
Fellow, Hudson Institute; Paul Misener, VP Global Public Policy, Amazon.com; Tom Simmons,
Senior VP Public Policy, Midcontinent Communications; Nicol Turner-Lee, VP & Chief Research
and Policy Officer, Minority Media & Telecommunications Council
2:30 p.m., 253 Russell
House Energy and Commerce Committee
Full Committee Hearing: Protecting the Internet and Consumers through Congressional Action
Witnesses: Meredith Atwell Baker, President and CEO, CTIA-The Wireless Association; Chad
Dickerson, CEO, Etsy; Jessica Gonzalez, Executive VP and General Counsel, National Hispanic
Media Coalition; Paul Misener, VP Global Public Policy, Amazon.com; Michael Powell,
President & CEO, National Cable & Telecommunications Association; Nicol Turner-Lee, VP &
Chief Research and Policy Officer, Minority Media & Telecommunications Council
10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn