November 26 , 2007
In this issue:
Upcoming Activities
Both the House and Senate remain on extended Thanksgiving recess and will return early next week. When they return they will work towards resolving the FY08 appropriations impasse and making progress on energy legislation, the farm bill, the defense authorization bill, a war supplemental, the SCHIP legislation, a tax bill, and a trade agreement with Peru.
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Recent Actions
HOMELAND SECURITY
As part of its mandate to regulate the security of high-risk chemical facilities, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published the final list of chemicals and screening thresholds that institutions must inventory and report on to the Department. Any institution, such as a university, that possesses listed chemicals in an amount greater than the screening threshold must complete a “top-screen,” which is an online DHS survey that helps the agency to assess a facility’s security risk and determine whether additional steps are required. The list is available at:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5585.pdf
The deadline for completing a top-screen is 60 days from the publication of the final Appendix A, which will be January 19, 2008. DHS, recognizing that colleges and universities might need additional time to complete their top-screens, will allow institutions to submit a request for a 60-day extension. A template letter for universities to use in requesting a top-screen extension is available on the AAU Web site at:
http://www.aau.edu/homeland/DHS_CFATS_Extension_Template.doc
The National Association of College and University Business Officers and the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association will hold a two-hour Webcast on Thursday, November 29, at 1:00 p.m. EST to provide advice to higher education institutions on how to comply with the new DHS chemical security rules (see above). Information about both the issue and the Web cast is available at:
http://www.nacubo.org/x9495.xml
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HEALTH
A physician rating system based on federal claims data, proposed in draft Senate legislation, has created a maelstrom among physicians' groups. The bill is aimed at creating a nationwide electronic health records program. An alliance of 36 physician organizations, including the American Medical Association, sent a letter to Senate HELP Committee leaders warning Senators that federal claims data will produce an inaccurate rating system. Instead, the groups want the health information technology bill to create a system that relies on clinical data already being gathered and used to develop quality measures by individual organizations or a consortium convened by the American Medical Association.
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APPROPRIATIONS
The Federal spending watchdog group, Citizens Against Government Waste, has released a report that estimates that earmarks in FY08 appropriations bills will total $9 billion-$10 billion less than the $29 billion in earmarks in FY06 spending bills.
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RESEARCH REPORTING
The National Science Foundation has published a proposal on a new Standardized Research Performance Progress Report. This is an initiative of the Research Business Models Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). If this proposal is adopted, this report would be used in all science agencies. The NSF is accepting comments, which are due January 8. More information can be found at the following URL: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/rppr/.
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