Federal Relations
Federal Lobbying Activities and Gift Rules
November 2008
Federal law has changed and now requires all organizations employing a registered lobbyist to report on lobbying activity undertaken by non-registered employees. Because the University of California employs a number of lobbyists, all campuses must report quarterly any lobbying contact with Members of Congress, their staff, or with high-ranking federal officials. Read more...
Federal Lobbying Activities Worksheet
Washington Update
February 2008
Following the winter holiday recess, Congress reconvened in mid-January in advance of the President’s State of the Union Address and the release of his Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) budget. Overall, the Administration’s proposed budget for FY09 offers... Read more...
Washington Update
August 2007
The House and Senate are in recess for August, but will return on September 4 to finish work on the fiscal year 2008 (FY08) spending bills and several pieces of key legislation, including the Higher Education Act. Read more...
President Signs Competitiveness Legislation
August 13, 2007
On August 2, Congress approved the conference report for the America COMPETES Act, the comprehensive competitiveness and innovation package that was prompted by the National Academies' 2005 “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” report. This legislation, which the House passed by a vote of 367-57 and the Senate approved by unanimous consent, was signed into law by the President on August 9. Read more...
House Passes Education Funding Bill
July 19, 2007 On July 19, the House passed the FY08 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (H.R. 3043) by a vote of 276-140. The bill funds all Department of Education programs and includes increases to federal financial aid programs that UCLA and the higher education community support.
For student aid, the bill would raise the Pell Grant maximum award to $4,700. The current level is $4,310 and the Administration requested $4,600. Funding for TRIO would increase to $868 million, or $40 million above both the FY08 request and FY07 funding, while funding for GEAR UP would rise to $323 million, or $20 million above both the FY08 request and FY07 funding.
Other programs would be held at their FY07 levels, including the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work Study, and Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) programs, as well as Perkins Loan cancellations. The SEOG, LEAP and the Perkins Loan cancellation program were slated for elimination in the President’s FY08 budget proposal.
In March 2007, UCLA alumni, faculty and staff traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for increased funding for federal financial aid programs. Washington Update
July 16, 2007
The House and Senate recessed for the July 4th holiday, leaving fiscal year 2008 (FY08) appropriations bills at different stages of completion. The House and Senate also passed the FY08 Budget Resolution, which serves as a guide for congressional spending, and a $120 billion FY07 emergency supplemental bill to fund the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the Senate abandoned work on the contentious immigration reform bill. Read more...
Coalition for National Science Funding Day
June 26, 2007
On June 26, UCLA's Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM) participated in the annual Coalition for National Science Funding Day. The advocacy activities included visits with Hill staff and Members of Congress and a reception featuring a display of IPAM's work with undergraduate students. NSF Director Arden Bement and Assistant Director for Mathematical and Physical Sciences Tony Chan visited with IPAM Director Mark Green, Associate Director Christian Ratsch and graduate student Yana Landa during the reception.
California State Society Back to College Night
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
On September 20, 2006, UCLA joined a number of other California colleges and universities at the California State Society's Back to College Night in Washington, D.C. UCLA was represented by Kim Savage, Executive Director of Federal Relations.
The California State Society is a gathering of Californians living and working in greater Washington, D.C. dating back to 1893. The annual Back to College Night brings together California college alumni, Members of the California Congressional Delegation, congressional staff, organizations with ties to the Golden State and anyone with an interest in California.
Dean Tony Chan to Head Math and Physical Sciences at NSF
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
The National Science Foundation has named Dr. Tony F. Chan, Dean of Physical Sciences at the University of California at Los Angeles, to be Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) at NSF. In that position, Dr. Chan will guide and manage research funding totaling approximately $1 billion a year to support astronomy, physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials science and multidisciplinary activities.
House Science Committee Introduces Competitiveness Education and Research Bills
Friday, May 12, 2006
Republican members of the House Science Committee today introduced three education and research bills aimed at responding to several recent reports on how to strengthen U.S. competitiveness, including the National Academies’ “Rising Above the Gathering Storm.” The Committee plans to mark up the bills before the Memorial Day recess.
UCLA Hosts 2006 AIDS Walk Benefit
Friday, May 12, 2006
On Tuesday, April 18, UCLA hosted the 10th Anniversary Dinner for the 5K AIDS Walk for MInority Women and Children. The event was sponsored by Congresswoman Juanita Millender McDonald, Sen. Barack Obama, the African American Women Health and Education Foundation and the UCLA AIDS Institute.
10th Anniversary Dinner - 5K AIDS Walk for Minority Women and Children
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
UCLA Government and Community Relations (GCR) invites all members of the UCLA community to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the"5K AIDS Walk for Minority Women and Children." The event will take place on Tues., April 18 in the Covel Commons on the UCLA Campus. Cocktails begin at 6:00pm and dinner at 7:00.
For more information, click here.
5K AIDS Walk for Minority Women and Children
Saturday, April 22, 2006
UCLA Government and Community Relations (GCR) invites all members of the UCLA community to join Team UCLA in this year's annual "5K AIDS Walk for Minority Women and Children." The event is cosponsored every year by Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald and the African American Women Health and Education Foundation. The event will take place on Sat., April 22 and usually begins at 9am. For more information, click here.
U.S. Competitiveness Initiatives
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Several reports on U.S. competitiveness have been issued over the past year by business and academic organizations. There have also been a number of legislative initiatives introduced focusing on U.S. competitiveness. Click here to find links to many of these resources.
National Defense Education and Innovation Initiative
With Washington policymakers now focusing on how to ensure America’s competitiveness by strengthening research and education, UCLA is using the AAU white paper on competitiveness, “National Defense Education and Innovation Initiative: Meeting America’s Economic and Security Challenges in the 21st Century” as a means to help ensure that research universities are an integral part of this conversation.
Who we are.....
UCLA’s
Federal Relations staff serves as a liaison between UCLA and
members of Congress, their staffs, and executive branch agencies.
We promote UCLA’s research, education and public service
activities in an effort to increase federal support for the campus
and to expand awareness of UCLA in Washington, D.C. Our office
provides support and service both to the campus and to the University
of California Office of the President.
The Federal Relations staff works with legislators who are
important to the campus because they represent a Southern California
district;
serve on committees whose decisions are critical to higher education;
represent constituents who work, learn and benefit from the University’s
presence; or count themselves among its alumni.
The issues we
address vary widely, encompassing everything from higher-education
grants and loans to rules for international
student visas, intellectual property laws and research-funding
decisions.
Simply put, any interaction between UCLA and the federal government
is a focus for the Federal Relations team.
Our success is critical
to UCLA’s future. With more than
$500 million in federally supported research projects and more
than one-third of our undergraduate students receiving federal
financial aid, maintaining good working relationships with federal
legislators and executive branch agencies is essential.
Federal
Relations staff:
• Promotes UCLA’s research and policy agenda with agencies
and members of Congress.
• Conducts strategic planning and issues management, including
advocacy efforts in support of UCLA programs and research.
• Coordinates meetings for UCLA faculty and senior leadership with federal legislators and agency officials.
• Meets with legislators and their staffs, both in district
offices and in Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of the campus.
• Hosts special events in legislators’ districts to
bring elected officials together with constituents who are members
of the UCLA
community.
• Monitors and analyzes federal legislation for its impact
on UCLA and higher education.
• Responds to legislative inquiries about constituent requests.
Our primary objective is making sure that our representatives and
policy-makers in Washington, D.C., understand the impact their
decisions have on both the ability of students to access public
higher education and on the groundbreaking research
conducted at UCLA that is essential to our nation’s progress.
Join Bruin Caucus– Be
a Volunteer Advocate
Bruin Caucus members and community leaders are the driving force
behind Federal Relations’ highly effective face-to-face meetings
with members of Congress. That is because of the special influence
private citizens bring to the table. You are not being paid to
advocate on the University’s behalf. You are there because
you believe in UCLA.
That opens the doors to congressional offices. They want to know
what you think. And they want to understand how and why their
decisions on matters crucial to public higher education will
affect you,
your business, your family and your community.
As a volunteer advocate for UCLA, you will be invited to join
federal officials at special events on campus. You will be called
on to
e-mail or phone legislators in Washington, D.C. to urge action
on legislation. You will be asked to join Federal Relations staff
in visits to legislators’ district offices to speak out on
behalf of UCLA and the UC system. And you will have the opportunity
to join us at our annual UCLA Day in Washington, D.C., where teams
of Bruin Caucus members visit legislators on Capitol Hill to discuss
key policy issues.
We will prepare you for that work through regularly scheduled
orientations, e-mail updates and action alerts, and in subject-specific
briefing sessions held before you visit a legislator here in
L.A. or in the nation’s capital.
To learn more about UCLA’s Federal Relations activities and
to join Bruin Caucus in advocating for the University in Washington,
D.C., contact:
UCLA Federal Relations
Kim Suzanne Kovacs
Executive Director
kkovacs@support.ucla.edu
310-794-6808 |
