VOL. 23, NO. 24	JUNE 12, 1998

ith only 50 legislative days left before Congress adjourns for full-time electioneering, legislators face all 13 annual funding bills, copyright legislation, higher education reauthorization, the tobacco bill and immigration legislation.

  Since the House and Senate Budget Committees did not complete their nonbinding budget resolution before the May 15 statutory deadline, appropriations committees are moving forward with their markups. In the Senate, the defense subcommittee and the energy and water subcommittee have completed their bills.

  Last year’s balanced budget bill severely restricted funding for discretionary programs such as research and certain student aid funds. As such, there are available funds for research that will not initially meet President Clinton’s broad and expansive goals (which were also somewhat dependent on a tobacco settlement). Many observers, including some appropriations committee staff, believe that additional funds for these programs will be found in October.

  The Senate will vote on the higher education bill before the Fourth of July recess after they have completed negotiations on a proposal to lower interest rates for students on government guaranteed loans. Once the Senate has passed its bill, House and Senate conferees will meet to iron out their differences between the two bills.

  House and Senate members may complete work on immigration bills, which will include provisions for foreign professors and researchers and may allow institutions to pay honoraria to visiting scholars/lecturers.

  Both Senators Alfonse D’Amato and Daniel Patrick Moynihan have cosponsored the Gramm-Lieberman bill, which would double research over 10 years. Those interested may wish to write thank you notes to them.

  For additional information on these and other issues, please contact Ellen S. Smith, assistant vice president and director of federal relations, ess9@columbia.edu.