May 2, 2003

This morning:

- Yesterday, First Lady Laura Bush and Second Lady Lynne Cheney announced new NEH and education grants to help expand the teaching of U.S. history to American school children (see first two news items, below).

- Congress is preparing for next week's debates on the $550 billion tax package, energy legislation and the authorization of $2.1 billion over three years for federal nanotechnology research. Of these three, only the funds for nanotechnology [see fourth news item, below] are expected to be non-controversial. If this bill is made into law, however, the appropriations committees still have control over the exact amount of money allocated for this research.

- In the news:

BUSH SEEKS $100 MILLION FOR HISTORY BILL
From the Associated Press, May 1, 2003

President Bush will seek $100 million over the next three years for his program to improve Americans' understanding of history. The money would fund the "We the People" initiative, which Bush announced last year to promote humanities projects that highlight major events in American history. The proposed budget was announced Thursday at a forum, where Laura Bush recognized six 11th-graders who won the program's first essay contest. The $100 million includes $25 million Bush already requested of Congress for 2004. "Through `We the People' and other federal initiatives ... we hope to inspire more students and teachers across the country," Laura Bush said. The initiative "will give our teachers new tools to teach some of the oldest and most important lessons in history."

In a separate announcement at the forum [see following item], Education Secretary Rod Paige said the Education Department has $100 million for history teaching grants under a program that started in 2001.

The "We the People" program promotes American history, civics and culture by giving teachers access to experts and historical texts, developing courses, and sponsoring an annual essay contest and national history bee for students. "We the People" is administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

[NEH added the following details in a press release: Chairman Bruce Cole said the Endowment "will expand its efforts to foster excellence in conveying the lessons of American history through our schools, colleges, universities, and cultural institutions." The new funding would support a variety of "We the People" special projects, such as the following:

- Major expansion of the NEH Seminars and Institutes program to provide humanities teachers additional opportunities to study significant texts on American history and culture;

- A new grant program for model curriculum projects to help schools establish or improve course offerings in American history, culture and civics;

- New grants for intensive two-week residential academies for school principals and teachers centered on American history, culture, and institutions; and

- Enhanced support for American Editions and Reference Works, fundamental scholarly resources for understanding who we are as a nation .]

*** Complete Associated Press article at http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=544&u=/ap/20030501/ap_on_go_pr_wh/teaching_history_3&printer=1

*** Complete NEH press release at http://www.neh.fed.us/news/archive/20030501.html

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PAIGE ANNOUNCES TEACHING AMERICAN HISTORY GRANTS
Nearly $100 million available to help schools improve history teaching
From the U.S. Department of Education, May 1, 2003

Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced the availability of nearly $100 million for Teaching American History grants and urged local school districts and charter schools to apply for funding. The announcement comes as Secretary Paige joined First Lady Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough and historian Robert Remini at the National Museum of American History for the "We the People Forum on American History, Civics and Service" [see preceding news item]. A grant application notice will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days. The application deadline is July 7.

The Teaching American History grant program supports three-year projects to improve teachers' knowledge, understanding and appreciation for American history through intensive, ongoing professional development. Projects must be in partnership with organizations that have extensive knowledge of American history, including libraries, museums, nonprofit history or humanities organizations and higher education institutions. Project activities should enable teachers to develop further expertise in American history, teaching strategies and other essential elements of teaching to higher standards. School districts with enrollments of less than 300,000 students are eligible for grants of $350,000-$1 million. Larger school districts are eligible for grants of between $500,000 and $2 million.

*** Complete press release at http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-2003/05012003.html

*** More information about the Teaching American History grant program may be obtained by
contacting Christine Miller in the Office of Innovation and Improvement at christine.miller@ed.gov or http://www.ed.gov/offices/OII/portfolio/history.html

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HOUSE ADOPTS GLOBAL PLAN OF $15 BILLION AGAINST AIDS
By Carl Hulse, New York Times, May 2, 2003

The House adopted a $15 billion initiative to combat AIDS worldwide today. The vote was taken after conservatives won a requirement that at least one-third of the money promote sexual abstinence before marriage. The concession helped solidify support for a measure for AIDS treatment, research and education that is a priority of the Bush administration, and it resulted in a strong bipartisan vote in support of a social measure in the usually polarized House. The vote was 375 to 41.

The proposal would almost triple federal spending over five years for fighting AIDS overseas, a significant expansion of United States participation. Aimed particularly at Africa, the measure has been pushed by lawmakers from both parties and AIDS advocacy groups. It received a surprise endorsement from President Bush in his State of the Union speech, giving it new urgency. Senate officials said they hoped to consider a similar proposal in committee as early as next week. The majority leader, Bill Frist of Tennessee, a surgeon, has been closely involved in trying to pull together a bill, but none has been introduced because of differences over spending and prevention policies. Lawmakers said the House passage could give momentum to Senate action.

*** Complete article (registration required) at http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/02/national/02AIDS.html

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HOUSE PANEL APPROVES BILL TO BOOST NANOTECHNOLOGY FUNDS
By Joseph C. Anselmo, CQ Today, May 1, 2003

The House Science Committee gave voice vote approval Thursday to legislation that would authorize a three-year, $2.4 billion nanotechnology research program. Introduced by Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., and 10 cosponsors, the bill (HR 766) aims to increase federally supported research into the emerging technology. The technology has the potential to prompt significant advances in fields such as computing, medicine and manufacturing. Mihail Roco, the National Science Foundation's senior adviser on nanotechnology, estimates that the market in products that carry nano-components could reach $1 trillion annually by 2015. Boehlert said the bill is tentatively scheduled for House floor action next week.

The measure authorizes $713 million in fiscal 2004, $784.5 million in 2005 and $864 million in 2006 for nanotechnology research and development programs at the National Science Foundation, the Energy and Commerce departments, NASA, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill provides a formal structure for coordination of research across the agencies, emphasizes interdisciplinary research, addresses societal concerns raised by nanotechnology, and requires outside reviews of the program. Sens. George Allen, R-Va., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., have introduced a similar nanotechnology bill (S 189). The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held a hearing Thursday afternoon on that measure.

*** CQ Today is available online to subscribers only.

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MAY OPT OUT OF BIDDING FOR LOS ALAMOS
By Anne Marie Borrego, Chronicle of Higher Education, May 2, 2003

University of California system officials told members of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Thursday that despite the institution's 60-year history of managing the Los Alamos National Laboratory, it might not submit a bid when the Department of Energy opens the contract for competition in 2005. The institution had suggested as much earlier this week in a statement. The university has faced criticism from Energy Department officials and lawmakers for its stewardship of the laboratory in recent years. Earlier this week, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced that the Los Alamos contract would be up for grabs for the first time in history [DCbrief, 05-01-03].

Richard C. Atkinson, the University of California's president, said that the institution never asked to run the nuclear-weapons lab. "We've always viewed it as a national service." He said that during the first 50 years of the university's agreement with the Department of Energy, both entities had enjoyed a "marvelous relationship." It was "incredibly productive," he said, and the "results speak for themselves." However, the past 10 years have been complicated, Atkinson said, noting that the last time he signed the contract, he told senior members of the department that if the relationship between the university and the department continued the way it had for the past decade, he would not renew the agreement.

*** The Chronicle of Higher Education is available online to subscribers only.

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AAHRPP ANNOUNCES FIRST ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS
From the Association of American Universities, May 1, 2003

The University of Iowa and the Western Institutional Review Board in Olympia, Washington are the first organizations awarded full accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP), the association announced today. The two organizations received accreditation from the nonprofit, voluntary association after participating in a rigorous process of self-assessment and on-site review by a team of peer experts. Said AAHRPP executive director Marjorie Speers, the organizations by seeking this accreditation have demonstrated "they take their ethical commitments very seriously, and that participant protection is one of their top priorities."

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DHS ANNOUNCES NEW 'U.S. VISIT' VISA SYSTEM
From the Association of American Universities, May 1, 2003

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge on April 29 announced plans for a new electronic U.S. entry-exit system called U.S. VISIT, designed to use biometrics to strengthen the current entry-exit system. The system, which was mandated by the "Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-173), must be up and operating by October 2004. It will incorporate, not replace, the current Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

According to a DHS fact sheet, the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indication Technology system (U.S. VISIT) will use technologies such as photographs, fingerprints, or iris scans to build an electronic system for checking visitors in and out of the country. "The U.S. VISIT system will replace the currently existing NSEERS [National Security Entry-Exit Registration System] program, integrate the SEVIS program, and encompass the Congressional requirements of the automated entry exit system," the fact sheet said.

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ASSOCIATIONS OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS ON SEVIS FEE COLLECTION
From the Association of American Universities, May 1, 2003

Three higher education associations on April 24 sent a letter to DHS Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson urging that a yet-to-be-implemented fee for the SEVIS program be collected with other visa fees at the consular offices, and not rely on paper receipts. AAU, the American Council on Education, and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges wrote, "Paper receipts will significantly delay the visa process and, more importantly, they can be lost or stolen…We believe that these problems can be avoided if the SEVIS fee is collected, like other visa fees, at the consular offices when the individual applies for a visa…Under our proposal, consular offices would simply transmit SEVIS fees to ICE [the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement].

*** The associations' letter is available at: http://www.aau.edu/resources/Sevis.pdf

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EXPERT ON TERRORISM TO DIRECT REBUILDING OF IRAQ
By Mike Allen, Washington Post, May 2, 2003

President Bush plans to give a conservative career diplomat authority over the Pentagon's reconstruction of Iraq, setting a fresh course for an undertaking that has had mixed results, administration officials said yesterday. L. Paul Bremer III, an expert on terrorism and former consultant with Kissinger Associates, will be named special envoy and civil administrator of Iraq in the next few days, the officials said [DCbrief, 05-02-03]. He will report to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and will be the new boss of Jay M. Garner, the retired Army lieutenant general who has been in charge of rebuilding Iraq.

The appointment puts an authoritative figure in charge of a process that has been marked by divisions within the Bush administration and some criticism within Iraq, where the United States has been faulted for using heavy-handed tactics and for being ill-prepared for the chaos that erupted after U.S.-led forces toppled the government of Saddam Hussein. State Department officials said they view the appointment of Bremer, who was a top aide to six secretaries of state during 23 years as a foreign service officer, as a small victory in their bitter turf war with Pentagon rivals.

*** Complete article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2950-2003May1.html

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AIR FORCE'S ROCHE PICKET TO HEAD ARMY
By Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post, May 2, 2003

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, making another of the startling personnel changes that are becoming a hallmark of his tenure at the Pentagon, has chosen the secretary of the Air Force, James G. Roche, to become the next secretary of the Army, Pentagon insiders said last night. Roche's selection is unusual for several reasons. Most notably, he is a career Navy officer, now named to oversee the Army; and he is a former Democratic staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, now being appointed by a Republican administration.

His selection appeared to signal that Rumsfeld is determined to impose sweeping changes on the Army, which he has come to see as the most resistant of the services to his agenda of "transforming" the military so it can better fight in the 21st century.

*** Complete article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2900-2003May1.html

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UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL TESTIFIES ON FEDERAL E-GRANTS SYSTEM
From the Association of American Universities, May 1, 2003

Federal agencies should standardize and simplify their systems for submitting electronic grant applications, Marvin G. Parnes, director of research administration at the University of Michigan, told a House government reform subcommittee on April 29. Testifying at a hearing on progress in streamlining the government's grants process, Parnes told subcommittee members: "Many agencies have jumped on the proverbial bandwagon of electronic grants systems. Each agency touts its system as the easiest to use, the most comprehensive, the best and foremost, and the most in tune with the users' needs. Indeed, taken alone, each might be. Taken en masse, they become a cacophony."

Parnes added: "While universities account for only 1/6th of the grant funds awarded, we represent 1/3rd of the number of awards; thus, the administrative impact of these systems on our institutions is both broad and deep."

*** The testimony is available at http://www.aau.edu/research/ParnesTest.pdf

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