Current Issues- Federal

Federal programs provide UF with long-term investments in our students and research.  The UF Office of Federal Relations (UFFR) current federal priorities reflect our mission-critical needs: supporting our students and research programs, our health systems, and our unique agriculture and natural resources mission as a land grant university. 

Annual Fiscal Year Appropriations   

Congress has until Friday, December 23 to approve FY 2023 Omnibus Appropriations legislation that will finalize federal agencies’ budget allocations for fiscal year 2023.  UF Federal Relations will provide updated funding information by agency as it is available.  Click here to see a summary of the FY2023 Appropriations Priorities. 

To buy time for further negotiations, last week Congress passed a one-week Continuing Resolution to extend the stopgap spending measure that has been funding agencies since the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, 2022.

UF is currently tracking FY 2023 appropriations bills for our three largest federal research funding sources: NIH ($214 million), USDA ($50 million), and NSF ($51 million); funding requests for Department of Education Student Financial Aid (more than 11,000 UF students receive a Pell Grant totaling $52 million); and, Community Project Funding requests or “earmarks” for UF Health Jacksonville Nursing Education Center ($2 million) and AI Education and Training Center in West Palm Beach ($1 million.)    We are hoping the final measure will include a $500 increase in the maximum Pell Grant, a boost in funding for the National Institutes of Health, and new funding for the recently enacted CHIPS and Science Act. 

 

Student Financial Assistance     

UF continues to be one of the most affordable universities in the nation.  UF supports the Higher Education Community’s effort to double the Pell Grant maximum, and strong investments in Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and Federal Work-Study.  This funding, coupled with State investments, like Bright Futures in Florida, allows 64 percent of our students to graduate with no debt.  Since 2019, the maximum Pell Grant Award has increased by $1,200, with current FY 2023 funding an anticipated level in 2023 of $7,395.     

UF Artificial Intelligence Initiative     

UFFR is supporting UF's AI initiative throughout its development and through participation in the Executive AI Working Group; working to raise awareness and access to federal agency leadership, program managers, national think tanks and cognizant congressional committees and leadership; and driving resources to the university through congressional funding opportunities and programmatic language in appropriations bills.  UFFR initiated and assisted with executing the NSF Director's visit to campus in Summer 2022 to highlight UF's AI initiative, and conducted two recent congressional staff visits to campus highlighting AI. 

UFFR is advocating for Community Project Funding for an AI Training and Education Center in West Palm Beach ($1 million) and programmatic language in the Senate L-H-E Appropriations Bill encouraging the Department of Education to establish a National Center for AI Learning.

UFFR is working with the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) and Cadet Command for Navy, Army and Air Force to align opportunities for UF AI curriculum and certificate programs with the Pentagon’s objectives and secure future funding opportunities.   
 

UF Health Cancer Center's National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation  

UFFR is actively supporting UF's resubmission to become an NCI-designated center.  This includes letters of support from the Florida congressional Delegation; high-level advocacy for NCI funding increases and removal of the Senate report language in L-H-E Appropriations bill that prioritizes NCI designation for institutes within a major metropolitan statistical area; delay of the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model that negatively impacts Proton Therapy; and hosted a UF Health campus briefing for Florida congressional health staff to learn more about UF's cancer research expertise and our quest for NCI designation.  
 

COVID-19 Relief and Related Funding  

UFFR continues to track and advise on federal COVID policies and on-going funding opportunities related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Monitor COVID relief funding for higher education and advocate when resources are needed for the campus to continue to provide critical patient care, education, research, and community engagement missions. Previously, UF received $168 million from three rounds of Department of Education funding and $160 million for our UF Health enterprise. 

ON-GOING PRIORITY ISSUES  

As the federal government and Congress are a significant source of support for all university operations, awareness of upcoming federal regulations and legislation is critical to campus planning.  UFFR works to provide early notice of action that will impact funding and campus activities.  In addition, we collaborate with Florida colleagues, government officials, and key external constituencies to identify, anticipate, influence, and manage public policy issues that affect the university. 

 

Higher Education Policy:

UFFR works with members of the Florida Delegation to advance our priorities on a potential reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.  These priorities include boosting student aid, enhancing federal higher education outcomes data, maintaining campus safety, and providing institutions with regulatory relief.  Additional current areas of activity include monitoring Department of Education rulemaking on Title IX regulations, student debt forgiveness proposals, and freedom of speech-related regulations.   

Science Security Policy 

UFFR continues actively monitoring and engaging Congress and the Executive Branch agencies on policies to strengthen research integrity and protect universities from maligned foreign interests.  UFFR is an active participant in the APLU/AAU joint Science and Security Working Group, assisting with developing the APLU-AAU Effective Practices Summary.  In addition, UFFR supported President Kent Fuchs' appointment as a co-leader of the AAU presidential-level working group on Science Security and assisted with creating a Principals of Engagement document outlining best practices for international engagement.  The FY23 National Defense Authorization Act omits various research security provisions to which UF and the Higher Education community objected.

Investment in Scientific Research 

CHIPS + Science Act: UFFR is engaged with the Florida members on the Science Committee on implementation of the massive CHIPS + Science Act and upcoming funding for CHIPS R&D and working with the Florida Appropriations Committee members on the funding levels authorized for NSF, DOE and NIST.  The final version of the law includes opportunities for university-funded semiconductor-related research at Commerce ($11 billion), NSF ($200 million), and the Department of Defense ($2 billion).  The Act also authorizes $81 billion for NSF over five years, including $20 billion for the new NSF technology directorate.  In addition, the NSF authorization includes new required assessments and reporting on AI programs that we are pursuing to promote and expand opportunities for UF’s AI Initiative and provision to establish a secure computing enclave pilot program to assist universities in securing sensitive federally funded research 
 

Agriculture Policy

Farm Bill Reauthorization: UFFR is working to support UF/IFAS priority projects, which currently include a tropical fish aquaculture facility, NOAA facility, dairy cattle research facility, upgrading the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center to an AI in Agriculture focus, and securing federal support for Invasion Science research and education.  UFFR is also working closely with APLU on strategic planning for the 2023 Farm Bill and to advocate for priority agriculture accounts, including research capacity funds, AFRI competitive grants and research focused infrastructure.  

Academic Health Policy

Safety-net hospitals like UF Health have borne the brunt of pandemic-related hospitalizations, significantly impacting staffing.  UFFR continues to advocate Congress include key investments and provisions to support the nation’s medical schools and teaching hospitals and the communities and patients we serve. Further compounding these concerns are looming Medicare cuts set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, unless Congress acts.  UFFR is urging Congress to avoid these potentially devastating Medicare payment reductions and promote the importance of the Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, and the 340B drug pricing program that allows safety-net hospitals like UF Health to improve health outcomes and promote health equity.  

Graduate Medical Education (GME): UFFR is advocating for the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 834/H.R. 2256), bipartisan legislation that would add 14,000 new Medicare-supported graduate medical education (GME) slots. This bill would build upon Congress’ bipartisan work and produce approximately 3,500 new physicians annually once fully implemented. This critical funding helps offset the stipends paid to residents, the costs of supervision, and the increased costs associated with operating teaching programs.  UF Health trains more than 1,300 residents, including 400 over our statutory cap.  

Mental and Behavioral Health: The pandemic has profoundly impacted the mental health of many of our students, prompting Congress to consider policies to promote access to mental health care.  UFFR has been actively engaged with UF Health leadership and Student Government, advocating to Congress the need to invest in student mental health programs, and enhance the mental health workforce. In addition to workforce shortages, we recognize that there are other barriers that prevent patients from accessing needed mental and behavioral health services, and therefore, we support other policies including telehealth access, and increased reimbursement rates for mental health services. 
 

Immigration Policy 

While international students make up a small percentage of our campus enrollment, UF leadership in science, technology, and scholarship depend on our ability to cultivate domestic talent and attract and retain the most capable students worldwide.  UFFR has been active in urging Congress and the Administration to improve our international engagement abilities by reducing visa processing times for students and visiting scholars, enacting permanent solutions for DACA-eligible recipients and their families, affirming the Optional Practical Training program, and reaffirming our ability to welcome and engage in global discourse through international students and scholars. 
 

College Athletics:  Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) 

While there is consensus about the need for federal legislation governing NIL in college athletics, there is no viable bipartisan legislation.   Eight NIL bills were introduced in the 117th Congress and none advanced to subcommittee markup, despite more than a half-dozen hearings on the topic.  The SEC has identified clear priorities for NIL legislation, including allowing students to accept NIL payments, establishing a national standard for NIL with enforcement mechanisms, and liability protections. We are working with the Florida congressional offices to monitor any action on the issue.