New champions have been found in Sens. This is the largest overall increase that the agency has received in several years. However, several of the science accounts, while receiving increases, also contained a large number of earmarks, essentially offsetting the increases. This is the third installment of a five-year plan to double the NIH budget. This is remarkable given the amount bad publicity surrounding the Department of Energy during the last several years, as well as the original low funding levels proposed by the House.
Cuts correspond to dramatic increases in academic earmarking in the bill.
Visas Congress passed legislation that would once again increase the cap. Colleges and universities are now permanently exempt from the cap. In addition, teaching hospitals are exempt from the visa usage fee. Congress passed legislation that transfers the fee collection responsibility from colleges and universities to the Attorney General. There were no legislative activities surrounding this issue, but it has gotten play in the media recently due to the release of the new College Board survey.