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University of Michigan

Federal Relations

Michael A. Waring directs the University of Michigan's Washington, D.C. office. Located three blocks south of the Capitol, it serves as a liaison between the University and the federal government, public policy makers and national organizations to provide national leadership in matters affecting higher education and research.

The Washington, D.C. Staff directly serves University faculty, staff and students, as well as members of Congress and federal government offices and agencies.

Activities include monitoring legislation of interest to universities; facilitating congressional or federal appointments; issuing briefings for faculty and administrators; providing office space for University people on business in Washington; and serving as a clearinghouse for information on government activities, places, people and employment opportunities.

Congressional inquiries are handled concerning the University's academic and research activities and its views on pending legislation.

Higher Education Opprtunity Act (HEOA) Rev.08/14/2008

Michigan Congressional Delegation

University of Michigan Alumni Serving in Congress

Check out our Current News and Events:

The Federal Report

      May 2009

Reporting about several issues being tracked by the U-M Federal Relations team:

PRESIDENT OBAMA SENDS HIS BUDGET TO CONGRESS

President Obama's FY '10 budget issued May 7th contains continued support for higher education and research that will benefit U-M and other universities.

For higher education funding, the budget proposes a maximum Pell Grant at $5550 for the 2010 - 11 academic year...with that amount indexed to rise at the Consumer Price Index plus 1% thereafter. Many of the other programs, including SEOG, Federal Study, GAANN, Javits and International Education, are all funded at FY '09 levels. The budget also calls for transitioning all new federal student loans to the Direct Loan program, which U-M already uses. Of particular interest to U-M, the budget also proposes an expanded, modernized Perkins Loan program that could have ramifications for how the money would be allocated and distributed.

For research, the budget proposes increases for all the major agencies. Specifically, it requests:

• $30.838 billion for the National Institutes of Health, up 1.4% over this year's appropriated funding. Particular focus would be placed on cancer, autism, bioethics and nanotechnology safety research.
• $7.04 billion for the National Science Foundation, an increase of 8.5%
• $4.94 billion for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, an increase of nearly four percent. Also proposed are eight new Energy Innovation Hubs. Established around the country, these Hubs would support cross-disciplinary research on specific areas of energy research such as solar electricity and batteries and energy storage. The budget also calls for a new science and engineering education initiative to fund graduate research fellowships, as well as training grants for clean energy education programs and expanded undergraduate research opportunities. It also provides startup funding for the Advanced Research Project Agency - Energy and continued funding for Energy Frontier Research Centers throughout the country. U-M was recently awarded such a center.
• An increase of nearly $100 million for basic research at the Department of Defense - a 6% boost.
• $11.4 billion for R&D at NASA - $1 billion more than the amount appropriated in FY '09.

The budget also proposes mostly level funding for a number of economic development programs run through the Economic Development Administration that U-M administers in the Upper Midwest.

The President's budget comes on top of funding approved earlier this year in the economic recovery legislation passed by Congress. Final appropriations for these and other federal programs now rest with Congress, with a September 30th goal of completing action. The House and Senate had earlier approved their own budget resolutions for FY '10.

For more details about the FY '10 budget, please contact the U-M Washington DC Office at 202-554-0578.

U-M GRADUATE STUDENTS VISIT CAPITOL HILL

Four U-M graduate students travelled to Washington, DC recently as part of a lobbying action organized by a new national coalition called Student Advocates for Graduate Education (SAGE), which seeks to advance the quality of life, quality of education, access and affordability of graduate schools at public universities. The students spent three days in the nation's capital. After going through a training session that included the federal relations officers of the attending universities (U-M, Michigan State, Texas, Minnesota, UCLA, UNC & Washington), the students spent two days lobbying members of the Michigan delegation and relevant congressional committees.

COLEMAN CITES PFIZER PURCHASE, STEM CELL INITIATIVE AS EXAMPLES OF U-M ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

U-M President Mary Sue Coleman told a Capitol Hill audience March 26th that the University is committed to being an active player in rebuilding the Michigan economy.

Speaking at the annual U-M Congressional Breakfast, Coleman said the announced purchase of the former Pfizer research facility and the creation of the new Taubman Medical Research Institute Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies are two examples of this commitment.

Regarding Pfizer, Coleman said the University sees "unlimited potential for faculty and students to dream big dreams." She said the purchase, once finalized this summer, would stimulate new business in the region. And she said the stem cell initiative "strongly positions" U-M to build upon its research strengths.

Coleman also gave two other examples of economic activity of a different kind: the development of a film office to work with Hollywood producers on films being shot in Michigan, and the re-opening of the Museum of Art. "All of this is emblematic of our commitment to the state," Coleman added.

Also speaking at the breakfast was Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and second-most senior member of the House of Representatives. In his comments, Conyers lauded the quality of the University and urged a dialogue about how to hold down college costs.

The annual event is sponsored by the U-M Club of Greater Washington and raises scholarship funds for students from the DC area who attend U-M. Around 300 people attended this year's breakfast. Besides Conyers, other Michigan lawmakers in attendance were Senator Carl Levin (D) and Reps. Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek), Dale Kildee (D-Flint) and Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Detroit).

MEN'S ATHLETIC COACHES TAKE CAPITOL HILL

Three of U-M's men's athletic coaches visited Washington May 12th - stopping by to chat with some of the Michigan congressional delegation and also holding a reception for local alumni.

Head football coach Rich Rodriguez, head basketball coach John Beilein and head ice hockey coach Red Berenson met with several key lawmakers as well as congressional staffers. Athletic Director Bill Martin also participated in the visits.

Later that evening, over 300 local alumni attended a downtown reception honoring the coaches. Proceeds from that event will help provide scholarship support for the U-M Club of Greater Washington's scholarship program.

University of Michigan Washington Office Mike Waring, Executive Director of Federal Relations and Director, DC Office. Cindy Bank, Assistant Director. Sarah Walter, Director of Federal Relations for Research. Phil Rudd, Office Manager. 202-554-0578 (phone) 202-554-0582 (fax) 499 S. Capitol Street, SW, #501 Washington, DC 20003