What’s coming up this week:
Last week the Budget Resolution was passed, leaving this week to mark the beginning of a short congressional recess. While members have departed for their respective destinations, staffers will be using this two-week recess for a fair amount of catch up and preparation for the upcoming weeks of session. Recess will conclude and sessions will kick off into high gear on the 13th of April.
Who is out East:
This week will be one of the quieter weeks for WSU in DC. While we do not have any visitors this week, last week graduate students from both WSU and UW joined forces to speak to the importance of funding graduate research, via federal vehicles such as NSF (National Science Foundation) or NIH (National Institutes of Health).
GPSA also spoke to the need of access and affordability for graduate and professional students, as well the harmful impacts of crippling student debt for graduate students, who often carry over student loans from their undergraduate studies.
Shown in this picture Melanie Thornton, WSU GPSA President-elect and Tim Elliot-Ross WSU GPSA Director of Legislative Affairs.
What’s the word on the Hill?
Last week, Senator Harry Reid, announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2016 election. With this unexpected announcement serving as his ‘notice of retirement’ both Democrats and Republicans have taken a sharp interest in vying over who will take this seat in the upcoming 2016 election.