Senate Leaders apparently reached a deal late last night, staff are working out technical details and the plan is to brief their respective caucuses today. They should be able to pass this in the Senate today or tomorrow. The House situation remains the same with at this point no real way out except for House […]
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released a report today indicating that tax collections for the September 11 – October 10 collection period were $32.3 million, or 2.9 percent, higher than forecasted in September. With that, the forecast included a $22.5 million refund that did not occur during the collection period, but will occur at […]
Last week the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) announced WSU as the recipient of the 2013 Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education. “The Sloan-C Awards recognize the tremendous advances in online learning that result from the ideas and initiatives of individuals and colleges and universities globally,” said Meg Benke, president of Sloan-C’s board of directors. […]
The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee visited the WSU Mount Vernon Research and Extension Center Wednesday for a tour of the facility and to learn about the Center’s agricultural partnerships in the Skagit Valley. Director Dr. Steve Jones discussed the Center’s heightened success with a mild marine climate, diverse small mid-sized farming enterprises and […]
After the Senate stayed in to vote against any proposal sent over by the House (which Majority Leader Reid indicated would happen) the federal government officially shut down last night at 12:01. The debate is now over how long the shutdown will last and will the House give up on defunding or changing Obamacare. The […]
The Senate is scheduled to vote on the Continuing Resolution (CR) today starting around 12:30 our time. Clean CR – no language on funding (or not funding) Obamacare – will be considered and passed out of the Senate funding the Federal Government through November, 15, 2013. The House is scheduled to be in over the […]
Groundbreaking of the Wine Science Center Thursday at Washington State University Tri-Cities marked the start of the $23 million project designed to attract world-class researchers and students who will focus their efforts on the challenges and opportunities faced by Pacific Northwest grape growers and winemakers. “We believe in wine and we believe in science. We […]
This week we are ramping up for what is already becoming a rollercoaster of a week here in Washington DC. A showdown is underway as Republicans and Democrats debate on how to fund the government after September 30, 2013. Here is what we know so far. On Friday, the Republican-led House passed a Continuing Resolution […]
The House Higher Education Committee spent time in the Tri-Cities Thursday for a work session and visit of the WSU Tri-Cities campus during the Committee’s Eastern Washington tour. During the work session, Committee members considered the higher education needs of the health care industry. John Roll, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research at […]
September 19, 2013 It was an honor and a privilege to join officials from the Federal Aviation Administration, Sen. Maria Cantwell, Port of Seattle representatives and Alaska Airlines and other aviation industry leaders at Sea-Tac International Airport Friday to celebrate creation of a new FAA Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment. Washington […]