Latest news with #U.S.GeneralServicesAdministration
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Seizing Harvard's Federal Funds
Huge cuts: According to a letter that will officially be released later today, from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to federal agencies, Harvard University's remaining federal grants and contracts (worth roughly $100 million) will be cut. This is in addition to the $3.2 billion worth of frozen grants and contracts. "Examples of contracts that would be affected, according to a federal database, include a $49,858 National Institutes of Health contract to investigate the effects of coffee drinking and a $25,800 Homeland Security Department contract for senior executive training," reports The New York Times. "Being a counterparty with the federal government comes with the deep responsibility and commitment to abide by all federal laws and ensure the safeguarding of taxpayer money," reads the letter. "As fiduciaries to the taxpayer, the government has a duty to ensure that procurement dollars are directed to vendors and contractors who promote and champion principles of nondiscrimination and the national interest." "GSA understands that Harvard continues to engage in race discrimination, including in its admissions process and in other areas of student life.…Harvard is suspected of engaging in a pattern or practice of disparate treatment in hiring, promotion, compensation, and other personnel related actions." Harvard will, of course, push back in court; it's already filed suit in an attempt to restore $3 billion in federal funds. But the Trump administration keeps antagonizing it, also pushing forward a plan to begin to tax its endowment. Pulling federal funds from universities will undoubtedly save the taxpayer money, and with endowments like these, was it really important for taxpayers to subsidize these schools in the first place? Still, the Trump administration hasn't exactly gone about this in a detached, principled way: It has, at times, decided to fight an ideological battle, such as with investigations into the school's handling of pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel protests on campus. Foreign students also a target: The president has also, of late, decided he has a real issue with international students, which comprise nearly 30 percent of Harvard's student body: "Why isn't Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student's education, nor do they ever intend to," he wrote on Truth Social. "Nobody told us that! We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, but Harvard isn't exactly forthcoming. We want those names and countries. Harvard has $52,000,000, use it, and stop asking for the Federal Government to continue GRANTING money to you!" This broadside comes "comes two days after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the administration from being able to revoke the university's ability to enroll international students," per NPR. ("This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem when announcing on May 22 that DHS would be revoking its ability to enroll foreign students—an aggressive overreach of state power.) Contra the president's Truth Social post, foreign governments aren't obligated to pay for their citizens' educations abroad, and these students who come to the U.S. are, in fact, paying tuition to the institutions that are educating them. American universities have historically been a means of spreading soft power abroad and inculcating our values. American companies hiring foreigners post-graduation creates brain drain, which helps us maintain a competitive advantage. (Of course, there's an espionage risk when students and workers are poorly vetted—an issue that has cropped up, oddly, time and time again in New York City politics. But that risk can and should be mitigated.) It's classic Trump administration: It's all a mixed bag, where the taxpayer might be saved some money, and a longstanding government function might be no longer, but there's a hefty side of xenophobia and government overreach that renders it all a lot less palatable. A more neutral approach based on restoring federal funds to their proper role, not punishing disfavored institutions, would be better (and possibly more likely to hold up in court). A parenting universe that has lost any sense of perspective: "Spying, snitching, AirTagging toddlers … A Nanny Diaries–style Facebook group is a breeding ground for paranoid Upper East Side moms." More from Air Mail. Beautiful tribute: "The Justice Department has reached a deal with Boeing that will allow the airplane giant to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed and killed 346 people, according to court papers filed Friday," reports the Associated Press. Under the agreement, which is not final yet, "Boeing would pay or invest more than $1.1 billion, including an additional $445 million for the crash victims' families, the Justice Department said. In return, the department has agreed to dismiss the fraud charge against Boeing, allowing the manufacturer to avoid a possible criminal conviction that could have jeopardized the company's status as a federal contractor, according to experts." "Apple Inc. shares are coming off their longest selloff in more than three years, as escalating attacks from the White House threaten to further erode the company's profit outlook, suggesting the stock's struggles this year are far from over," reports Bloomberg. "President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to levy a 25% tariff on the company's products if it doesn't shift iPhone production to the US. Shares fell 3% to end the week, their eighth straight negative session, the longest such selloff since January 2022." Yes: The post Seizing Harvard's Federal Funds appeared first on
Boston Globe
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump intends to cancel all remaining federal funds directed at Harvard
Advertisement The latest letter, dated May 27 from the U.S. General Services Administration, is expected to be delivered Tuesday morning to federal agencies, according to an administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official had not been authorized to discuss internal communications. The letter instructs agencies to respond by June 6 with a list of contract cancellations. Any contracts for services deemed critical would not be immediately canceled but would be transitioned to other vendors, according to the letter, signed by Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of the GSA's federal acquisition service, which is responsible for procuring government goods and services. Contracts with about nine agencies would be affected, according to the administration official. Examples of contracts that would be affected, according to a federal database, include a $49,858 National Institutes of Health contract to investigate the effects of coffee drinking and a $25,800 Homeland Security Department contract for senior executive training. Some of the Harvard contracts under review may have already been subject to 'stop work' orders. Advertisement 'Going forward, we also encourage your agency to seek alternative vendors for future services where you had previously considered Harvard,' the letter said. The administration has cast its actions against Harvard as a fight for civil rights. It has accused the university of liberal bias, of continuing to use racial considerations in its admissions policies despite a Supreme Court ban, and of allowing antisemitic behavior on campus. The university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has cast the fight as one over its First Amendment rights and accuses the Trump administration of trying to control its personnel, curriculum and enrollment. Faced with government demands that included a ban on students 'hostile to the American values,' an audit of the political ideology of students and faculty to ensure 'viewpoint diversity,' and quarterly status updates to the administration, Harvard has vigorously pushed back in federal court. In one lawsuit, filed last month, Harvard seeks the restoration of more than $3 billion in federal funding. In another, filed last week, it has asked a federal court to reinstate its right to enroll international students. Last week, Judge Allison D. Burroughs temporarily reinstated Harvard's right to enroll international students, and a hearing Thursday will determine whether that order should be extended. During his campaign for a second term, President Donald Trump attacked elite universities as controlled by 'Marxist maniacs and lunatics,' and vowed to increase taxes on the investment returns of university endowments, a plan approved this month by the House of Representatives. The tax provision, which still needs Senate approval, would cost Harvard, which has an endowment of $53 billion, an estimated $850 million a year. Advertisement Harvard has borne the brunt of the White House's assault on higher education, and administrators and faculty on campus have watched with growing fear as the federal government has handed down edict after edict, cutting away at the financial foundation of the school. The university has about 6,800 international students, making up 27% of its total enrollment. Harvard's president, Alan M. Garber, characterized the cancellation of its ability to enroll international students as a potentially devastating blow. 'We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action,' Garber wrote in a statement last week, adding that it 'imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams.' The Trump administration letter cited what it called a pattern in which Harvard had shown a 'lack of commitment to nondiscrimination and our national values and priorities.' (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) As evidence, the letter said that The Harvard Law Review, an independent student-run publication, had recently given a fellowship to a law student who had been accused of assaulting a Jewish student during a 2023 pro-Palestinian campus protest. The student avoided criminal prosecution on misdemeanor assault charges in that case and agreed to perform community service, but did not admit wrongdoing. The letter also claimed that Harvard had not complied with the 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned the use of race as a deciding factor in admissions. Advertisement But the percentage of Black first-year students declined to 14% in fall 2024 after that decision, from 18% a year earlier. In the same period, Black enrollment in Harvard Law School's first-year class dropped to 3.4%, the lowest it had been since the 1960s. The letter did not provide statistical evidence for its claim about admissions, but cited the university's addition of a remedial math course. It said the course was the result 'of employing discriminatory factors, instead of merit, in admission decisions.' This article originally appeared in
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A historic CT lighthouse is available. That's at no cost to eligible entities
A historic lighthouse in Connecticut is available to certain entities, according to the U.S. General Services Administration The GSA issued a notice of availability for the Stratford Point Lighthouse late last month. The federal government says the historic lighthouse is available at no cost to 'eligible entities as a part of a federal disposal program authorized by the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000,' according to a U.S. General Services Administration statement. The eligible entities to take over the lighthouse include: federal agencies, state and local agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational agencies or community development organizations, according to GSA. The lighthouse is a 35-foot-tall cast iron structure that faces southeast toward Long Island Sound; it was originally constructed in 1822, and the current lighthouse was constructed in 1881. This was the first ever prefabricated cast-iron lighthouse in the state. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 says that a historic lighthouse that is no longer needed by the U.S. Coast Guard is made available for park, recreational, educational, cultural, or historic preservation purposes. The lighthouse is located at 1275 Prospect Stt and is licensed to the town of Stratford, according to the GSA. The lighthouse and three buildings are on a 0.58-acre parcel and are four miles from Interstate 95 and one mile from Bridgeport-Sikorsky airport. It's located on the southernmost part of Stratford and faces the Long Island Sound and the exit of the Housatonic River, according to GSA. The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. The USCG will reserve access to the property for maintaining the active aid to navigation. It can be accessed by land. The town of Stratford is holding public tours of the for the lighthouse this spring, but all sessions are sold out. However, there are plans for more tours in the fall. Also in Fairfield County, the Penfield Reef Lighthouse, in Fairfield appears as if it it could be soon on the market again after it was put on the market most recently in 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2023. That lighthouse, constructed in 1874, is located on the south side of the Black Rock Harbor in Bridgeport entrance on Long Island Sound. It's located just over a mile from Fairfield Beach. It's accessible by boat only, also according to the GSA. A GSA representative could not be reached Sunday. The lighthouse was heavily damaged by storm Sandy in 2012. The damage required $1.2 million in repairs to fix major leaks, install a new roof and added stainless steel doors and replaced existing windows with hurricane resistant ones, The Courant has reported. Like the Stratford lighthouse, the Penfield Reef Lighthouse is recognized as on the National Register of Historic Places. It has a tricky consideration: the successful bidder has to negotiate a lease with the state of Connecticut for 'bottomlands' under the lighthouse.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Historic Portland federal courthouse going up for sale under Trump admin plan
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Downtown Portland's Gus J. Soloman U.S. Courthouse will officially be listed for sale as part of the Trump administration's plan to shed the federal government's real estate portfolio, federal officials announced Thursday. The U.S. General Services Administration announced the beginning of the public sale process, explaining, 'By including the Solomon courthouse in President Trump's plan to optimize the government's real estate portfolio, GSA will avoid over $76 million in potential capital expenditures to modernize the 90-year-old building for continued office use,' adding, 'The potential for adaptive reuse by the private sector is exceptional.' The property, located at 620 Southwest Main St., is in the Central Business District and was previously listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, GSA said, noting that a historic preservation covenant will be included in the deed. California-founded Southern food chain expanding to Oregon Starting the sale process, GSA has selected the real estate company CBRE to market the property and seek competitive offers. From there, all offers will be presented to GSA for consideration. Property marketing will start in June, officials said. It's unclear how much the property's asking price will be at this time. KOIN 6 News has reached out for further comment. The courthouse has housed several government offices, including the downtown post office, U.S. district court, U.S. court of appeals, and offices for the U.S. Secret Service and branches of the military, GSA said. The courthouse opened in 1933 before receiving its current name in 1989 to honor Judge Gus J. Soloman, who served the district court for 37 years — longer than any other judge in the state, according to GSA. Molalla city councilor facing felony charges after theft investigation The public sale announcement comes after GSA announced in December that the courthouse could be among eight federal buildings that could be offloaded in an effort to 'right-size and modernize the federal buildings portfolio.' Along with the Soloman courthouse, GSA is continuing to look for other government assets to divest, 'to ensure taxpayers no longer pay for empty and underutilized federal office space, or the significant maintenance costs associated with long-term building ownership — potentially saving more than $430 million in total annual operating costs.' Other facilities include the Richard B. Anderson Federal Building in Port Angeles, Wash., the James V. Hansen Federal Building in Utah and one of three Federal Office Buildings in Washington, D.C. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Int'l Business Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Texas Lawmaker Wants Crypto ATMs Installed In Federal Buildings
Rep. Gooden said the initiative may also raise more awareness for people new to crypto He said crypto has already 'becoming an integral part of the global financial system' Gooden said the initiative aligns with President Trump's bid to make America a crypto superpower A Republican representative has urged the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to install cryptocurrency ATMs within federal buildings across the country, saying it will not only foster innovation but will also enhance the infrastructure of public services. For Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas, the GSA should explore the potential of the initiative that he believes will benefit Americans in the long run. Crypto ATMs in Federal Buildings Provide Convenience Among Other Benefits: Gooden In a letter sent Thursday to GSA Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian, Gooden wrote how crypto, albeit still an emerging sector, has already "become an integral part of the global financial system" and many people rely on cryptocurrencies for various financial transactions. For Gooden, installing crypto ATMs across federal buildings will provide: Improved accessibility Better convenience, particularly for citizens in underserved areas with limited access to traditional financing Public education opportunities, especially for those interested in the emerging industry Greater access to the growing, diverse consumer base of crypto users Proper Implementation a Necessary Move Though Gooden was focused on highlighting the potential benefits of installing crypto ATMs across the country's federal buildings, he also reiterated the importance of implementing such an initiative in the most effective manner. He said implementation plans should focus on the following aspects: Security Compliance Consumer protection Clear guidelines for installation Clear rules for crypto ATM operation Robust identity verification Transparency in transaction fees The GOP congressman went on to urge the GSA to collaborate with regulators, industry experts and tech providers to ensure that relevant industry standards are applied and anti-money laundering guardrails are prioritized in the initiative's planning stage. "Expanding accessibility to crypto ATMs within federal buildings aligns with President [Donald] Trump's vision of positioning the United States as a global leader in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology," he reiterated. He said that by embracing his proposal, the country is taking a major step toward cementing the United States' status as a global superpower in the rising digital financial landscape. As Gooden reiterated in his letter, Trump has embraced blockchain and crypto since deciding to run for president a second time. After taking power, he has since signed a crypto executive order and has also repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to the burgeoning industry and its lively community.
