This week’s Federal Update covers Congressional and Executive activities of interest in Washington, D.C.
Congressional Branch Activities of Interest
Floor Activity
The House is out of session this week. The Senate returned on July 8.
Budget Reconcilliation
On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law after it passed the House in a 218-214 vote. Among many provisions, the 870-page Act makes many 2017 “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” tax cuts permanent, reduces funding for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and phases out many of the clean energy tax incentives included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Summaries of the student aid and tax provisions of interest to the higher education community were included in last week’s newsletter.
FY 2026 Appropriations
On July 9, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce-Justice-Science passed its FY26 spending bill. According to statements made at the markup by Subcommittee Chair Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the Subcommittee allocated $79.7 for the bill, including approximately $9 billion for the National Science Foundation. Report language has not been posted publicly.
On July 10, the full Senate Appropriations Committee began its markup of the Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) recessed the Committee without a final resolution. Watch the hearing here.
Bill Introduced
Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act (H.R. 4312). Originally made public in June as a discussion draft in the House by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Gus Bilrakis (R-FL), the SCORE Act would allow student-athletes to enter Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals independently with limited exceptions. The bill was jointly referred to the House Education & Workforce Committee and the House Energy & Commerce Committee.
The bill requires schools to provide academic, health, and degree completion support to student-athletes. NIL agents must be registered with relevant athletic associations, and the bill preempts state laws that conflict with its provisions. The Act reinforces that student-athletes are not considered employees under federal or state law.
Executive Branch Activities of Interest
National Institutes of Health Announces Change in Animal Testing Policy for Research Awards
On July 7, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) jointly announced that their agencies would no longer award funding to new grant proposals solely relying on animal testing. Announced during a joint workshop, officials from the FDA and the NIH outlined efforts to reduce animal testing across their agencies. A recording of the policy announcement webinar may be found here.
Departments of Education and Health and Human Services Notify Harvard’s Accreditor of Title VI Violation
On July 9, the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (HHS’ OCR) notified the New England Commission of Higher Education that its member institution, Harvard, is in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws and therefore may fail to meet the standards for accreditation set by the Commission. According to the letter, “in light of HHS’ OCR’s finding that Harvard University is in violation of Federal civil rights law, there is strong evidence to suggest the school may no longer meet the Commission’s accreditation standards.” Read the release from HHS here.
Department of Education Issues Interpretive Rule on Access to Higher Education Act Programs by Noncitizens
On July 10, the Department of Education (ED) issued an interpretive rule ensuring that postsecondary education programs authorized under the Higher Education Act (HEA), such as Pell Grants and student loans, continue to be inaccessible to non-U.S. citizens. The Notice of Interpretation published in the Federal Register states that federal programs that provide postsecondary education and other similar benefits are federal public benefits and are not accessible by individuals that have illegally entered the United States. In conjunction with the Notice of Interpretation, ED said it would send letters to HEA grantees discussing eligibility verification. Read the press release here.