Congressional Branch activities of interest
Floor Activity
The House and Senate are in Session this week.
On May 20, the Senate voted to confirm Arvind Raman to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Raman previously served as dean of engineering at Purdue University.
FY27 Appropriations
On May 20, the House Appropriations Committee marked up the FY27 Energy and Water bill. The bill provides:
- $300 million for ARPA-E, a 14% cut from the FY26 level;
- Language from the FY26 bill directing the Department of Energy (DOE) to continue to apply indirect cost rates “to the same extent and in the same manner as was applied in fiscal year 2024;” See this language in Section 312 on page 55 here.
- $8.53 billion for the Office of Science, $125 million above the FY26 enacted level;
According to a summary of the bill released by the committee, the funding level for the DOE Office of Science “increases support for high-performance computing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence efforts, including the Trump Administration’s Genesis Mission.” Read the bill here. Read the committee report here.
Bills Introduced
The Jewish American Security Act (S. 4576) was introduced by Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK). The bill would require the Department of Education to implement a Title VI framework to combat antisemitism on college campuses. Read the press release here. Read the bill text here.
The Build to Scale Reauthorization of 2026 (H.R. 8866) was introduced by Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN). Originally authorized under the America COMPETES Act of 2010, Build to Scale is a competitive grant program that invests in universities, startups, nonprofits, and entrepreneurship-focused organizations to strengthen regional innovation capacity and connect high potential ideas with the capital, infrastructure, and support needed to scale. Read the press release here. Read the bill here.
House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) have introduced the Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries Act, which would prohibit federal research funding for research collaborations with “entities and individuals on U.S. government blacklists.” According to a press release issued by the House Select Committee on China, “The bill broadly defines ‘research collaboration’ to include joint research projects, co-authorship, data sharing, personnel exchanges, and other forms of cooperation.” The full text of the bill is available here.
The Paul Simon Study Abroad Act (S.4541) was introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). The bill would establish the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program in the Department of State. The program would give more students the opportunity to study abroad and gain international knowledge essential for success in today’s global economy. Read the bill text here.
Bicameral Activities of Interest
Committee Chairs Warn Against CCP Infiltration in American Universities
House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), and Senator Jim Banks raised concerns about CCP infiltration in American universities in letters sent to seven institutions. This action follows the release of a Department of Education (ED) report that demonstrates attempts by foreign entities aligned with the CCP to influence universities through funding, research exposure, and theft of intellectual property. Read the House Committee on Education and Workforce press release here.
Executive Branch activities of interest
The Department of Education Issues Final Rule to Create New Workforce Pell Grant Program
The Department of Education (ED) issued its final rule to implement the Workforce Pell Grant program enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The program will allow students to receive Pell Grants for enrollment in short-term workforce training programs offered by eligible institutions. The regulations also change overall Pell eligibility; making students ineligible for Pell grants if their scholarship assistance exceeds the cost of attendance. The final language prevents Pell funds from being added when students already have full non-federal aid coverage. Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said of the program, “Pell Grants will now reach high-quality, short-term workforce programs in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand fields.” Read the press release here. Read the final rule here.