Congressional Branch activities of interest
Floor Activity
The House and Senate are in Session this week.
FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
The Senate Armed Services Committee approved its version of the FY27 NDAA (S.4784). The bill mirrors the Trump administration's request for a $1.15 trillion base defense budget while deferring an additional $350 billion to a third reconciliation process. The bill text may be found here and the bill report may be found here.
Sec. 220 of the bill, ‘Codification of Department of Defense Research Security Program,’ establishes a research security program focused on protecting university research from foreign interference, intellectual property theft, and other national security risks. This section would restrict universities conducting DOD-funded research from entering into contracts with certain foreign countries or entities of concern starting in 2028, unless the Department of War grants a waiver. Sec. 220 is found on page 70 of the bill text, linked here.
FY27 Appropriations
On June 24, the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY27 Defense appropriations bill. The bill provides $221B for Defense Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E), a $75B increase from FY26. The bill report and text are available here.
Markups
On June 25, the House Committee on Education and Workforce advanced several bills related to higher education, including the Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act (HR. 2555), introduced by Indiana Representative Erin Houchin (R) in April 2025. The bill would prohibit colleges and universities from taking action against a student or student organization because that organization is single-sex.
Other notable bills include:
- No Antisemitism in Education Act (HR. 8476), which requires any K-12 school district or institution of higher education that receives federal funding to treat antisemitism with the same rigor applied to other forms of discrimination prohibited by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
- Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act (HR. 4795), which prohibits federal funds from going to institutions that permit commercial boycotts of Israel.
- Student Protection and University Accountability Act (HR. 9203), which establishes additional transparency regarding procedures for investigating alleged Title VI investigations on college campuses.
- Equal Campus Access Act (HR. 5505), which requires public institutions that receive federal student aid to treat religious student groups equally to any other student organization on campus.
Watch the full markup here.
On June 25, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee advanced the CREATE AI Act (HR. 2385) and the NSF AI Education Act of 2025 (HR. 5351) . The Create AI Act establishes a National AI Research Resource to expand access to datasets and computing power for AI development and research. The NSF AI Education Act expands AI education and workforce training programs at the National Science Foundation. Watch the full markup here.
Hearings
On June 24, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a hearing titled, “Safeguarding Federal Research Funds: The False Claims Act’s Role in Combating Grant Fraud.” Members and witnesses examined the effectiveness of current False Claims Act oversight and enforcement mechanisms. While witnesses generally agreed that the False Claims Act serves as an effective tool for investigating and addressing research fraud, they identified several areas for improvement, including strengthening safeguards against duplicate funding awards and enhancing efforts to detect and prevent foreign malign influence in federally funded research. Watch the hearing here.
Bills Introduced
On June 18, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Prioritizing American Talent Act (S. 4834). The bill would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from using federal funds to administer the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which currently allows certain international students on F-1 visas to remain in the United States and work after completing their studies. Read Sen. Scott’s press release here. Read the bill text here.
On June 18, Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the AI Security and Innovation Act (H.R. 9363). The bill would establish a Center for AI Security and Innovation (CAISI) within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The Center would be responsible for evaluating risks associated with advanced AI systems, conducting assessments of frontier AI models, developing voluntary standards and best practices, supporting AI security research, and coordinating with federal agencies, industry, and international partners on AI-related security and innovation issues. Representative Erin Houchin (R-IN) has since joined the bill as a cosponsor. Read the bill text here.
One June 18, Reps. Brian Babin (R-TX) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced AI-Ready Federal Data Guidelines Act (H.R. 9341). The bill would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop voluntary guidelines to help federal agencies prepare datasets, including open government data assets, for use in training AI models. The bill also authorizes pilot programs at institutions of higher education and National Labs to test AI-ready data standards in priority areas such as biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Read the bill text here.
On June 18, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced the Workforce for AI Trust Act. The bill authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide awards to institutions of higher education for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships focused on trustworthy AI, supports AI skills-based training and professional development activities, and establishes programs to facilitate collaboration among technical, social science, ethics, legal, and other research disciplines. Read the bill text here.
On June 23, Sens. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Robert Scott (D-VA) introduced the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026. The bill would increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $15,000 by award year 2031–2032, index future awards to inflation, and convert the program to mandatory funding. Read Sen. Hirono’s press release here. Read the bill text here.
Executive Branch activities of interest
President Trump Signs Executive Orders on Quantum Technology
On June 22, President Trump signed two executive orders related to quantum technology. The first, “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Information,” seeks to maintain U.S. leadership in quantum science and applications. It directs the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal agencies to:
- Update the national quantum strategy.
- Initiate a multi-agency effort to build a quantum computer for scientific discovery (housed at a Department of Energy lab).
- Develop plans for quantum sensor and network deployments.
- Develop a plan to strengthen the quantum supply chain.
- Strengthen security controls for quantum technology.
- Carry out an array of talent and workforce actions (including creating a National Science Foundation-led network of quantum workforce development institutes).
- Engage with international partners to support the interests of the U.S. quantum industry and to coordinate quantum research.
The second executive order, “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks,” sets out steps to prepare federal and critical infrastructure for a “post-quantum cryptographic world.”
Judicial Branch activities of interest
Judge Freezes Rule on Graduate Student Loan Caps
A federal judge temporarily blocked a section of a Department of Education (ED) rule that would impose federal student loan borrowing caps based on degree classification. The rule was scheduled to take effect on July 1. In April, ED finalized a rule that created two categories of graduate degrees, professional and graduate, with professional degrees eligible for higher borrowing limits. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, along with other organizations representing healthcare professionals and educational institutions, challenged the rule, arguing that students in certain healthcare fields would be unfairly restricted from accessing the higher loan limits available to other professional degree programs.
The preliminary injunction narrowly applies to the rule’s definition of “professional” degree and not the entire regulation. Read the full decision here.