This week’s Federal Update covers Congressional and Executive activities of interest in Washington, D.C.
Congressional Branch activities of interest
Floor Activity
The Senate is in session this week. The partial government shutdown continues. A compilation of agency contingency plans for the shutdown may be found here.
FY 2026 Appropriations
As the government shutdown continues, Democrats are holding firm on their demand to pair stopgap funding with an extension of healthcare subsidies while Republicans are set on passing a “clean” Continuing Resolution (CR). Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) continues to hold regular votes on the CR in the Senate to pressure Democratic senators, while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has placed the House in recess.
Hearings
On October 8, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property held a hearing titled, “The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) – Restoring Clarity, Certainty, and Predictability to the U.S. Patent System.” During the hearing, Subcommittee Chair Tom Tillis (R-NC) expressed his desire to pass PERA in the next year. Watch the hearing here.
Bills Introduced
The Degrees Not Debt Act (H.R. 5675) was reintroduced by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA). The bill would double the maximum Pell Grant award to $14,800 and index the award cap to inflation by the 2028-29 school year. Read the press release here. Read the bill text here.
The Protect Act (H.R. 5693) has been introduced by Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA). The bill would amend Title IV of the Higher Education Act to prohibit agreements with certain private equity, hedge funds, or foreign sovereign wealth funds that sell or pledge control of intercollegiate athletics revenues. Read the press release here. Read the bill text here.
Judicial Branch Activities of Interest
Higher Education Groups Sue Over Trump Administration's $100K H-1B Visa Fee Proclamation
On October 3, a coalition of religious organizations, health care providers, labor unions, and higher education professionals, including the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), sued the Trump Administration over the President’s September proclamation imposing a $100K fee for H1-B visas. The coalition’s lawsuit argues that the fee will deter highly skilled individuals from attending American universities, which will lead to setbacks for research and the quality of the American workforce. Read the AAUP press release here. Read the complaint here.