The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

NIH Director Issues Agency Priorities, Orders Internal Review of Agency’s Funding Portfolio
Supreme Court Clears Way for Nearly $800 Million in Cuts to NIH Grants
Education Department Plans to Reinstate Office of Civil Rights Workers
Trump Admin Could Block Student Loan Relief for Some Public Service Workers
Education Department Prohibits Use of Federal Work-Study Funds for Jobs Supporting Political Activities
State Department has Revoked Over 6,000 Student Visas this Year
Post of the Week!

The Highlights 📰

Research

The latest updates on legislation and regulations that impact Duke's research enterprise.

NIH DIRECTOR ISSUES AGENCY PRIORITIES, ORDERS INTERNAL REVIEW OF AGENCY'S FUNDS

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has directed staff to immediately review all current and planned research activities, including grants, contracts, and training programs, according to a memo obtained by Inside Higher Ed. The move follows concerns that the agency may not spend all of its allocated funds before the federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30. In the memo, NIH director Jay Bhattacharya outlined priority areas such as artificial intelligence, autism research and evidence-based care for children and teenagers. Projects that do not align with these priorities may be paused, restricted or ended.

NIH News

SUPREME COURT CLEARS WAY FOR NEARLY $800 MILLION IN CUTS TO NIH GRANTS

The Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with plans to cut nearly $800 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants while ongoing legal challenges continue in lower courts. The ruling does not resolve the case but permits the reductions during litigation.

Supreme Court Decision

Student Aid, Institutional Support and Taxes

The latest updates regarding legislation and regulatory actions related to student aid, higher education institutional support, taxes and more.

NASFAA Student Aid Reference Desk

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PLANS TO REINSTATE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS

The Department of Education will reinstate more than 260 Office for Civil Rights staff who were laid off in March, according to court documents. Employees will return in groups every two weeks between Sept. 8 and Nov. 3. The update was filed in compliance with a federal judge’s order requiring the department to restore its civil rights enforcement capacity.

OCR Update

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION COULD BLOCK STUDENT LOAN RELIEF FOR SOME PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS

The Trump administration has proposed a rule that would bar certain borrowers from receiving Public Service Loan Forgiveness if their employers are found to be "undermining national security and American values through illegal means." Announced by the Department of Education, it said the change is intended to ensure the program supports "public servants who strengthen their communities and serve the public good, not benefiting businesses engaged in illegal activity that harm Americans."

PSLF Update

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROHIBITS USE OF FEDERAL WORK-STUDY FUNDS FOR JOBS SUPPORTING POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

The Department of Education has ended the use of Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds for voter registration and political outreach jobs, reversing a 2022 Biden-era policy. Officials said the program should focus solely on career-related employment, not “political activism.” The updated guidance also clarifies that colleges are not required to distribute voter registration forms to students deemed ineligible to vote.

Work Study News

Immigration

The latest updates on legislation and regulatory actions related to immigration that are relevant to Duke.

STATE DEPARTMENT HAS REVOKED OVER 6,000 STUDENT VISAS THIS YEAR

The State Department has revoked more than 6,000 student visas, citing overstays and violations of U.S. law. According to an official, most cases involved offenses such as assault, driving under the influence, burglary, or alleged support for terrorism, though it was not specified whether those incidents were accusations, charges, or convictions. About two-thirds of the revoked visas were tied to legal violations, with 200 to 300 cases involving allegations of support for terrorism. The revoked visas represent a small portion of the 1.1 million foreign students who studied in the U.S. during the 2023–24 academic year.

Visa Update

Post of the Week!

Government Relations Resources

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