The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

Department of Homeland Security in Partial Shutdown
DOE Announces Office of Science Committee Chair and Members
Pell Grant Faces Multi-Billion Dollar Shortfall

The Highlights 📰

Budget & Appropriations

The latest coverage on Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations that are relevant to Duke.

Duke Government Relations' primer on the federal appropriations process.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IN PARTIAL SHUTDOWN

As of midnight Friday, the Department of Homeland Security is in a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass a measure to fund the agency past its continuing resolution (CR) deadline. We mentioned in Friday's digest that while the agency is shut down until a bill is passed, approximately 40 percent of its funding was already covered by the summer's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA). Congress is on recess for the week and will return to session on Monday. As always, the Office of Government Relations (OGR) will continue to monitor federal activity and provide updates as needed.

Research

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

DOE ANNOUNCES OFFICE OF SCIENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND MEMBERS

The Department of Energy announced this month the establishment of a new Office of Science Advisory Committee (SCAC) that aims to provide guidance on scientific and technical challenges across the Office of Science. According to the DOE, the committee consolidates the functions of six former advisory panels and is intended to improve coordination and support cross‑cutting research priorities, including fusion energy, quantum science and the Genesis Mission. SCAC will be chaired by Professor Persis Drell of Stanford University and includes 21 members from academia, industry, philanthropy and the national laboratories.

Advisory Committee

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

PELL GRANT FACES MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL

A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report warns that the Pell Grant program is facing a multi‑billion‑dollar funding gap unless Congress adds money to the Federal Student Aid (FSA) account by Sept. 30. According to the CBO estimate, the program is projected to fall short by $5.5 billion in FY26, a deficit that could grow to $11.5 billion in FY27 and accumulate to as much as $132 billion over the next decade without additional congressional action. One key driver is expanded eligibility under the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2021, which resulted in about 1.7 million more students qualifying for the maximum Pell Grant in the 2025-26 cycle--a 27 percent increase compared with 2023-24, according to the National College Attainment Network. Because awards for the 2025-26 academic year are already set, lawmakers cannot reduce existing grants and will need to find new funding to cover the immediate shortfall.

Pell Grant

Government Relations Resources

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