The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

Appropriations Update
Federal Court Vacates DOD Indirect Cost Cap Policy and Grants Declaratory Judgment
Higher Ed Groups Submit Comments on Trump Administration Effort to Collect More Admissions Data
Multiple Colleges Decline to Sign Trump Administration Funding Compact
Letter Requests Extension of Comment Period for Proposed Rule on H-1B Lottery
Post of the Week!

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.

APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE

The federal government has officially been shut down for 17 days, and there appears to be no end in sight--the Senate failed to pass a funding vote for the 10th time yesterday. Additionally, Senate Democrats voted against advancing a full-year defense appropriations bill yesterday that would have funded the Pentagon, effectively blocking the measure in a 50–44 vote that fell short of the 60 votes required. Three Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill. The vote marked an attempt by Senate Republicans to resume partial government funding on the 16th day of the shutdown. The stalemate continues as Democrats push to include an extension of health insurance tax credits in any broader agreement to reopen the government.

Shutdown News

Research

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

FEDERAL COURT VACATES DOD INDIRECT COST CAP POLICY AND GRANTS DECLARATORY JUDGEMENT

A federal district court vacated the Department of Defense (DOD) policy imposing a rate cap on reimbursement for facilities and administrative costs incurred by institutions with research grants from the agency. Although the Trump Administration is likely to appeal, the ruling found that DOD’s new policy was both arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.

Rule Vacated

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

HIGHER ED GROUPS RAISE CONCERNS ON PROPOSAL TO COLLECT MORE ADMISSIONS DATA

Colleges and higher education groups express concerns about a proposed Education Department rule that would require new, detailed reporting on admissions data. The proposed Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement for the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) would mandate that institutions submit data on applicants, admits and enrollees by test score, GPA, income and other categories, along with historical data back to 2020. Institutions argue the proposal is overly complex, could create privacy risks and would impose significant administrative burdens, especially for smaller schools. The department aims to implement the requirement for the 2025–26 application cycle.

Data Collections Proposal

MULTIPLE COLLEGES DECLINE TO SIGN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FUNDING COMPACT

Several universities have announced they will not sign the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” a proposal offering funding advantages in exchange for adopting new institutional policies. The 10-point plan sought changes to tuition, admissions, hiring, free speech rules and international enrollment caps. MIT, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California each rejected the compact, citing concerns about academic freedom, institutional independence and research funding criteria. The administration initially extended the offer to nine universities and is now open to all schools.

Funding Compact

Immigration

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

LETTER REQUESTING EXTENSION OF COMMENT PERIOD FOR PROPOSED RULE ON H-1B LOTTERY

29 organizations comprised of universities, businesses, legal firms and professional associations jointly requested that the Department of Homeland Security extend the public comment period for its proposed rule on the H-1B visa lottery system. The current 30-day window, they argued, is insufficient for stakeholders to conduct the economic and legal analysis needed to evaluate the rule’s potential impacts. The proposal would change how H-1B petitions are selected, prioritizing higher-wage positions, which the groups said could limit opportunities for early-career professionals and recent U.S. graduates. They urged DHS to provide a full 60-day comment period, citing established federal guidelines and the complexity of the policy’s implications for employers, small entities and the workforce.

H-1B Letter

Post of the Week!

Government Relations Resources

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