The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

White House Delays Full Budget Into Summer
New NSF Lawsuit and Oversight Request
Recent Executive Orders on 'Gold Standard Science' and the Nuclear Industrial Base
Numerous Student Visa Updates
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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.

WHITE HOUSE TO DELAY RELEASING FY26 BUDGET UNTIL THE SUMMER

The White House announced they will not release a full budget request until after the reconciliation bill passes Congress. The current plan from Republican leadership is to have the full reconciliation bill passed out of both chambers by July 4. The House had previously announced its intention to begin the FY26 appropriations process with committee markups in June. As the budget process normally runs from February to September, with much of the work in Congress happening during the spring and summer months, it is unclear how much Congress will accomplish this spring without the full budget proposal from the White House.

As a reminder, the FY25 budget cycle is working off a continuing resolution that expires September 30, so Congress will have a condensed budget calendar in which to complete their work before FY26 funding is necessary to keep the government open. We will continue to engage and monitor this process, sharing possible implications for the Duke community as details on the timeline evolve.

Research

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

STATES SUE NSF OVER RESEARCH FUNDING AND DEI GRANT TERMINATIONS

Sixteen states have filed a lawsuit against the National Science Foundation (NSF), challenging recent policy changes that impact university research funding. The lawsuit targets two major actions: the NSF's decision to cap indirect research cost reimbursements at 15% for new grants and the mass termination of grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The states argue that these moves violate federal law and threaten essential research projects and funding at universities nationwide.

NSF Lawsuit

ASSOCIATIONS SEND LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP ASKING FOR OVERSIGHT OF CHANGES AT NSF

This week, the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), sent a letter to House and Senate appropriations leadership asking for them to engage in oversight of proposed changes at the National Science Foundation. The letter noted that “[m]aking significant changes to the agency mission, structure, and personnel without any congressional oversight to align with ‘proposed future budgets’ seems incredibly premature,” adding, “[w]ithout a strong and vibrant NSF, we risk losing U.S. global science and technological leadership, sacrificing our national security, domestic workforce, and ability to lead in future technology.”

Letter on NSF

PRESIDENT ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER ON "RESTORING GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE"

President Trump recently signed an executive order, "Restoring Gold Standard Science," that directs federal agencies to adopt new scientific integrity standards. The order mandates the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to issue guidance within 30 days, emphasizing principles such as reproducibility, transparency, acceptance of negative results, and unbiased peer review. Agencies are then required to update their policies accordingly within 60 days. Additionally, the executive order reinstates scientific integrity policies from the Trump administration's previous term, superseding those established in 2021. It also requires agencies to ensure transparency in the use, interpretation, and communication of scientific data, including clarity about assumptions and uncertainties.

OGR will continue to report and share relevant updates on the specific guidance and agency-level policy updates that result from this executive order.

Science Exeuctive Order

WHITE HOUSE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON REINVIGORATING THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRIAL BASE

President Trump also recently signed four executive orders related to nuclear energy, including one that directs the Secretary of Energy to “increase access to R&D infrastructure, workforce, and expertise at Department of Energy National Laboratories for college and university nuclear engineering students.” In addition to the Executive Order, the White House also released an accompanying fact sheet.

Nuclear Industrial Base EO

Immigration

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

NEWLY ANNOUNCED FEDERAL VISA POLICY SHIFTS AFFECT CHINESE STUDENTS AND UPDATES SOCIAL MEDIA VETTING

The U.S. Department of State has initiated new visa policies that may significantly impact international students, particularly those from China. In a directive this week, the State Department announced it will “aggressively revoke” visas of Chinese nationals studying in sensitive research areas, citing national security concerns. The exact fields considered “sensitive” and the criteria for revocation have not yet been publicly defined.

Also this week, the Department has launched a pilot program requiring consular officers to screen social media accounts of all nonimmigrant visa applicants to Harvard University. This program, according to a State Department cable to consular offices that was obtained by POLITICO, may be expanded to other institutions over time, though no timeline or criteria for expansion have been released. The guidance also notes that applicants with no or private social media profiles may be flagged for further review.

Chinese Visa News

ADDITIONAL VISA RESTRICTIONS ANNOUNCED REGARDING FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO CENSOR AMERICANS

The State Department announced a new visa restriction policy this week focused on foreign nationals who censor Americans online on behalf of foreign governments. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on U.S. citizens or U.S. residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on U.S. soil.” The announcement did not specify which individuals or countries would be affected.

Visa Restrictions Announcement

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