The DC Digest

Duke Government Relations

Duke in DC's Top News Today:

Appropriations Update
NSB Releases Annual Report on State of U.S. Science and Engineering
Defense Health Research Consortium Sends Letter in Support of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Student Aid Alliance Urges Secretary McMahon to Support Federal Student Aid
NIH Budget Hearing Next Week
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 House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 27 Commerce‑Justice‑Science appropriations bill by a vote of 32-28, advancing it for consideration on the full House floor. The $77.3 billion measure is a roughly 1 percent decrease from current funding levels. Under the proposal,

The Commerce Department would see a decrease to $10.2 billion.
The Justice Department would receive an increase of nearly $39 billion.
Level funding for the Office of Science and Technology Policy ($7.965 million) and NASA ($24.4 billion)
Proposes $7 billion for the National Science Foundation--a $1.75 billion (20 percent) reduction from FY 26.

In other appropriations news, the House Appropriations Committee released its FY 27 Energy-Water appropriations bill. The bill proposes $58.5 billion in discretionary spending, up $461 million from FY 26, with $35 billion for defense and $23.5 billion for non-defense. It also includes $8.5 billion for the Office of Science, $125 million increase over FY 26. Some highlights within the Office of Science proposal are below:

Expands support for high‑performance computing, quantum, and AI, including the Genesis Mission.
Advances fusion energy research toward grid deployment.
Increases operations for experimental user facilities.
Strengthens national laboratories and foundational research capacity.

The bill was marked up and advanced from subcomittee earlier today.

Research

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

NSB RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE OF U.S. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

The National Science Board (NSB) released its biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report, highlighting continued shifts in global research and workforce trends. The report finds that China has now surpassed the United States in total R&D spending and continues to lead in publications and doctoral output. In the U.S., the business sector remains the dominant funder of research, while the federal share has declined over time.

NSB Report

DEFENSE HEALTH RESEARCH CONSORTIUM SENDS LETTER IN SUPPORT OF CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS

A coalition of stakeholders is urging congressional appropriators to increase funding for the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) in FY 27 to approximately $1.62 billion, with both Duke University and Duke Health among the signatories. The request would restore funding levels closer to FY 24 and account for inflation following recent reductions that stakeholders say have affected research continuity. The letter emphasizes CDMRP’s role in supporting high‑impact medical research for military personnel, veterans, and broader public health needs. As the signatories write, the programs are “critical to advancing research that protects the health and readiness of our Armed Forces… while also benefiting civilian populations.”

Letter Sent

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

STUDENT AID ALLIANCE URGES SECRETARY MCMAHON TO SUPPORT FEDERAL STUDENT AID

The Student Aid Alliance submitted a letter to the Department of Education responding to its FY 27 budget request, urging full funding of the projected Pell Grant shortfall without reducing award levels or tightening eligibility. While acknowledging the Department’s proposed $10.5 billion allocation for Pell, the coalition emphasized that additional resources will be needed to address the program’s growing funding gap. The letter also raised concerns about proposed eliminations or significant cuts to other federal student aid programs, including Federal Work‑Study, FSEOG, TRIO, GEAR UP and GAANN. As the coalition wrote, "Without the strong partnership between the federal government, states, institutions, and families, millions of students would not be able to pursue their postsecondary education."

Student Aid Letter

Additional Federal Relations Items of Interest to Duke

NIH BUDGET HEARING NEXT WEEK

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya is set to testify before a Senate subcommittee next week on the Department's budget and priorities. The Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing will be on Thursday, May 21, at 10:00 am. Bhattacharya will also be accompanied by other NIH directors.

Subcommittee Hearing

Post of the Week!

Government Relations Resources

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