News and updates

House Races the Clock Before August Recess

Posted on July 22, 2026July 22, 2026

With just two legislative days left for the House before the August recess, Republican leaders are scrambling to make progress on several major priorities.

On Tuesday night, the House passed continuing resolution , a short-term funding package that would extend current funding levels through December 4. Congress is facing their yearly deadline of September 30 to pass all 12 appropriations bills before a government shutdown begins. Currently, there have been no Senate markups of any of the bills. This year鈥檚 has both the House and Senate out for an extended August recess, returning for only a few weeks in September, before leaving town again for all of October, in preparation for the midterm elections. The schedule leaves little time for any bills to move through.

HR 9770 passed 220-205 along mostly party lines, with one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) voting in opposition and six Democrats voting in support. The bill now heads to the Senate for a rewrite. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said last night that he plans to bring a bill to the floor before the August break, and that both sides are working to reach an agreement on a stopgap funding bill that would run past the November midterms.

The House is also hoping to push through With a topline of $1.5 trillion, Democrats say the request is too high for them to support.

On the Senate side, Tuesday included a hearing on the Trump Administration鈥檚 $87.6 billion supplemental funding request for the Iran war, farm aid, and other areas. The hearing featured testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Hegseth revealed the Iran war has cost , up from previous estimates.

Senator Darline Graham (R-S.C.) has been sworn in, and will take over her brother’s committee assignments, placing her on the Appropriations, Budget, Judiciary, Environment and Public Works committees. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will take over as Chair of the State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) will take over the Budget Committee.

House Committee Passes 鈥淟ess Bureaucracy, Better Education鈥� Package

Posted on July 16, 2026

In the latest effort by Republicans to dismantle the Department of Education, the House Education and Workforce Committee yesterday which would codify the Trump administration鈥檚 plan to transfer ED responsibilities to other federal agencies. The 鈥淟ess Bureaucracy, Better Education鈥� Legislative Package includes:

H.R. 9607,听, authored by Chairman Walberg
H.R. 9609,听, authored by Chairman Walberg
H.R. 9602,听, authored by Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA)
H.R. 9603,听, authored by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
H.R. 9605,听, authored by Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI)
H.R. 9606,听, authored by Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO)
H.R. 9611,听, authored by Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC)
H.R. 9610,听, authored by Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC)
H.R. 9608,听, authored by Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL)
H.R. 9604,听, authored by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT)

All but one bill in the package passed with unanimous support from the Republican majority, who argued that the bills would prevent fraud and waste in the education system. The Wednesday meeting, which lasted over six hours, featured strong opposition from Democrats who argued these interagency agreements would create more bureaucracy and worsen student outcomes.

If the package were to pass the House, it would face significant challenge from the Senate, where not all Republicans support dismantling the department.

UW Submits Comment Opposing Proposed Changes to Uniform Guidance

Posted on July 14, 2026July 15, 2026

The comment period for closed last night at 11:59pm Eastern. The 天美影视传媒 has submitted expressing concerns related to OMB鈥檚 proposed changes, based on feedback received from the UW community.

In summary,

鈥淭he proposed changes in the Uniform Guidance, shifting it to a set of uniform grant regulations, would undermine what is a revered pillar of American greatness; our scientific enterprise. Our nation has benefited enormously from a research funding system grounded in scientific excellence, peer review, and long-term investment. It has allowed us to be the world鈥檚 economic driver for generations. Our nation should invest in science, including a funding framework that promotes scientific independence from political interference, stability, and evidence-based decision making, to preserve our dominance. These changes will only undermine our leadership. The 天美影视传媒 urges OMB to withdraw the proposed rule entitled 鈥淩egulation for Federal Financial Assistance鈥� in its entirety.鈥�

The full UW comment letter is

The proposed effective date for the new guidance is October 1, 2026. When the comment period closed last night, OMB had received 496,769 comments, which are public record and will continue to be published

Additional comment letters:

In addition, contains up-to-date information of letters sent by Members of Congress regarding Uniform Guidance.

GOP Senate Agenda Complicated by Recent Changes

Posted on July 13, 2026

As a lengthy August recess approaches, recent changes are leaving Republicans, who were already dealing with a narrow Senate majority, two votes short on the Appropriations Committee.

The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) late Saturday night leaves a vacancy in the powerful Senate Budget Committee. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham played a major role in drafting budget resolutions and reconciliation bills, including last year鈥檚鈥淥ne Big Beautiful Bill,鈥� and recent immigration enforcement package. His death complicates the plans of House Republican leaders to push through another reconciliation package. Graham also served as chairman of the State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement to serve out the rest of Graham’s term. Graham, who was up for reelection, was set to face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. An August 11 special primary election will determine the new Republican nominee.

Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is also absent from Congress, having spent the last several weeks in the hospital following a medical emergency. His sudden departure and relative silence from his office have caused widespread speculation over his condition, including from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who last week urging a transparent status update on his condition and ability to continue holding office. Last night, McConnell that said he was recovering at a rehabilitation center after losing consciousness from a fall, and a case of pneumonia. His continued absence has forced Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) to postpone FY27 fiscal markups yet again. Republicans have a one-seat margin on the Senate Appropriations Committee and will not be able to advance any spending bills even along party lines without full attendance.

Sen. Collins Asks OMB to Withdraw Parts of Grant Rule, Extend Comment Period

Posted on July 7, 2026July 7, 2026

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, to White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, asking him to extend the comment deadline for OMB鈥檚 by 45 days and to withdraw portions of the rule. Collins specifically objected to the following provisions:

Allowing federal agencies to terminate discretionary grants at any time without an appeal process opportunity
Requiring senior political appointees to approve grants, noting 鈥渢his additional review for awards that have already been selected through a scientific, merit-based peer review process would undermine the objective that the Federal government fund scientific and biomedical research projects based on scientific merit and value, rather than political ideology.鈥�
Requiring agencies to consider the president鈥檚 policy priorities when administering grants, Collins argued that the proposed rule fails to 鈥渆nsure that consideration of the President鈥檚 policy priorities does not supersede congressional intent for the administration of these awards.鈥�

In her letter, Collins asked OMB to withdraw these provisions, among others, and to extend the comment deadline to 90 days.