This week’s Federal Update covers Congressional activities of interest in Washington, D.C.
Congressional Branch Activities of Interest
Floor Activity
The House and Senate convened on Monday and will be in session through Friday.
Reconciliation
Late last week, Senate Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Armed Services; and Environment & Public Works released their respective titles of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. On June 10, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released its portion of the reconciliation bill. The HELP title:
- eliminates Grad PLUS loans;
- blocks federal loans for undergraduate programs where former students earn less than the typical high school graduate in their state, and for graduate programs where former students earn less than the typical bachelor’s degree holder in their field and state;
- includes funds to address the Pell Grant shortfall;
- restricts Public Service Loan Forgiveness for medical and dental residents.
Notably, the Senate HELP title does not include the restrictions to Pell grants and elimination of subsidized loans for undergraduates that were present in the House version.
Markups
The House Appropriations Committee has begun to carry out its FY26 appropriations markup schedule. This week the committee will markup four bills: Homeland Security; Agriculture; Military Construction-Veterans Affairs; and Defense.
Hearings
On June 10, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS held a hearing on the proposed FY26 budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The discussion centered on the state of research efforts on Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a “cutting edge” in biomedical innovation. Despite the significance of this work, Senators noted that the proposed FY26 budget for NIH is subject to a 40% reduction, down $19 billion from FY25. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the NIH, testified that deficiencies in the proposed budget will need to be addressed in collaboration with Congress. He also emphasized the importance of reforming the current approach, urging a shift away from “politicized science” toward unbiased, reproducible science. Watch the hearing here.
On June 12, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing titled, “Winning Off the Field: Legislative Proposal to Stabilize NIL and College Athletics.” The hearing focused on a discussion draft of the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act.
Introduced as a discussion draft in the House by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Gus Bilrakis (R-FL), the SCORE Act would allow student-athletes to enter Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals independently with limited exceptions. The bill requires schools to provide academic, health, and degree completion support to student-athletes. NIL agents must be registered with relevant athletic associations, and the bill preempts state laws that conflict with its provisions. The Act reinforces that student-athletes are not considered employees under federal or state law. Read the press release and bill draft here.
Watch the hearing here.
Bill Introduced
Putting American Students First Act (S. 2036) - Introduced by Indiana Senator Jim Banks, the bill would establish immigration and residency requirements for individuals served by Federal TRIO programs. Indiana Rep. Erin Houchin has introduced a House companion bill, H.R. 3913.
No title yet available. (H.R. 3906) - Introduced by Indiana Rep. André Carson, this bill would amend the FY25 Continuing Appropriations Act to reinstate funding for the Defense Health Agency’s research, development, test, and evaluation activities. This includes restoring support for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which funds research on medical conditions affecting service members, veterans, and the broader population, such as traumatic brain injury, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
College SPORTS Act (H.R.3847) - Introduced by Reps Lisa McLain (R-MI) and Janelle Bynum (D-OR). The bill would establish national standards for how college athletes can earn compensation from their NIL, while also enhancing academic, health, and financial protections for student-athletes. The bill prevents the classification of student athletes as employees of their university and prevents the reduction or cancellation of scholarships due to athletic performance or injury. Read the press release here.