Good evening,
The goal of this email is to provide a regular source of useful information to staff and faculty of the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ regarding the federal government and higher education. We have put together a list of news articles that will keep you informed of the actions taken by the executive, legislative, and judicial branch of government. These articles are meant to be informative and are not a reflection of the views or stance of the system regarding these issues.
If you would like more information regarding any of the stories we share, or if you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact Dusty Schnieders schniedersd@umsystem.edu and/or Emily Lucas el59bz@umsystem.edu.
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Capitol Hill News
Fox News – May 15, 2027
Recent reporting indicates renewed but still unsettled momentum in Congress toward a potential federal framework for college sports, as Senate Commerce Committee leaders Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell continue bipartisan discussions alongside growing pressure from the White House and key stakeholders. While the House has been advancing the SCORE Act and there is recent movement suggesting it could reach the House floor as soon as next week, Senate negotiations appear to be exploring a broader, more flexible approach that could ultimately differ from the House proposal or reshape it into a negotiated compromise. Even so, significant challenges remain, as reconciling Republican and Democratic priorities on issues such as NIL governance, athlete compensation, transfer rules, and NCAA oversight is expected to be difficult if legislation reaches the Senate floor, leaving the path forward uncertain despite increased activity.
House Appropriations Committee – May 15, 2026
The House has passed the first Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations package, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill, marking an early step in the funding process and delivering what Republican leaders describe as full support for veterans’ health care, benefits, and quality of life programs while also strengthening investments in military infrastructure, housing, and readiness for servicemembers and their families. The legislation, approved overwhelmingly on the House floor, reflects bipartisan support for prioritizing care for veterans, expanding mental health and suicide prevention resources, and modernizing VA facilities and military installations, positioning it as the opening measure in a broader FY27 appropriations cycle that will continue moving through Congress in the months ahead.
A summary of the bill, before adoption of amendments, is available .
Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available .
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available .
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available .
House Appropriations Committee – May 15, 2026
House Appropriations Subcommittee leaders Chuck Fleischmann and Tom Cole advanced the Fiscal Year 2027 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bill during a subcommittee markup, highlighting continued Republican priorities focused on strengthening U.S. energy dominance, modernizing the nuclear deterrent, investing in domestic critical mineral supply chains, and supporting national laboratories and advanced research initiatives, including artificial intelligence and high-performance computing applications. The legislation also continues funding for key water infrastructure, navigation, and coastal resilience projects, reflecting an emphasis on both economic competitiveness and national security. The markup represents an early but important step in the appropriations process as the bill moves through committee consideration ahead of full House action.
A summary of the bill is available .
Bill text is available .
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available .
House Appropriations – May 13, 2026
The House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, providing a total discretionary allocation of $77.341 billion, which represents a $670 million decrease compared to the Fiscal Year 2026 enacted level. The defense portion of the allocation is $7.234 billion, and the non-defense portion of the allocation is $70.107 billion.
A summary of the bill is available .
Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available .
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available .
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available .
Tom Cotton Senator for Arkansas – May 12, 2026
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) sent a letter to Department of War Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) Director David Lorch requesting that domestic lithium production, particularly in the Smackover Formation, be treated as a priority investment, reducing dependence on foreign-controlled lithium.
Delegation News
Punchbowl – May 12, 2026
The House Ways and Means Committee is preparing for a hearing to investigate a slate of sports-related tax issues, according to multiple sources familiar with the plans. The hearing will likely be held sometime in the late spring or early summer. It could touch on a wide range of sports tax topics that Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) is interested in. The hearing could open the door to discussion of other sports topics too. For one, Smith has made very clear his disdain for the Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to move their stadium from Missouri to Kansas.
Congressional Calendar
House Appropriations Committee Releases FY27 Markup Schedule
On Monday, the House Committee on Appropriations Chair Tom Cole released the markup schedule for FY2027 appropriations bills.
 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
- at 10am on Wednesday, May 20
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- at 8am on Thursday, May 21
- at 10am on Wednesday, June 3
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Bill
- at 8am on Friday, June 5
- at 11am on Tuesday, June 9
Defense
- Subcommittee Markup at 9am on Thursday, June 11 (Classified)
- at 11am on Wednesday, June 24