Federal Intel/Update

Washington Update- August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC periodically provides campus with a Washington Update report. In this report:

Policy Update: EPA Proposes to Rescind 2009 Endangerment Finding, Requests Public Comment      Policy Update: SASC Releases FY 2026 NDAA  Executive Update: White House Releases Long-awaited AI Action Plan       Agency Update: Review of USDA Reorganization Proposal  Appropriations Update: House and Senate Release FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science Bills and Reports  ...

Defense Policy Update: SASC Releases FY 2026 NDAA

July 28, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC
LewisBurke has provided a report about the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) approved the NDAA this month. The NDAA authorizes spending levels and policies related to the Department of Defense (DOD) and other national security and nuclear energy programs.

The Senate FY 2026 NDAA bill would authorize a national defense topline of $914 billion, including $879 billion in discretionary funding for DOD, which is $30...

Appropriations Update: House and Senate Release FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science Bills and Reports

July 28, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC
Lewis-Burke has provided an analysis of the recently released FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) House and Senate bills and report language. Senate CJS bill (S. 2354) was advanced by the full Committee in a 19-10 vote on July 17, 2025. The House advanced their bill through Subcommittee on July 15 and the accompanying report was released on July 24. The full House Appropriations Committee plans to review the CJS bill after August recess so note the...

Executive Update: White House Releases Long-awaited AI Action Plan

July 28, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC
In July 2025, the White House released its long-awaited National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan. The guidance titled Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan provides high-level direction for implementing the Trump Administration’s AI priorities, including deregulation, rapid adoption, and building the energy infrastructure necessary to ensure U.S...

Washington Update- July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC periodically provides campus with a Washington Update report. In this report:

Policy Update: President Trump Signs Executive Order on College Athletics      Policy Update: ED Announces Intent to Establish Negotiated Rulemaking Committees for Key Reconciliation Provisions       Policy Update: NCI Revises FY 2025 Funding Strategy to Implement Multi-Year Funding Policy       Policy Update: House Appropriations Committee Favorably Reports FY 2026...

SBA Solicitation to Create New Manufacturing Regional Innovation Clusters

July 25, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has released a solicitation to create new Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) focused on "Strengthening Domestic Industrial and Manufacturing Capability." This program, overseen by SBA's Office of Investment and Innovation (OII), seeks the service of contractors to "build connect, and support" networks of stakeholders invested in aiding "high-growth, technology-focused" small businesses.

The RIC program defines regional clusters as "geographically concentrated groups of interconnected businesses, suppliers, service...

Policy Update: NCI Revises FY 2025 Funding Strategy to Implement Multi-Year Funding Policy

July 24, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

As announced in its fiscal year (FY) 2026 congressional budget justification, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is working to implement a new policy of providing multi-year funding for research project grants. While the budget justification states that NIH will “continue the FY 2025 policy of reserving half of NIH...

Policy Update: ED Announces Intent to Establish Negotiated Rulemaking Committees for Key Reconciliation Provisions

July 25, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) posted for pre-publication on the federal register an intent to establish negotiated rulemaking committees on topics related to student financial assistance programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 that include federal student loan programs, institutional and programmatic accountability, the Pell Grant program, and other related Title IV programs. The intent to establish this negotiated rulemaking committees is the start of the formal process of implementing the recent changes that were made to these programs through the passage...

Policy Update: USDA Releases New Agricultural Research Security

July 17, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a new research security directive, “America First Memorandum (SM 1078-014) for USDA Arrangements and Research Security,” accompanied by the National Farm Security Action Plan. Together, these measures introduce rigorous restrictions, compliance obligations, and eligibility requirements for all domestic and international USDA-funded research activities. The new policy framework mandates a sweeping review of existing research collaborations with foreign entities, sets new procedural barriers for future partnerships, and aligns...

Washington Update- July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC periodically provides campus with a Washington Update report. In this report:

Appropriations Update (July 15): Funding Outlook for Federal Science Agencies  Policy Update (July 15): House and Senate CJS Appropriations Updates     Energy Update:House Appropriations Committee Proposes to Boost Funding for Basic Research and Nuclear Energy but Cut Renewable Energy Programs at the Department of Energy Policy Update: Senate Appropriations Committee...