GW Weekly Federal Update (September 19)

Recent Federal Actions

Congressional Budget Process

• This morning, the House of Representatives approved a short-term continuing resolution by a vote of 217–212 to keep the government funded through November 21. Two Republicans voted with Democrats to oppose the measure, while one Democrat joined Republicans in support. The bill now moves to the Senate, where Democrats have said they will block it unless Republicans agree to negotiate. On Wednesday evening, Democrats released a counterproposal that would extend funding only through October 31 while also making Affordable Care Act subsidies permanent, reversing recent Medicaid cuts, and providing $186.5 million for lawmaker security. Republicans are not expected to take up this measure. Congress is set to recess next week for the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah, leaving little time before the September 30 funding deadline. Without an agreement, or unless at least seven Senate Democrats back the House bill, the government will shut down.

The National Capital Region and Other States

• September 16:  The Department of Education (ED) announced that Loudoun County Public Schools violated Title IX by suspending two male students for allegedly harassing another student who “appeared as a female” and who used the boys locker room. ED concluded that “Loudoun’s policy of allowing students to occupy intimate facilities based on ‘gender identity’ rather than biological sex violates Title IX, compromises safety, and infringes upon the dignity and privacy interests to which students are entitled,” and that it “failed to treat allegations of sexual harassment equally: it promptly investigated a female student’s complaint but quickly dismissed and failed to meaningly investigate two of its male students’ complaints of sexual harassment.”
  
  The two students have also filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Virginia against the County seeking to overturn their suspensions and to stop the County from allowing students to use facilities that match their gender identity. The Court issued a temporary restraining order blocking the County’s suspension while the case proceeds.
   
• The House passed the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 3838) by a 231-196 vote, authorizing $882.6 billion. The bill includes provisions restricting medical treatments for transgender individuals, limiting purchases of electric vehicles, and incorporating the Safe Research Act, which would prohibit all federal agencies from funding researchers who collaborate with hostile foreign entities.
  
  The inclusion of the Safe Research Act follows reports from the House Select Committee on China—Fox in the Henhouse and Joint Institutes, Divided Loyalties—that detail how U.S. universities’ partnerships with China may provide access to federally funded research, with case studies referencing AAU institutions. Senate leaders are preparing their version of the NDAA, but may move directly to conference negotiations with the House.
   
• September 16: The House passed two crime-related bills for the District of Columbia related to youth offenders. Later this week, lawmakers are expected to consider additional measures that would remove restrictions on vehicular police chases and eliminate the local commission that recommends judicial picks for D.C. courts, giving the White House greater authority over those appointments.

Federal Actions Related to Other Universities

• UCLA:  According to media reports, the Trump Administration sent UCLA a settlement proposal to resolve its claims against the university, including allegations of antisemitism, and restore approximately $500 million in federal grants it has frozen. Under the proposal, the Administration would require UCLA, among other things, to make a payment of $1.2 billion over five years, ensure that foreign students who are “likely to engage in anti-Western, anti-American, or antisemitic disruptions or harassment” will not be admitted, make a public statement declaring that transgender people’s identities are no longer recognized, and give the government access to all UCLA staff, employees, facilities, documents, and data related to the agreement not protected by attorney-client privilege.

Federal Grantmaking and Research

• September 15: ED has frozen an estimated $660 million worth of grant funding authorized by Congress under the “TRIO” outreach and student services programs, “designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds [such as] “low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs.” Some of the programs impacted include certain Upward Bound programs and “Talent Search,” a program focused on supporting middle and high school students with college preparation. It is unclear whether ED will restore funding by September 30, the end of the fiscal year.
  
  ED has said continuation awards will be issued by September 30, but many colleges and nonprofits have already furloughed staff, reduced services, or temporarily suspended operations. Lawmakers in both chambers have urged the release of the funds, warning of potential effects on approximately 650,000 students if the delays continue.
   
• September 15:  In the September 12 edition of the GW Weekly Federal Update we reported that ED would cease to fund new awards and non-competing continuations for several Minority-Serving Institutions’ (MSI) discretionary grant programs, totaling approximately $350 million, and redirect those funds to “programs that do not include discriminatory racial and ethnic quotas that advance Administration priorities.”  ED has since announced that some of those funds would be “repurposed” to “charter schools, American history and civics programs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities.” 
   
• September 15: The Business for Federal Research Funding (BFRF) coalition, representing more than 80 chambers of commerce and business organizations, sent a letter to the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Energy, and Agriculture urging continued support for federal research and development programs in Fiscal 2026. The letter highlighted that federally funded research generates significant economic benefits and supports local employment, innovation, and global competitiveness. 
  
  The coalition also noted examples of federal research driving major economic impacts at the state level and urged agencies to release paused grant funding and expedite consideration of new applications to sustain jobs, industry growth, and long-term economic strength.
   
• September 10: The Department of Energy (DOE) withdrew a proposed rule that would have eliminated some requirements under Title IX for institutions that receive DOE funding—specifically requirements that allow students to try out for sex-separated sports teams when no equivalent team exists.
  
  As reported in the June 18 edition of the GW Weekly Federal Update, this was among a series of “direct final rules” proposed by DOE that would rescind several longstanding civil rights protections related to sex, disability, and age discrimination in federally funded education programs. The other proposals remain active, with effective dates having been extended.

Resources and Reminders

About this Newsletter

GW publishes this weekly Federal Update to inform students, faculty and staff about how developments in the federal government affect higher education generally and the University. This newsletter includes timely information, answers to questions from GW community members, and resources for support.