The Student Aid Alliance urges Congress to reject the FY 2026 President's Budget Request, which proposes deep cuts to federal student aid programs—including Pell Grants, Federal Work Study, and several others—warning that these reductions would severely hinder college access and completion for millions of low- and middle-income students.
AAU submitted a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in response to their proposed rule on Schedule F, sharing concerns that the "reclassification of nonpartisan career civil service positions into a new 'Schedule Policy/Career' designation may compromise the impartiality, institutional integrity, and operational stability of the federal workforce."
The Energy Sciences Coalition urges Congress to maintain $500 million in funding for ARPA-E in FY 2026, highlighting its proven success in advancing innovative energy technologies and supporting the commercialization of high-risk, high-reward projects that strengthen U.S. economic and energy security.
AAU joined ACE and 35 other higher education associations in sending a letter to Secretary Rubio at the U.S. Department of State to share their concerns regarding the recent announcement that new student visa interviews are being paused.
AAU and APLU express deep concern that recent management changes and the proposed FY26 budget for the National Science Foundation (NSF) could undermine U.S. scientific and technological leadership by overly narrowing the agency’s research focus and reducing its capacity for broad, foundational research, and urges congressional oversight and robust funding to preserve NSF’s mission and impact
The FY26 National Science Foundation (NSF) Senate Dear Colleague Letter urges the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to provide at least $9.9 billion for the NSF in FY26 to ensure U.S. leadership in emerging technologies and to support critical research, education, and workforce development. It emphasizes that robust NSF funding is essential for maintaining the nation’s competitiveness, security, and resilience in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology.
The FY26 National Science Foundation (NSF) House Dear Colleague Letter urges members of the House of Representatives to support robust funding for NSF in Fiscal Year 2026, emphasizing the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in science, technology, and innovation. The letter calls for a significant investment in NSF to advance research, support emerging technologies, and ensure America’s long-term competitiveness and security.
AAU strongly opposes numerous provisions in the current House reconciliation bill, arguing that changes to Pell Grant eligibility, loan borrowing limits, risk-sharing requirements, and new taxes on endowments and research income would harm low-income and underrepresented students, undermine university missions, and stifle vital research and innovation. AAU warns that the bill would not make college more accessible or affordable, unfairly targets leading research institutions, and could weaken the nation’s higher education and healthcare infrastructure.
AAU joined ACE and 11 other higher education associations in sending a letter to House Committee on Energy and Commerce leadership to raise concerns about "the impact of [proposed] substantial cuts to the Medicaid programs."
AAU and APLU sent a joint letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in response to their RFI on Deregulation, where they "recommend several areas to simplify federal regulations to increase efficiency of the U.S. scientific enterprise and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on university researchers."