Letters

AAU urges Congress to invest in AI-powered research infrastructure, workforce development, and cross-sector collaboration to accelerate U.S. scientific innovation.

AAU joined ACE and 3 other higher education associations in sending a letter to House Education and Workforce Committee leadership regarding their concerns on H.R. 4054, the Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act.

AAU sent a letter to Senate leadership regarding the Senate's reconciliation legislation. While AAU recognizes several provisions are notable improvements over the version passed by the House, this bill as written would negatively impact student access to higher education and the research and education missions of our member institutions. Without the removal or significant revision of its harmful provisions, AAU urges senators to oppose the bill when it is considered on the Senate floor.

The "One Big Beautiful Bill", or known as the reconciliation bill, has passed through the House and is on track to pass through the Senate. There are provisions in this bill that are harmful to students and student financial aid.

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.