Letters

The Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC), of which AAU is a member, sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee encouraging them to consider the nomination of Dr. Dario Gil as the Department of Energy (DOE) Under Secretary for Science as soon as possible.

AAU joined the Association for Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and AUTM in sending a letter to Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property leadership expressing support for the Patent Eligibility Restoration (PERA) Act, a bill that broadens the categories of eligibility for patenting.

AAU submitted a comment memo to the Department of Education in response to their request for comments on the implementation of H.R.1. AAU expressed concerns regarding clear definitions on graduate and professional degree programs, clearly communicating changes about available federal funds to all audiences, and including an additional constituency group to the negotiated rulemaking committee. Negotiated rulemaking for H.R.1 Implementation will run from the end of September to early January.

AAU joined 4 other associations in sending a letter to Dr. Bhattacharya at the NIH to reinstate the grants that have been "terminated under agency directives found by a federal court to be unlawful."

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 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.