Good afternoon,
The goal of this email is to provide a regular source of useful information to staff and faculty of the University of Missouri System regarding the federal government and higher education. We have put together a list of news articles that will keep you informed of the actions taken by the executive, legislative, and judicial branch of government. These articles are meant to be informative and are not a reflection of the views or stance of the system regarding these issues.
If you would like more information regarding any of the stories we share, or if you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact Dusty Schnieders schniedersd@umsystem.edu and/or Emily Lucas el59bz@umsystem.edu.
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Capitol Hill News
Undefeated: House Republican Appropriators Go 12-FOR-12!
House Appropriations Committee – June 25, 2026
As America approaches its 250th birthday, House Republican Appropriators are marking a milestone of their own: reporting all 12 Fiscal Year 2027 bills through their subcommittees and the full committee. Through hearings, oversight, markups, debate, and floor action, the FY27 process has showcased the role Article I was designed to play in our system of government – where elected representatives set priorities, allocate resources, and remain accountable to the people they serve through regular order.
House Discretionary Funding Allocations by Subcommittee:
- Agriculture: $26.27 billion, which is $380 million (1.4 percent) below the FY2026 enacted level
- Defense: $1.072 trillion, which is 233.347 billion (or 27.82 percent) above the FY2026 enacted level.
- Interior: $38.9 billion, which is a $300 million or (0.78 percent) above the FY2026 enacted level
- SFOPS: $47.32 billion, which is $2.69 billion (6 percent) below the FY2026 enacted level
- CJS: $77.341 billion, which is $670 million (0.86 percent) below the FY2026 enacted level
- Energy and Water: $58.5 billion, which is $461 million (0.79 percent) above the FY2026 enacted level
- Labor HHS-ED: $189.3 billion, which is $5.6 billion (3 percent) below the FY2026 enacted level
Committee Approves FY27 Defense Appropriations Act
House Appropriations Committee – June 24, 2026
The House Appropriations Committee approved the FY27 Defense Appropriations Act, advancing a $1.072 trillion discretionary defense funding bill focused on strengthening U.S. military readiness, modernization, and long-term strategic competitiveness. The legislation prioritizes munitions production, hypersonic weapons, autonomous systems, defense innovation, and the defense industrial base, including significant investments in the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), APFIT, and the Defense Production Act. The bill also provides military pay raises, additional support for service members and their families, expanded counter-drug operations, and funding to modernize Department of Defense acquisition and financial management systems.
Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available via PDF here.
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
Republicans roll out text of farm bill without Democratic priorities
The Hill – June 23, 2026
Senate Republicans unveiled the text of a sweeping five-year farm bill Tuesday afternoon that omits Democrats’ stated top priority. The Senate bill is very similar to the lower chamber’s version of this legislation, and it would expand resources for rural farmers and boost investment in federal farm loan programs. The House passed its farm bill at the end of April, overcoming GOP infighting about provisions related to pesticides and a proposal to include legislation supporting year-round sales of E15 ethanol fuel. The year-round ethanol fuel sales bill was later passed in the lower chamber. The Senate bill largely avoids controversial sticking points related to pesticides and animal confinement standards.
Delegation News
Rep. Burlison to Host Press Conference on Healthcare Affordability and Reconciliation 3.0
Congressman Eric Burlison – June 23, 2026
Rep. Eric Burlison (MO-07) hosted a Capitol Hill press conference on Wednesday, June 24, alongside fellow lawmakers, health-policy experts, and healthcare stakeholders to discuss the need for a healthcare affordability package in a potential Reconciliation 3.0 bill. The event will highlight The Great American Healthcare Plan, a legislative framework focused on lowering healthcare costs, increasing price transparency, and expanding patient choice.
Rep. Onder's Bill to Strengthen Transparency in Employer-Sponsored Health Plans Passes Committee
Congressman Bob Onder – June 26, 2027
Congressman Bob Onder’s Self-Insurance Protection Act passed the House as part of H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, advancing legislation aimed at preserving employer flexibility in health coverage. The bill would protect access to stop-loss insurance, a financial tool that helps self-insured employers manage unexpectedly high or catastrophic medical claims, particularly for small and mid-sized businesses. Onder framed the measure as a way to increase choice, competition, and affordability in employer-sponsored health plans, while House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg said it would prevent states from treating stop-loss coverage like traditional health insurance and limiting its use. The legislation amends ERISA to clarify that federal regulators may not classify stop-loss insurance as traditional health insurance and to preempt state laws that attempt to restrict self-insurance by regulating or prohibiting stop-loss coverage.
Congressman Cleaver Submits Amendment to Provide $5 Million for Alpha-gal Syndrome Research
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver – June 24, 2026
U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that he, along with Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), has submitted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (NDAA) to provide $5 million in federal funding for alpha-gal syndrome research. Alpha-gal syndrome is a life-threatening allergy triggered by tick bites that impacts approximately 500,000 Americans across the United States, including tens of thousands of Missourians. Official text of Rep. Cleaver’s amendment is available via PDF here.
Federal News
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ushers in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation
The White House – June 22, 2026
President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to supercharge U.S. innovation in quantum technologies and strengthen our national security in this critical area. The Order directs the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, in coordination with other relevant government leaders, to update the National Quantum Strategy to support quantum-enabling technology and encourage partnerships with U.S. industry. In 2018, President Trump signed the National Quantum Initiative Act into law, establishing the first whole-of-government strategy for American leadership in quantum. The Trump Administration has invested $625 million so far in major national quantum research institutes, in partnership with industry and academia.