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.
Follow UM Government Relations on Twitter: @UMGovRelations
Capitol Hill News
RECONCILIATION 3.0
This week, the House released the Fiscal Year 2027 Concurrent Resolution on the Budget Wednesday morning, formally beginning the process for a targeted third reconciliation package that could increase the deficit by up to $95 billion over the next ten years. The Senate will need to adopt the budget resolution before the reconciliation instructions can officially move forward. The proposed package is focused on several key areas, including defense and intelligence funding, agricultural support, and election-related provisions tied to the SAVE America Act. The defense and intelligence provisions are expected to address costs associated with the Iran war and other national security priorities, while the agriculture provisions would provide assistance to farmers facing economic challenges. The House Administration Committee’s instructions are expected to serve as a pathway for advancing certain elements of the SAVE America Act that can be included under reconciliation rules. Notably, the resolution does not include reconciliation instructions for the Ways and Means Committee, meaning the package does not include any tax provisions.
NDAA
The Senate blocked consideration of the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (S. 4784) after members voted against advancing the bill through a cloture vote. Senate Democrats cited opposition to the Iran war as the reason for preventing the bill from moving forward, and it remains unclear when the Senate will reconsider the legislation, with reports indicating it may not occur until September at the earliest.
OMB UNIFORM GUIDANCE
The Office of Management and Budget has proposed revisions to Uniform Guidance that would change how agencies administer and award federal grants. Higher education and research organizations have raised concerns that the proposal could give the executive branch greater discretion over funding decisions, impact merit-based grantmaking and create uncertainty for scientific and biomedical research.
Associations weighing in on OMB’s proposed revisions to Uniform Guidance:
The Future of 340B: New Bills Offer Competing Solutions to Modernize the 340B Drug Discount Program
JD Supra – July 15, 2026
In recent weeks, two competing visions have emerged to legislatively modernize the federal 340B drug discount program (“340B Program”). Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA) and Dr. John Joyce (R-PA) introduced the bipartisan House bill H.R. 9599, called the SECURE 340B Act (read as a PDF) (or “the 340B House Bill”), hailed as “the first-ever comprehensive, bipartisan proposal to modernize the 340B Drug Pricing Program since its creation in 1992.” This follows on the heels of the Senate bill “340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act” (read as a PDF) that was issued as a discussion draft (“340B Senate Discussion Draft”), released by Sen. Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on June 25, 2026. Cassidy’s 340B Senate Discussion Draft was touted as the first statutory update to the 340B Program in fifteen years.
Delegation News
U.S. Senator for Missouri Eric Schmitt – July 15, 2026
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) celebrated the announcement of a $160 million award from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) for the University of Missouri-Kansas City-led (UMKC) Critical Materials Crossroads Engine. The award positions the Critical Materials Crossroads as a Regional Innovation Engine that will be a national leader in critical materials research and advanced manufacturing. For the Kansas City region, it is projected to support 10,000 jobs and generate $40 billion in economic output. NSF Engines partner with private-sector leaders to accelerate technological development and provide scientific and technological workforce expertise. Senator Schmitt championed the University of Missouri System’s effort to secure this award.
United States House Committee on Ways & Means – July 16, 2026
The House Ways and Means Committee approved a package of bipartisan health care bills aimed at expanding access to care, increasing transparency, and strengthening oversight of the health care system. Bills include:
- H.R. 9641 – Essential Caregivers Act: Requires nursing homes and similar facilities to permit residents to designate an essential caregiver who may continue visitation during emergencies, helping reduce isolation while protecting resident well-being.
- H.R. 3108 – Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act: Expands access to remote patient monitoring by establishing a national Medicare reimbursement floor, eliminating reduced rural payments, and strengthening quality and reporting requirements.
- H.R. 9642 – Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act: Creates a Medicare cost-based bonus payment for anesthesiologists providing services in eligible rural hospitals to improve access to surgical care in underserved communities.
- H.R. 9468 – Saving Today's Acute-Care Resources (STAR) Act: Streamlines Medicare access to long-term care hospitals by allowing certain critically ill patients, including those from Critical Access Hospitals, to be admitted directly without unnecessary transfers or additional ICU stays.
- H.R. 3514 – Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act: Reforms Medicare Advantage prior authorization by establishing electronic processing requirements, faster decision timelines, greater transparency, and enhanced CMS oversight.
- H.R. 9644 – Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act: Increases transparency and accountability by requiring Medicare Advantage plans to publicly report more detailed information on revenues, medical spending, and administrative costs.
- H.R. 9645 – Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act: Expands federal health care price transparency requirements by requiring providers and insurers to disclose negotiated prices, patient out-of-pocket costs, and real-time cost estimates while increasing penalties for noncompliance.
Federal News
NSF awards 12 new Regional Innovation Engines to fuel research, jobs and economic growth nationwide
U.S National Science Foundation – July 14, 2026
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced it awarded the newest NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) awards to 12 U.S. teams across 20 states. These NSF Engines will build and scale innovation clusters that aim to accelerate the development of critical technologies, prepare talent for emerging jobs and grow regional economies. Building on decades of NSF investments in foundational research, the NSF Engines partner with the private sector to advance technology deployment and secure America's position at the forefront of science and technology.
Florida State University News – July 15, 2026
Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS) has secured an $88 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop advanced modeling, simulation and testing capabilities for the next generation of shipboard power and energy systems through 2031.