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
Capitol Hill Update
The House has passed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 4 at FY26 levels, though its path in the Senate remains uncertain. Senate leaders are working toward a bipartisan funding measure before the August recess while also advancing a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, which cleared a key procedural vote 86-12 after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky helped rally support. Budget reconciliation, defense spending, and FY27 appropriations negotiations will continue to dominate Congress's agenda in the coming weeks.
CBS Sports – July 30, 2026
With the August congressional recess deadline looming, parties are doing everything they can to put the final touches on legislation that could bring some sense of regulation back to college football. The bill would reshape college athletics by providing the NCAA and its conferences an antitrust exemption to enforce spending caps, transfer limits and eligibility rules that courts have systematically gutted.
Delegation News
Eric Schmitt U.S. Senator for Missouri – July 22, 2026
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) announced that the Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy Tech Hub supported by Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) has been selected to receive $38 million through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hubs Program. The investment will strengthen Missouri’s ability to convert locally sourced minerals into critical materials essential for advanced manufacturing, reinforcing America’s domestic supply chains and national security. This project will lead to $38 billion in economic development and over 23,000 jobs in the state of Missouri. Senator Schmitt led members of the Missouri delegation in a letter of support for this award.
Schmitt Secures Major Victory for 442d Fighter Wing and Whiteman Air Force Base
Eric Schmitt U.S. Senator for Missouri – July 29, 2026
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statement following news the U.S. Air Force would recapitalize the 442d Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Johnson County, Missouri. The announcement follows Senator Schmitt’s advocacy to maintain the Fighter Wing, which has decades of proven combat experience and cost-effective operations. In August 2025, Schmitt sent a letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to reiterate the value of the 442d Fighter Wing. In the letter, Schmitt urged Secretary Hegseth to recapitalize the fighter mission.
Congressman Mark Alford – July 29, 2026
Congressman Mark Alford announced a major victory for Whiteman Air Force Base, the 442d Fighter Wing, and communities across Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District following the Department of the Air Force’s approval of the enterprise definition, site survey criteria, and candidate location for the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) F-15E Strike Eagle basing action. Based on the approved enterprise definition, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, has been identified as the sole candidate location for the F-15E Strike Eagle mission — a decision that marks a critical step toward securing the future of the 442d Fighter Wing and continuing its decades-long tradition of excellence. The Department of the Air Force’s decision supports its broader goal of increasing fighter capacity, modernizing the fighter force, and replacing aging aircraft with a capable and sustainable platform. The planned transition will bring 24 F-15E Strike Eagles to Whiteman Air Force Base, preserving a critical Air Force Reserve combat-coded fighter unit and the experience of the 442d Fighter Wing. The AFRC F-15E basing action represents the recommended course of action for an economical, timely, and effective fighter replacement. The current plan anticipates aircraft arrival in Fiscal Year 2031, followed by the establishment of initial and full operational capability as the mission transitions forward.
Federal News
Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses Contenders Announced
U.S. Department of Energy – July 28, 2026
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah as finalists to host the nation's first Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses. The initiative aims to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain through federal-state partnerships supporting fuel fabrication, enrichment, advanced reactor deployment, workforce development, and waste management. DOE estimates the campuses could attract significant private investment, create thousands of high-paying jobs, and bolster U.S. energy security while advancing the nation's leadership in nuclear technology.
The Korea Times – July 24, 2026
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized that the success of the new Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center will be measured by tangible results, not meetings or agreements, as the two countries work to strengthen America's shipbuilding industry. The center will help implement South Korea's $150 billion investment commitment in U.S. shipbuilding by supporting shipyard modernization, workforce development, supply chain resilience, and advanced manufacturing. Lutnick also pledged that the Department of Commerce will work to remove regulatory barriers facing Korean companies investing in U.S. shipbuilding, underscoring the Administration's focus on expanding domestic maritime industrial capacity.