Congress has passed one major set of federal legislation, and another is on deck. Here’s what it means for higher education and how you can help.

After revisions from the House and Senate, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” became law on July 4. Learn about key outcomes for higher ed, including changes to Pell grants, federal education loan borrowing limits, and endowment tax rates.

Next up: appropriations

Congress will spend the rest of the summer writing FY26 appropriations bills, including measures that fund important scientific research agencies, such as:

The administration’s proposed budget would slash some agencies’ annual funding by as much as 50%. If this happens, they won’t be able to pay for all of the research they need—that our nation needs.

At Cornell, more than 140 federally contracted research projects received stop-work orders. Others have simply not been paid. Even more progress and productivity will be lost, nationally and at Cornell, if agencies are forced to fund less research. The setbacks could take decades to overcome.

Please take these actions:

Call your congressional representatives as often as you can. Tell them to fund the agencies that sponsor scientific research. If they’ve expressed support for cutting science funding—or haven’t spoken out against it—your voice is especially crucial. Let them know you expect them to be on the side of America’s health, safety, and global competitiveness.

Ask friends and connections, especially in districts where lawmakers’ votes are uncertain, to follow your lead and contact their representatives.

Need additional supporting information? Find it on our website.

Professor Nancy Du in her lab

Make your message memorable by sharing a story.

Talk about an aspect of your life or community that is better because of Cornell or research. Or, share any of these nine brief examples of current projects at risk.

More resources