FY27 Appropriations and FY26 Rescissions Update
The House is currently on recess and is scheduled to return to Washington on Nov. 9. The Senate is planning to begin recess next week, with a Nov. 9 return date. Prior to recess, Congress worked on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) appropriation process. Congress has provided a full FY27 status table for House appropriations bills. The House Appropriations Committee has approved funding bills for all departments. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not released their appropriations bills yet.

Prior to recess, Congress passed and the President signed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 (H.R. 6500), which funds the government at current levels through Dec. 11. All members of the Colorado delegation voted in favor. Notably, the bill prevents the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from finalizing proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance for the duration of the continuing resolution. The proposed rule would significantly change the federal grantmaking process. All four CU campuses submitted public comments on OMB’s proposal in July.

The White House sent an $810 million pocket recissions package to Congress on Sept. 25. The recissions package  includes $595 million for Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, $25 million in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) programs, $95 million in Department of Education (ED) programs, $15 million in Department of Justice (DOJ) programs, $9 million in Treasury programs, and $10 million for the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) programs. Sen. Collins released a statement that Congress was not warned or consulted on the package. She said it is an “attempt by this Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to undermine Congress’s Constitutional power of the purse.” The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that pocket rescissions are not constitutional and not permitted by the Impoundment Control Act.

The University of Colorado Federal Relations team actively advocates for robust funding for programs which support our students and researchers, including federal financial aid and numerous research agencies and programs. We have submitted CU-specific requests to Congress, signed stakeholder support letters, urged our members to lead and sign dear colleague letters, and brought CU leadership, faculty and students to Capitol Hill to champion university priorities. Our team is actively advocating for university priorities as the appropriations process continues to play out.

Rep. Crow Joins Ben Nighthorse Campbell Celebration Event
Rep. Jason Crow spoke at a celebration honoring the late Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell at CU Anschutz on Sept. 8. The celebration, hosted by CU Anschutz, the Colorado School of Public Health, and the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health (CAIANH), highlighted Campbell’s contributions to the school and to the state. The event was also attended by Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, CU Anschutz Chancellor Don Elliman, CU Regent Ilana Spiegel and local elected officials.

Sen. Hickenlooper Launches Bipartisan Science and Innovation Caucus
Sen. John Hickenlooper, alongside Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA.), announced the formation of the U.S. Senate Bipartisan Science and Innovation Caucus on Sept. 10. The caucus aims to highlight American scientific research and work with industry leaders and the research community to promote U.S. leadership in science.

Reps. Crow and Crank Introduce COMBAT Care Act
Reps. Crow and Crank introduced the Cooperative Overseas Military Battlefield Advancement in Trauma (COMBAT) Care Act on Sept. 25, which authorizes the establishment of joint education and training programs with foreign countries to develop new techniques that can save lives on the battlefield. Developed with the COMBAT Center at CU Anschutz, the bill mirrors language championed by Reps. Crow and Crank currently being considered in the National Defense Authorization Act. In an article posted in The Hill, Reps. Crow and Crank affirmed their commitment to establishing Colorado and CU Anschutz as a national and world leader in military-trauma-based medical research. 

CU Anschutz, U.S. Army Launch Medical Partnership
CU Anshutz and UCHealth will be the inaugural site of the new U.S. Army STAR Program, a military-civilian medical partnership launched by the U.S. Army Office of the Surgeon General and the U.S. Army Medical Command. The partnership was announced at a signing ceremony at CU Anschutz on Sept. 14 featuring Lt. Gen. Mary Izaguirre, U.S. Army surgeon general, and CU Anschutz Chancellor Don Elliman. The ceremony was also attended by Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, staff from Rep. Crank's office, and CU Regent Ilana Spiegel.

CNSF Showcase and Hill Visits
The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) hosted a science showcase in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 24. The event highlighted innovative NSF-funded research from across the country. András Gyenis, Assistant Professor of Photonics and Quantum Engineering at CU Boulder, presented his research on quantum computing during the showcase. Gyenis also met with staff from the offices of Reps. Neguse, Hurd, Crank, and Evans as well as Senate appropriations committee staff. 

CU Innovation Day
Staff from the offices of Sen. Hickenlooper and Reps. Boebert, Crow, Pettersen, and Evans attended CU Innovation Day at History Colorado on Sept. 14. The event, hosted by CU President Todd Saliman, celebrated CU’s contributions to scientific research, featuring innovators from all four campuses. CU Regent Ilana Spiegel also attended.

Rep. Neguse Attends CU Game
Rep. Neguse attended the CU Buffs home opening football game versus Weber State on Sept. 12.

CU Boulder Signs Letter Supporting Genesis Mission
CU Boulder signed onto a multi-organization letter to congressional appropriators on Sept. 29 urging for full funding of the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission in FY27.

CU Campus Visits
Staff from the offices of Reps. DeGette and Crow attended CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs First Friday event, which featured former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, on Sept. 4.

Staff from the office of Sen. Bennet toured facilities supporting the new Air Force ROTC Detachment 105A at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Sept. 10.

Staff from the offices of Sen. Bennet and Rep. Neguse attended the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) 50th Anniversary celebration on Sept. 28. NSIDC is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environment Sciences (CIRES), a NOAA-partnered institute at CU Boulder.

Staff from the office of Sen. Hickenlooper toured research facilities at CU Boulder and met with directors from JILA, the Institute of Cognitive Science (ICS), the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the National Quantum Nanofab, and the Colorado Quantum Incubator on Sept. 30.