Dear Colleagues,

Please find a federal government update from our teams. 

We are sending this update today since our office will be closed tomorrow in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

CU Joins Letter Requesting Extension on Comment Period for Uniform Guidance
The CU System, Anschutz and Boulder Campuses joined over 300 national organizations in a June 12 letter led by Research!America to urge the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to grant a 45-day extension for comments on the updated Uniform Guidance (UG) regulation.

OMB published on May 29 proposed revisions to the government’s UG for federal financial assistance that provides a framework of policies that standardize the management of federal grants, cooperative agreements and other federal assistance. The letter notes the vast scope and impact of the proposed changes as well as the need for the community to provide sufficient feedback.

Court Temporarily Reinstates $100,000 Fee for H-1B Petitions
A federal judge in Massachusetts on June 12 temporarily reinstated the administration’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions through June 18. The same court ruled on June 8 that the fee violated U.S immigration and administrative laws, barring the federal government from continuing to collect the fee. The administration has until June 18 to file a formal appeal request to determine whether the fee will remain in place. Previously, Colorado joined 19 other states in challenging the fee, arguing that it would exacerbate workforce shortages in sectors that rely on highly skilled international workers, including healthcare and higher education. Two additional lawsuits challenging the fee are also currently pending.

ED Announces New Interagency Agreements with HHS and DOJ
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced on June 16 four new interagency agreements, transferring management of federally mandated programs and operations from ED to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The latest agreements move management of special education and rehabilitative services to HHS and civil rights enforcement, student privacy protection and training and advisory services to DOJ. ED has now signed 14 interagency agreements with six federal agencies since May 2025.                                       

The Federal Relations and General Counsel teams are actively monitoring developments at the federal level. We are working closely with the President and Chancellors, as well as the Colorado congressional delegation to champion CU priorities. We are committed to keeping you informed. Please visit the CU System Federal Updates and Actions page for up-to-date communications and federal memos.

Danielle Radovich Piper, Sr. VP External Relations and Strategy  
Kerry Tipper, Vice President, University Counsel