Dear Colleagues, 

Please find a federal government update from our teams. 

Senate CR Text Includes OMB Uniform Guidance Delay
Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) released text of a continuing resolution (CR) on Aug. 2 that would fund the federal government until Dec. 11 after fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding expires on Sept. 30. In addition to other policy provisions in the CR, the measure includes language that would prevent the administration from finalizing the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rule to revise the Uniform Guidance (UG) through the duration of the CR.    

The Senate is expected to pass the CR over the weekend. If passed, the House of Representatives will need to approve the measure once the chamber returns in September. CU Anschutz, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Denver each submitted comments to OMB on July 13 regarding the proposed changes to the UG.  

ED Issues National Call to Action to Universities
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a National Call to Action on Aug. 3 to university presidents and governing boards requesting responses to a number of questions on a range of issues. In letters sent to higher education leaders, Secretary McMahon wrote: “Before the end of 2026, I call on every postsecondary institution to describe to the American public your commitments to rigorous teaching, pathbreaking research, and national service— commitments that make our universities a bedrock institution of the American republic.”  

The focus of the call to action is around transparency and merit in admissions; free speech on campuses; intellectual pluralism; affordability, value and student outcomes; academic standards in the age of artificial intelligence; safeguarding research from foreign influence; and prioritizing American interests in higher education. CU General Counsel and the Federal Relations team are actively monitoring any developments related to the Secretary’s call to action.  

Federal Appeals Court Blocks EPA from Rescinding $20B in Climate Grants
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction on Aug. 4 preventing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from terminating approximately $20 billion in clean energy grants awarded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund while litigation continues. The lawsuit was brought by eight nonprofit grant recipients after the EPA canceled the awards, arguing the agency lacked legal authority to rescind grants that had already been awarded. The Trump administration may appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.   

Senate Confirms Schwartz as CDC Director
The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH, to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Aug. 5 by a vote of 51-44. Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during the first Trump administration and as chief medical officer of the U.S. Coast Guard. Once Schwartz is sworn in, interim CDC director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, will return to his full-time role as director of the National Institutes of Health.   

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