This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning colleges, universities, campuses, international students, student housing, research initiatives, and federal research funding opportunities. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to see GR activities in areas of the economy related to the Higher Ed channel? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Social Issues and BioPharma.

Dates: 2026-01-17 to 2026-01-23

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• Senate HELP Committee Schedules Hearing on Educational Choice in America: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold hearings on educational choice in America on January 28, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 430.

Federal Government News

FCC Reconsiders E-Rate Program Rules on Off-Premises Wi-Fi Hotspots

The Federal Communications Commission has withdrawn its July 2024 amendments permitting E-Rate funds to support off-premises Wi-Fi hotspot usage for students and library patrons, restoring the rules to their prior state. The Commission determined section 254 of the Communications Act does not allow funding for wireless internet services outside educational premises. As of January 21, 2026, all pending FY 2025 applications for off-premises Wi-Fi services will be denied, and references to these now-ineligible services will be removed from forms and outreach materials. The relevant regulatory flexibility and paperwork reduction analyses confirmed no significant new impact on small entities, as the rescinded rules had not been implemented for funding. The Commission intends for funding to remain focused on services delivered directly to schools and libraries.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House Releases AI and the Great Divergence Research Paper

The White House published a research paper examining the transformative effects of artificial intelligence on global economic growth, drawing historical parallels to the Industrial Revolution and the Great Divergence. It provides comparative global metrics, describes U.S. federal policy strategies under the Trump administration—centered on infrastructure, deregulation, and export controls—and notes that AI adoption, investment, and performance indicators are changing rapidly, with measurable advances occurring every few months. The report calls for continual analysis of AI’s economic implications and reiterates President Trump’s intent that the U.S. maintain lead position in AI development and application.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

USDA Plans Revised Data Collection for Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced its intent to revise and extend the information collection procedures for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Changes include a new youth questionnaire for grades 6-12, enhancements to data collection apps for both youth and adults, and updates to the underlying food database for dietary recall analysis. All reports, plans, and budgetary data will be managed in a single web-based system (WebNEERS), which integrates federal and institutional reporting at multiple levels. The annual burden is projected at 18,772 hours across 76 respondents, with a March 23, 2026, deadline for public comment submissions.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Bureau of Indian Education Renews Tribal Education Department Grant Program Information Collection

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is seeking renewal of the information collection for the Tribal Education Department Grant Program, with an estimated 33 federally recognized Tribes participating annually. Requirements include quarterly and annual reports for grant compliance, with 1,113 annual burden hours anticipated. The purpose of the program, authorized under 25 U.S.C. 2020, is to support Tribal departments in planning and coordinating educational programming. Comments on the renewal are open until February 23, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NIH Announces Amended and Closed Scientific Review Panel Meetings

The National Institutes of Health updated the schedule for its Center for Scientific Review meetings, changing a previously planned two-day panel on fellowships in sensory and motor neurosciences to a single day on January 22, 2026. Additionally, a Special Emphasis Panel for clinical data analysis and management will meet on January 29, 2026, via virtual format to review grant applications. The meetings are closed under 5 U.S.C. sections relating to confidential information. The changes are attributed to operational challenges following a 43-day government shutdown affecting statutory grant application processing.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Investigations and a Billion-Dollar ‘Shakedown’: How Trump Targeted Higher Education: The New York Times covers federal investigations and financial pressures on universities under the Trump administration.
• Trump 2.0’s impact on higher ed: The first year in 8 numbers: Higher Ed Dive presents numerical metrics summarizing the Trump administration’s first year in higher education policy.
• 6 higher education trends to watch in 2026: This article reviews six major developments expected to shape higher education in 2026.

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