June 14, 2026 to June 20, 2026

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.

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📋 In This Week's Newsletter

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

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• “Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”: The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing on apprenticeship modernization on June 24 in Room 2175, Rayburn House Office Building.
• Safeguarding Federal Research Funds: The False Claims Act's Role in Combating Grant Fraud: The House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight will conduct a hearing on grant fraud prevention using the False Claims Act on June 24, Rayburn Room 2318.

Federal Government News

Federal Direct Loan Program Regulations Updated Following OBBBA Implementation

The Department of Education initiated emergency revision procedures for Federal Direct Loan Program regulations on forbearance and loan rehabilitation, reflecting requirements from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), effective May 2026. Borrowers will see updates including a streamlined online portal for loan rehabilitation and compliance with new repayment provisions outlined in recent federal rules under 34 CFR 685.211. Estimated annual reporting burden rises to over four million hours with 1.2 million respondents, according to the updated data. Comments will be accepted until July 20, 2026; information and supporting documentation are available via Reginfo.gov under the Department of Education's currently reviewed items.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NSF Extends Graduate Student and Postdoctorate Survey for S&E Fields

The National Science Foundation advanced a three-year renewal for the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, covering the 2026–2028 cycles. The annual survey obtains institutional-level data on graduate enrollments, postdoctoral positions, and field-specific statistics, with a nearly 98% response rate from 635 U.S. academic institutions in 2024. The survey also encompasses coverage of postdocs at Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) for the 2027 cycle. Estimated total burden for the period is 52,855 hours, including methodological enhancements and reporting for NIH and Congressional stakeholders.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

AHRQ Research Reporting System Expands Scope, Reduces Annual Burden

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality requested approval for extension and changes to its Research Reporting System (ARRS), which now applies to extramural research projects funded via grants, contracts, and challenge competitions. The initiative revises annual respondent estimates to 450, with a projected workload of 225 hours, reflecting a decrease from prior reporting requirements. ARRS supports centralized progress tracking, inform strategic planning, and reduce ad-hoc data requests. Administrative data entry is limited to healthcare practitioner roles, based on secure system access.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

SAM Quarterly Certification for EO 14400 Compliance in College Sports

The General Services Administration launched a new information collection for quarterly compliance certification with Executive Order 14400, concerning college sports funding. Higher education institutions meeting a revenue threshold for intercollegiate athletics must register and certify compliance using SAM.gov. The process is part of federal procurement and grantmaking review; estimated 14,620 responses and an aggregate burden of $241,557 annually. The certification data will be accessible by federal officials beginning August 2026 for compliance verification purposes.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Final Waivers and Extensions for American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Grants

The Department of Education issued final waivers and project extensions for 43 American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) awards and one training/technical assistance center, authorizing continuation through September 2027. Projects will maintain activities in line with the 2021 competition guidelines, and grantees must request continuation funding subject to performance assessment and compliance review under 34 CFR 75.253. Extensions accommodate program continuity pending Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations, imposing minimal compliance costs and no new data collection.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

Campus Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan Bill

Bill 4843 proposes amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 aimed at encouraging comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans. It was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on June 18.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Semiconductor Education Grant Program Bill

Bill 4810 would establish a grant program addressing educational needs for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 17.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Artificial Intelligence Leadership in Technical Standards Act

Bill 9326 directs NIST and the State Department to facilitate U.S. participation in developing technical standards for AI and emerging technologies. The measure was referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, June 15.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Foreign Student Work Authorization Expenditures Bill

Bill 4834 aims to limit federal expenditures related to foreign student work authorizations. The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on June 18.

Sources: www.congress.gov

National AI Initiative Act Amendment—AI Center Establishment

Bill 9363 seeks to amend the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 to establish a dedicated AI research center with a focus on leadership, development, and evaluation of AI systems. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on June 18.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Elite colleges are losing America’s trust. Community colleges can win it back: Discussion of shifting public trust from elite to community colleges.
• What Does It All Mean? Once a Year, French Students Try to Explain.: French high school students annually participate in philosophy exams exploring meaning and reasoning.
• Gov Sanders reveals 'major breakthrough' on education as red state positions itself as 'blueprint' for nation: Arkansas governor announces statewide education innovation planned as a national model.
• Opinion | I Have a Dream—and a Copyright: Martin Luther King Jr.'s copyright status remains central to ongoing educational and legal debates.

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