Washington Insights & Highlights July 9th

Latest News: U.S. State Department Announces Changes to Visa Policy for Nigeria

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of State announced sweeping changes to non-immigrant visa policies for Nigerian travelers, including students. According to the press release, “Effective immediately, most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of Nigeria will be single-entry visas with a three-month validity period.” The release also says that those in the United States prior to July 8, 2025, on a non-immigrant visa will retain their status and validity. According to the 2024 Open Doors report on International education, Nigeria is the seventh largest sending country of students to the United States, and the highest in Africa.

President Trump Signs One Big Beautiful Bill Act

On July 4, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1) into law. The legislation passed narrowly in both chambers of Congress, with a 51–50 vote in the Senate with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, and a 218–214 vote in the House of Representatives. The legislation calls for significant changes to higher education policy including the termination of Grad PLUS, caps on unsubsidized loans at $20,500 annually for graduate students, and limits on student loan repayment options.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations Process

On May 30, the Trump administration released its detailed FY26 President’s Budget Request (PBR), which includes cuts to non-defense discretionary programs, including higher education programs. The $1.6 trillion base request includes $1 trillion in defense spending and $601 billion in non-defense discretionary spending. The PBR decreases non-defense discretionary spending by 22-percent to its lowest level since 2017.

Below are a few additional details about the PBR:

National Institutes of Health (NIH):

• Proposed funding: $27 billion, an $18 billion (40 percent) cut from previous levels.
• Restructuring plan: Consolidate 27 institutes into five new units focused on body systems, neuroscience, general medical sciences, disability research, and behavioral health.
• Workforce impact: Elimination of 5,000 NIH employees and termination of 2,500 research grants totaling $4.9 billion.
• Indirect costs: A 15-percent cap proposed on indirect research costs.

National Science Foundation (NSF):

• Proposed funding: $4 billion, a 50-percent cut from the agency’s current $9 billion budget.
• Structural changes: Incorporated the STEM Education Directorate into the Research and Related Activities Directorate. The PBR does not include a specific budget request for the Division of Graduate Education.

U.S. Department of Education – Higher Education Programs:

• Proposed funding: $949.67 million in discretionary funds for higher education.
• Proposed eliminations: TRIO, GAANN, CCAMPIS, the Strengthening Institutions Program, Title VI International Education, Fulbright-Hays, and others.
• Administrative note: Includes language to allow “frontloading” of funding under Titles III and V to wind-down Department of Education operations while honoring financial commitments.

Coalition for International Education Funding Request FY26 for Title VI and Fulbright-Hays Programs

On July 1, CGS and other members of the Coalition for International Education (CIE) sent letters to both House and Senate Appropriations Committees and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies Subcommittees calling on Members of Congress to reject proposed cuts to international education programs. CIE recommends $91 million, including $80 million for HEA-Title VI and $11 million for Fulbright-Hays programs. The $91 million funding request is led by Representative Deborah Ross (D-NC) and has support from 89 members of the House of Representatives.

SAVE Plan Borrowers Will Start Accruing Interest on Loans

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will be restarting interest accrual for borrowers with loans under the Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. According to the Department of Education press release, the accrual of interest will begin on August 1, 2025. The press release also says that beginning on July 10, “the Department will begin outreach to the nearly 7.7 million borrowers enrolled in the SAVE Plan, with instructions on how to move to a legal repayment plan.”

NIH Launches New Web Resources to Support Public Access Policy Implementation

On July 1, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the launch of new and updated resources to assist researchers with compliance under the 2024 Public Access Policy. As of July 1, 2025, all manuscripts accepted for publication must be submitted to PubMed Central and made publicly available without embargo upon their official publication date.

The updates include an overview of the revised policy, step-by-step instructions for submitting publications to PubMed, an expanded FAQ section, and contact information for NIH staff. Additional guidance and insights can be found on the NIH Public Access Policy webpage or contact SciencePolicy@od.nih.gov for assistance.

NIH Announces Plans to Cap Publisher Fees for Federally Funded Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a new policy to cap publication fees charged by publishers to NIH-supported researchers, aiming to improve transparency and reduce taxpayer costs. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said, “This policy marks a critical step in protecting the integrity of the scientific publishing system while ensuring that public investments in research deliver maximum public benefit.” NIH is expected to release detailed guidance on the exact fee limits before the beginning of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2025.