Federal Friday
Negotiated Rulemaking Update
On January 9, the U.S. Department of Education announced they had reached consensus on final regulatory piece to implement the changes contained within H.R.1.
At the time of the announcement, Under Secretary of Education, Nicolas Kent, said, “After more than 15 years of regulatory uncertainty under the previous three Administrations, we’ve developed an accountability framework that institutions can work with, students will benefit from, and taxpayers can rightfully expect to improve outcomes. We deeply appreciate the AHEAD Committee negotiators and their efforts to break the cycle of student debt and poor return on investment for students and end the regulatory whiplash that has occurred for far too long. We look forward to holding all programs – across all postsecondary institutions – accountable.”
Following the consensus agreement, the Department of Education will now work to draft a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which will be published for review and comment in the Federal Register.
For more on the Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated rulemaking committee, you can review the Department’s press release; for more on negotiated rulemaking you can review the Department’s Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education 2025 website.
Appropriations Update
The House and Senate continue to work to advance “minibus” appropriations packages in advance of the expiration of government funding on January 30, 2026, for the agencies contained within each bill.
The following bills have passed the House of Representatives and are now undergoing further consideration in the Senate:
As there are further developments, updates will continue to be shared.
Political Activity Guidance Reminder
As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the federal landscape, Universities of Wisconsin employees should be mindful of political activity and public advocacy guidelines.
Activities such as sharing a petition or contacting a legislator for political purposes using your university email address or state resources to engage in political campaign activities at any time or engaging in political activities during work time are prohibited.
In your capacity as private citizens, on non-work time, and without use of university resources (including the use of university email addresses) employees may circulate or sign a petition or letter of support advocating for public policy or a political candidate. However, if using your name and official title, it should be made clear that an individual’s endorsement indicates neither support nor endorsement by the university of a particular policy position or candidate, and that you are acting solely in your role as a private citizen.
For more information, you can read the Guidance on Political Activities Frequently Asked Questions document. Importantly, these FAQs should be treated as general guidelines and not legal advice.
Please direct specific questions regarding political campaign issues to the Office of General Counsel or your university’s Office of Legal Affairs.
