Federal and State Policy Change Updates

Dear Faculty and Staff,

This week, university officials have been in Washington, D.C., and the State Capitol providing information to lawmakers on key priorities. We have also seen a few updates on policy changes from the federal government.

I was in Washington, D.C., with Michael Hardy, Deputy Chief of Government Relations and Director of Federal Relations, along with representatives from The Texas A&M University System Federal Relations team. We had the opportunity to speak with several Texas delegation members of Congress, providing them with information about the importance of our federally funded research and the impact of potential cuts to federal funding. During our visits, we helped lawmakers understand the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs of research – also referred to as the “indirect costs” of research. As we all know, these costs are essential to conducting world-class research effectively, efficiently, safely and securely. We received appreciation from lawmakers for the time and information about our valuable research, and we will continue to keep them informed. 

The Association of Former Students collaborated with the Texas Exes Association to host Orange and Maroon Legislative Day, where the flagship universities come together to advocate on behalf of higher education. Former students met with state lawmakers to share information about reinstating institutional enhancement and the university’s exceptional item request for $45 million to support STEM capacity needs. President Welsh also testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article III about the university’s budgetary request. We’re grateful to Julie Kopycinski, our Chief Government Relations Officer, and Michael Hardy for their efforts to keep us engaged with lawmakers at the state and federal levels as we navigate changing policies.

In addition to our outreach, we have seen a few updates from the federal government since my last update. Shortly after my email last Friday, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction that covers the entire United States, and blocks the execution or reinstatement (under a different name) of the funding freeze on certain financial assistance ordered by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in late January (OMB Memo 25-13, which had already been rescinded by Memo 25-14). We are continuing to monitor the legal actions associated with this agency guidance. No new action is required by any of our faculty or staff at this time with regard to this update. 

On Wednesday evening, a new executive order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative,” was issued, requiring federal agencies to establish technological systems that track payments, justify expenditures publicly and review existing contracts and grants. While the federal government implements these changes, there is a 30-day holding period for new grants and contracts. At this time, there is no action required by our faculty and staff beyond those who are already engaged.

Also, we are tracking the potential for a government shutdown. On March 14, 2025, the current continuing resolution passed in December will expire unless Congress passes a spending plan or another continuing resolution to keep the existing budget in place. While most impacts are not immediate, if you are on a federally funded project, please look for guidance from Sponsored Research Services to help us mitigate the impact should a shutdown occur. 

Finally, there are several state directives that are still under review and awaiting guidance from the Office of General Counsel (OGC), including a letter from the Governor stating that the state of Texas recognizes only two sexes — male and female — and GA-55, which directs state agencies to prohibit all forms of government race discrimination. Once we have clear guidance, we will implement the appropriate changes. In the meantime, we encourage you to submit questions regarding these directives via our office at provost@tamu.edu.

I want to reiterate a few important reminders for all of us. We are working diligently to anticipate potential impacts and develop plans and strategies to minimize the effect on people and the important work that may be impacted by all of these policy changes and directives. We value each and every one of you, and we are committed to providing you with clear guidance as we move through these policy changes. 

Although the governmental landscape changes, Texas A&M will continue to make tremendous contributions to the state of Texas, nation and world in educating the future workforce and developing solutions to some of our greatest challenges. Continue to look for updates on the Federal Transition webpage and the Division of Research’s agency-specific guidance for principal investigators. If you have specific questions or you’d like to have a member of the leadership team come to visit with your group, please reach out to my office at provost@tamu.edu. 

Thank you,

Alan
Alan Sams
Provost and Executive Vice President