7 Key Takeaways | The Changing Landscape of Federal Funding in the Trump Administration
On February 6, 2026, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a final published opinion vacating the district court’s preliminary injunction against several elements of Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and...more
As we noted back in August 2025, the Trump Administration is moving aggressively to implement its agenda on foreign adversaries’ influence on agricultural pursuits....more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) commenced 2026 with a series of targeted actions focused on program integrity, fraud prevention, and safeguarding access to care. These activities impact child care and...more
On January 20, 2026, the Supreme Court issued an order vacating the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Tennessee v. Becerra, 131 F.4th 350 (6th Cir. 2025). The case involved the State of...more
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has published its statistics on False Claims Act (FCA) settlements and judgments for fiscal year (FY) 2025, revealing an unprecedented, record-breaking year for enforcement. According to...more
In mid-December 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”)—both agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”)—terminated...more
This webinar will walk attendees through the basics of the grant assurance process for federally sponsored research. Materials will also cover timely topics such as changes to terms and conditions for funding under the...more
Passage of a multi-bill appropriations package now looks to potentially be in jeopardy, following events over the weekend in Minneapolis. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued a statement following a law...more
Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court from the 1970s and 1980s recognized a narrow exception to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 under which employers may, in limited circumstances, consider legally protected...more
On January 16, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction in Council for Opportunity in Education v. U.S. Department of Education, finding the U.S. Department of Education (the...more
We are pleased to share the new 2026 edition of Thompson Coburn’s Higher Education Litigation Summary, your resource for timely legal updates on key rulings and ongoing cases shaping the higher education sector. ...more
Shortly after retaking office, President Trump issued Executive Order 14218, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.” Invoking a landmark 1996 statute—the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation...more
In July 2025, multiple federal agencies announced a reinterpretation of provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which prohibits “an alien who is not a qualified...more
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia recently issued a significant ruling in City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, et al. v. Christopher Wright, addressing constitutional constraints on executive agency conduct in...more
As 2026 begins, nonprofit and association leaders face a legal landscape defined by heightened scrutiny, uneven funding conditions, rapid technological change, and continued uncertainty in policy direction....more
On Thursday, January 8, 2026, the Trump administration unveiled the creation of a new division within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat fraud on the federal government. ...more
Building upon prior statements and positions on the issue, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has reportedly opened investigations into federal government contractors and grant recipients with diversity, equity, and inclusion...more
At a White House press briefing on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Vice President JD Vance outlined a nationwide fraud enforcement initiative anchored by a new Senate-confirmed Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership position that...more
WHAT: On December 31, 2025, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a memorandum establishing a single, standardized set of General Terms and Conditions (GT&Cs) for all U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants,...more
On December 18, 2025, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA) became law. True to each year’s NDAA being a sprawling piece of legislation, the FY26 NDAA contains many priorities of the current...more
In the wake of a Dec. 2, 2025, analysis by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) of race-based programs awarded by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), educational institutions receiving or administering federal education...more
On December 29, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a historic $50 billion investment in rural health through the Rural Health Transformation Program, established under what CMS refers to as the...more
A recent False Claims Act (FCA) settlement between Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. (Dana-Farber) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) further demonstrates the need for federally funded research institutions to have...more
On December 16, 2025, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a legal opinion finding that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) June 6, 2025, BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice...more
A federal district court in Washington, D.C. recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by Alstom seeking to overturn a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) waiver that allows Siemens to supply certain foreign-made components for...more