Located steps from the U.S. Capitol at the Hall of the States, the Office of Federal Relations represents the University of Washington to both the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, participating on behalf of UW in a variety of national forums and advocating for UW priorities. The office also serves as a portal for the federal government and national organizations to the UW and as an access point for UW leadership and staff to our nation’s capital. Through regular reports and visits with campus personnel, Federal Relations staff provide timely information about national trends, opportunities and policy developments.

LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES

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  Trump delays naming new CDC Director

  March 26, 2026

  The White House remains on a time crunch to name a permanent director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under federal law, Senate-confirmed positions have a 210-day limit on being led by acting replacements, a deadline which passed last night. The Health Department announced yesterday that Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will continue to oversee…

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  Trump administration announces student loan office will move to Treasury Department

  March 19, 2026

  As part of the Trump administration’s ongoing pledge to dismantle the Education Department, the agency plans to shift the federal government’s student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department. Moving the nearly $1.7 trillion portfolio out of ED has been a longtime goal for conservatives. In March, President Trump caught many by surprise by announcing the…

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  Jim O’Neill nominated as NSF director

  March 3, 2026

  President Trump has nominated Jim O’Neill to serve as Director of the National Science Foundation. His name was among a list of nominations sent to the Senate yesterday morning. O’Neill was removed from his position as deputy secretary of HHS last month as part of a broader restructuring, which also saw Jay Bhattacharya named acting…

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