INFORMS Open Forum

Good evening,

Despite the Congressional recess this week, there are a number of updates to share from Washington:

White House

• White House articles: President Donald J. Trump Unveils National AI Legislative Framework
• Related Executive Order- White House: Ratepayer Protection Pledge
• Related Legislation- 
• House Bill: The GUARDRAILS Act
• Senate Bill: AI Data Center Moratorium Act
• Related article- FYI AIP: White House Announces PCAST Members
• White House press release: President Trump Announces Appointments to President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
• Related Executive Order- White House: President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
• White House Executive Order: Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors

Congress

• House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology press release: House Committeeson Science, Space, and Technology and Small Business Celebrate Passage of SBIR/STTRReauthorization Bill on the House Floor
• Related legislation- Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
• Related article- FYI AIP: Congress Passes Small Business Research Reauthorization

Federal Register

• Employment and Training Administration proposed rule: Improving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States
• Comments are due May 26, 2026 and must be submitted here (via the Federal eRulemaking Portal) and identified by docket number ETA-2026-0001.
• For further information, contact Brian Pasternak, Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor at OFLC.Regulations@dol.gov.
• Related article- FYI AIP: Policy analysis: Prospective changes to prevailing wage levels and impacts on international hiring

Federal Agencies

• National Science Foundation (NSF) press release: NSF invests $11M to expand AI professional development for K-12 teachers nationwide
• National Science Foundation (NSF): NSF initiative aims to make every American worker, business and community AI-ready
• Department of Energy (DOE) press release: Energy Department Announces $293 Million in Funding to Support Genesis Mission National Science and Technology Challenges
• Applications for due April 28, 2026 (for Phase I) and May 19, 2026 (for Phase II).
• Submit applications here, through the grants.gov portal under (DE-FOA-0003612). View full eligibility, instructions, and challenge details here.

 

In The News

• New York Times: House G.O.P. Derails Deal to Reopen D.H.S., Prolonging Shutdown (Subscription Required)
• Axios: White House delays permanent CDC director pick
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Science: How the 2025 NIH grant terminations varied by researchers' demographic groups
• Inside HigherEd: Halfway Through the Fiscal Year, NIH Has Only Obligated 15% of Research Funding
• Roll Call: Sources: White House to propose 20 percent cut to NIH funding

As always, I will continue tracking these and other developments and sharing updates relevant to the INFORMS community.

Best regards,

Jeff Cohen

P.S. Don't forget, if you want to get more involved in or learn more about INFORMS advocacy and public relations efforts, please reach out to me at: jcohen@informs.org

------------------------------
Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA | PhD Candidate
Chief Strategy Officer
INFORMS
jcohen@informs.org
linkedin.com/in/jmcsc
------------------------------