/Office of Government and Community Relations
Government Relations

Federal Legislative Priorities

Federal Funding Recommendations Fiscal Year 2027

OVERVIEW

The FY2027 (FY27) funding recommendations outlined in this document were developed in consultation with the Association of American Universities (AAU) and Association of Public Land-Grant Universities (APLU). Stony Brook University (SBU) is a member of both AAU and APLU.

 

Department of Defense (DOD) Research and DARPA

SBU urges Congress to provide a 6% increase for DOD Science & Technology Programs over FY26 enacted levels.  Specifically, SBU urges Congress to provide at least $2.516 billion for DOD basic research (6.1), $4.641 billion for DARPA, and $23.1 billion for DOD S&T in FY27. 

Account FY26 Final FY27 Request
Basic Research (6.1) 2,374 2,516
Applied Research (6.2) 7,210.9 7,634.6
Advanced Technology Development (6.3) 12,196.4 12,928.2
Total Science & Technology 21,675.5 23,088.6
DARPA 4,378 4,641.6

 

Robust investments in fundamental Defense research are essential to spurring new innovative discoveries that lead to next-generation applications. During this critical time of strategic power competition, it is imperative that the United States redoubles its investments in research, development, and training the Defense workforce.

Department of Education

Pell Grant

SBU recommends increasing the Pell Grant by $200 to have a maximum Pell Grant award of $7,595, with the long-term goal of doubling the maximum Pell Grant from the FY21 funding level of $6,495 to achieve $13,000. 

The Pell Grant program is the nation’s core investment in higher education to enable low- income students to access and afford college. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the program provided about 7.5 million students with Pell Grants for 2025. However, Pell Grants no longer cover most of the cost of attendance for students at a four-year institution. Increasing the maximum Pell Grant award will reduce the amount of student loan debt many low-income students incur and empower them to better contribute to the economy or earn advanced degrees important to the modern workforce. The Student Aid Alliance also recommends increasing the Pell Grant by $200. Just over 40 percent of SBU undergraduate students receive Pell.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)

SBU recommends $966.2 million for the Department of Education’s SEOG program for FY27. 

The SEOG program provides targeted, need-based grant aid of up to $4,000 per student for more than one million students. Participating colleges match federal dollars to make grant aid available to eligible students. Over 99 percent of all SEOG recipients are also Pell Grant recipients, and most SEOG recipients have a higher need on average than students that are receiving only Pell Grants. Additional financial assistance helps students to access, afford and achieve a postsecondary degree. 

Federal Work Study (FWS)

SBU recommends $1.31 billion for the Department of Education’s FWS programs for FY27. 

Federal Work Study has proven to have a positive impact on a student’s ability to afford college and to improve their chances of graduating. Federal and institutional funding for Work Study helps about 600,000 students work part-time to help pay their college expenses. Studies show that students who work on campus have higher graduation rates. 

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) - Graduate Education

SBU recommends $28.6 million for the Department of Education’s GAANN programs for FY27. 

The GAANN program provides fellowships, through academic departments and programs at institutions of higher education, for promising graduate students with demonstrated financial need who plan to pursue the highest degrees available in their course of study in a field designated as an area of national need. Increased funding for the GAANN program would provide support for additional students in disciplines critical to our nation’s continuing national security and prosperity and allow for more regular grant awarding competitions to ensure these programs continue to provide aid to students pursuing their postbaccalaureate education in these critical fields. Additionally, with the sunsetting of Grad PLUS loans and the new loan limits for graduate students implemented through H.R.1, federal investments in graduate education are essential to maintaining our global competitiveness as a knowledge and innovation producing nation. The GAANN program helps ensure a strong pipeline of talented experts and educators who will help to meet the demands of our 21st century workforce.

Institute of Education Sciences (IES) - Education Research

SBU recommends at least $900 million for the Department of Education’s IES programs for FY27.

IES supports high-quality education research that results in teaching and learning innovations that offer tremendous returns for our society. Funding would help build upon the essential research and data infrastructure on which state and local education leaders depend. Our education system will be stronger in the long term if we provide meaningful, sustained support for rigorous education research and evaluation today.

International Education

SBU recommends $85.7 million for the Department of Education’s Title VI International Education and Foreign Language programs in FY27. 

Title VI international education programs play an integral role in developing the talent our nation needs to compete on the global stage and strengthen national security by creating deep expertise in world regions and languages of strategic interest to the U.S. Graduates who have benefited from Title VI programs go on to successful careers in government, business, academia, and the military. The program educates thousands of students, teachers, policymakers, military and diplomatic officials, faculty, and the general public. 

Department of Energy (DOE)

Office of Science

SBU recommends $9.5 billion for the DOE Office of Science in FY27. 

The Office of Science is the largest funder of the basic physical sciences in the world, advancing the frontiers of discovery through Nobel-worthy science and laying the groundwork for U.S. competitiveness in emerging technology. Consistent with the authorized funding level in the CHIPS and Science Act, $9.5 billion for the DOE Office of Science is necessary to maintain a trajectory of growth to support the United States’ position as the global innovation leader. This request aligns with the recommendation of the Energy Sciences Coalition. 

ARPA-E

SBU recommends at least $460 million to fund the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy in FY27. 

ARPA-E is a key source for transformational energy research on AAU campuses, in areas like advanced batteries, power electronics, and novel materials. It tackles high-risk R&D projects that are too early for venture capital (VC) investment, as GAO has found. ARPA-E project teams have drawn nearly $15 billion in follow-on investment, tripling the amount of funding Congress has appropriated for the program. It thus plays a key role as a bridge between basic science and the commercial market, boosting innovation, dynamism, and abundance in the U.S. energy sector. It’s critical that we restore ARPA-E funding in FY27 to ensure we maintain our breakthrough innovation footing in the energy space. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Science Mission Directorate (SMD)

SBU recommends $9 billion for NASA SMD in FY27. 

NASA Science plays a key role in not only advancing our understanding of space and earth, but also inspiring future innovators. This amount for SMD would also allow robust funding for individual investigator grant programs, new competitive mission opportunities, and address needs that remained unmet in past years. Additional funding is required to ensure the Directorate can carry out Decadal Survey priorities like Mars Sample Return and Habitable Worlds Observatory while still supporting ongoing work and a steady cadence of opportunities for scientists. 

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

SBU recommends at least $215 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities in FY27. 

A robust humanities education is critical to cultivating a broadly educated workforce ready to compete in the knowledge-based, global 21st-century economy. The NEH is the only federal agency that funds the entire range of academic fields in the humanities. For a nominal cost per American, NEH grants support the humanities nationwide—including history, English, and civics—which are fundamental to building a well-rounded citizenry capable of addressing complex issues and participating in a modern democracy. This level of funding would allow the agency to continue rebuilding its capacity to support peer-reviewed humanities research, education, and community programs and preserve our rich cultural heritage and history across the United States. 

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

SBU urges Congress to support at least $51.3 billion for NIH’s foundational work in FY27. 

This level of support will allow NIH’s base budget to keep pace with the biomedical research and development price index (BRDPI) and allow meaningful growth of 5%. As the world’s premier public funder of medical research, the NIH plays an important role in our nation’s international leadership, and robust annual growth in support for NIH is vital not only to improving people’s health but also to maintaining our competitiveness in the global economy. Investments in NIH research provided the foundation for critical advances such as COVID vaccines, improvements in cancer detection and treatment, and revolutionary advances in genomic medicine. This recommendation is consistent with the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research. SBU also recommends continued support for ARPA-H with funding that does not supplant essential foundational investment in the NIH. 

National Science Foundation (NSF)

SBU recommends at least $9.9 billion for the NSF in FY27.

NSF funding is critical to ensure our innovation ecosystem is prepared to lead the world in the emerging technologies that are key to our national defense. As other nations invest deeply in state- sponsored research and development, we need to remain at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. NSF is the only agency dedicated to supporting research across all fields of science and engineering and a key pillar in winning the ongoing technology race with China.  In FY26, NSF was cut by 3%. The FY27 request of at least $9.9 billion is the minimum amount necessary to avoid significant reductions to programs advancing our national artificial intelligence, quantum information sciences, manufacturing, and biotechnology, as well as supporting the infrastructure necessary to advance fusion energy, exploration of the universe, and maintaining our research presence in the Arctic and Antarctic. The $9.9 billion request aligns with the recommendation of the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF). NSF State Fact Sheets for NY.


National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)

SBU recommends $605 million for OAR in FY27.

The NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) office funds research to enable better forecasts, earlier warnings for natural disasters, and a greater understanding of Earth systems. OAR offers intramural and extramural grants through its national network of laboratories and programs to collect and study vital data from the ocean’s depths to the highest reaches of space. With a focus on science in the service of society, OAR research helps states manage their infrastructure, agricultural resources, fisheries, water resources, and natural disaster planning and response. SBU urges support for OAR at $605 million for FY27; this request represents three percent growth over three years from OAR’s highwater mark of FY23 enacted levels.

National Sea Grant College Program

SBU recommends funding $120 million for the Sea Grant Program in FY27.

The National Sea Grant College Program enhances the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine, and Great Lakes resources through research, extension, and education. SBU requests $120 million for the National Sea Grant College Program in FY27 to meet growing demand for services of the program following its proven success. The National Sea Grant Program is a known job creator that is highly leveraged to maximize the effectiveness of federal investment. Sea Grant also supports the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship which matches highly qualified graduate students with hosts in the legislative and executive branches of government bolstering career pathways for recent graduates into federal service. Robust funding for Sea Grant will help grow the program’s nationwide impact on coastal communities at the state and local level through research, training, technical assistance, and coordination.

Language Request

Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act

SBU recommends inclusion of the FAIR Model language.

Please include language in the FY 2027 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act directing federal agencies to adopt the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) Model developed by the Joint Associations Group (JAG) as the government wide framework for determining and reimbursing the legitimate institutional costs associated with federally funded research conducted by institutions of higher education and other nonprofit organizations.

Justification: Codifying the FAIR Model will ensure a consistent, transparent, and evidence-based approach across federal agencies for reimbursing the legitimate institutional costs of federally funded research, thereby strengthening accountability and the sustainability of the U.S. research enterprise.

Overview

With its 4 hospitals, over 200 community-based ambulatory healthcare locations, 350-bed skilled nursing facility for veterans, children’s hospital, cancer center, neurosciences institute, heart institute and trauma center, Stony Brook Medicine (SBM) provides world-class healthcare to the 9 million residents of Long Island.

SBM’s Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) is ranked #1 among public schools in NY state for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding with almost 260 active clinical trials. Since 2004, NIH awards to SBM increased by over 46%, which has placed RSOM among the top 50th percentile of US medical schools for NIH Our staff conduct research and care for patients while also training the next generation of medical professionals.

In addition to providing healthcare to the community, SBM is a strong contributor to the Long Island economy in that it provides almost 10,000 highly coveted hospital jobs for Long Island From February 2025 to January 2026, Stony Brook Medicine hired almost 1,500 new employees.

Priority #1 – Provide Fiscal Stability & Security for Safety Net Hospitals

  • Repeal the catastrophic Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) cuts that take effect on October 1, 2027, totaling $8 billion nationally, $1.3 billion to New York state, and $135 million to Stony Brook University Hospital.
  • Reverse harmful Medicaid reimbursement cuts included in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21) which cut Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement to safety net hospitals, including reducing the state cap on provider taxes and allowing DSH payment reductions starting in calendar year 2026. For NY, H.R.1 resulted in $8 billion in annual lost hospital revenue, cost 34,000 hospital jobs and 29,000 non-hospital jobs and $14.4 billion in lost hospital-generated economic activity.
  • Ensure Payment of Outstanding FEMA COVID-19 Claims – SBM incurred roughly $175 million in covid-related costs through 2022. Due to issues between NY and FEMA, SBM and the SUNY system are still awaiting payment for the remaining balance of owed COVID-19 claims.

Priority #2 – Strengthen & Protect the Healthcare Workforce

  • Invest in clinical training sites, create career pathway programs, and waive new H-1B and J-1B visa fees for immigrant healthcare workers to help hospitals recruit adequate clinical staff from abroad to bolster the supply of nurses and ancillary staff.
  • Pass the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S.2439/H.R.4731), which would add 14,000 Medicare-supported residency positions over seven years prioritizing underserved areas and helping to address the ongoing workforce shortage and projected 86,000 doctor shortage by 2036.
  • Pass the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (S.2759/H.R.5283), which would recapture green cards that were previously authorized by Congress but were unused by allotting up to 25,000 unused immigrant visas for nurses and 15,000 unused immigrant visas for physicians.
  • Pass the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (S.709/H.R.1585), a bill that provides a three-year reauthorization for the Conrad State 30 program, which allows foreign-born medical graduates to practice medicine in rural and underserved areas. The legislation also expands the program increasing current state allocations from 30 to 35 physicians per year. The bill also increases flexibility to expand the number of waivers in states where physician demand exceeds the state limits.
  • Strengthen workplace safety by enacting federal protections for healthcare workers against violence and intimidation, including passing the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (S.1600/H.R.3178). Additionally, provide hospitals with grant funding for education and training programs and coordination efforts with state and local law enforcement.

Priority #3 – Commercial Insurer Accountability

  • Hold commercial health insurers accountable for ensuring appropriate patient access to care, including by reducing the excessive use of prior authorization, ensuring adequate provider networks, limiting inappropriate denials for services that should be covered, and prohibiting certain specialty pharmacy policies, like insurer-mandated “white bagging,” that create patient safety risks and limit patient access to certain medications in hospital settings.
  • Streamline prior authorization policies and operations to facilitate patients’ access to timely care, reduce burdens on health care providers and lower health care administrative costs.
  • Ensure patients can rely on their coverage by disallowing health plans from inappropriately delaying and denying care, including by making unilateral mid-year coverage changes.
  • Ensure prompt payment from insurers for medically necessary, covered health care services.
  • Increase oversight and accountability of commercial health plans through increased data collection, reporting and transparency on core plan performance metrics that are meaningful indicators of patient access, such as appeals, denials and grievances.

Priority #4 – Enhance Access to Care 

  • Make Covid-era Medicare telehealth flexibilities and payment policies permanent, including lifting geographic and originating site restrictions, expanding the types of practitioners who can provide telehealth and removing the in-person visit requirements for tele-mental health services via the CONNECT for Health Act (S.1261/H.R.4206).
  • Create a pathway to adequate Medicare reimbursement for hospitals that operate Mobile Stroke Units (MSUs). Intervention and treatment of a stroke via MSU show significantly improved outcomes for acute ischemic stroke patients by enabling prehospital thrombolysis, which results in substantial time savings and potential benefits to outcomes, particularly in urban settings. Patients transported to the hospital via MSU increased golden-hour rates from less than 5% with standard EMS care to 21-33% (Aderinto N, 2025).
  • Remove barriers to online medical appointment booking via the Health Accelerating Consumers; Care by Expediting Self-Scheduling (ACCESS) Act (S.1140).