# Congress Considers FY2027 Defense Bill

The House passed its version of the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act in July 2026, but the Senate has not passed its version or scheduled a committee markup or floor vote. Higher education associations are urging Congress to preserve military student education protections and avoid broad new restrictions on foreign funding and research security. Institutions and contractors supporting federally funded academic research could face changes to compliance obligations and research partnerships if such provisions are included in the final bill.

- The NDAA is unfinished; organizations supporting military students or federally funded academic research should review how the final provisions could affect their programs and partnerships.
- Higher education associations have raised concerns about potential foreign-funding and research-security restrictions, making the final bill relevant to institutions and contractors involved in research collaborations.
- The Senate has not scheduled action, so the legislative status remains unresolved; the signal advises stakeholders to monitor the final bill for potential compliance and partnership impacts.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Education
**Topics:** Policy, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 06, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- U.S. Department of Education (ED)
- U.S. Congress

### Sources
- [
	
	Higher Ed Groups Raise Concerns About Research and Education Provisions in Defense Bill

](https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/Groups-Raise-Concerns-About-Ed-Provisions-in-Defense-Bill.aspx) - American Council on Education