Congress
Harvard Pays $90K to Trump-Linked Lobbying Firm in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard paid lobbying firm Ballard Partners $90,000 in the second quarter of 2025 as the University broadened its federal advocacy to include direct engagement with the White House, according to a disclosure filed Tuesday.
Federal Funding for the Allston I-90 is in Danger. Faster Progress Might Have Saved It.
A crucial chunk of funding for the decade-in-the-making realignment of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Allston is under threat following the passage of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which eliminates the source of a $335 million grant to the project.
Sen. Ed Markey Throws His Weight Behind Michelle Wu ’07 in Boston Mayoral Race
Senator Ed J. Markey (D-Mass.) has officially announced his support for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 in her mayoral run, adding to a growing list of endorsements for her reelection campaign.
Harvard Officials Say Federal Actions Could Cost the University $1 Billion Annually
Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 warned Monday that the combined financial impact of sweeping federal policy changes — including research funding cuts and a sharp increase in the tax on endowment income — could cost the University up to $1 billion annually.
Trump Signs Spending Package Into Law, Imposing 8% Tax on Harvard’s Endowment Income
President Donald Trump signed into law a sweeping tax and spending package that significantly raises the federal excise tax on Harvard’s endowment income on Friday — a move that could cost the University more than $200 million a year.
‘Big Ugly Bill’: Mass. Officials Condemn Republican Megabill Ahead of Trump’s Signing
As Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill” makes its way to President Donald Trump’s desk, Massachusetts officials condemned it as cruel and said it would hike costs for the state.
House Judiciary Committee Subpoenas Harvard for Financial Aid Documents in Ivy League Antitrust Probe
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) issued a subpoena to Harvard on Thursday, demanding documents on the school’s financial aid process as part of an ongoing congressional investigation into alleged tuition-fixing across the Ivy League.
Senate Finance Committee Proposal for 8% Endowment Tax Could Cost Harvard $200 Million Per Year
The Senate Finance Committee released proposed changes to the House’s tax and spending bill that would introduce an 8 percent tax on large endowments. Down from the 21 percent rate passed by the House, the proposal would still be a sixfold hike from the 1.4 percent Harvard currently pays.
Stefanik Calls On SEC to Investigate Harvard’s $750 Million Bond Disclosure
Representative Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) alleged that Harvard should have told bondholders in an April 9 notice to expect financial fallout from defying the Trump administration’s demands. It is not clear that Harvard had already decided to reject the demands at the time of the bond offering.
House Committee To Investigate Harvard’s Hiring Practices for Racial Discrimination
Nine Republican lawmakers on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce opened an investigation into Harvard’s faculty hiring practices on Tuesday, claiming Harvard may have violated federal employment discrimination law by considering race and gender.
The Government Inquiries Hounding Harvard
Harvard and its expanding legal arm are challenging 12 federal agencies in court. But beyond the high-profile lawsuits, Harvard faces at least 10 federal investigations — and more hard choices.
House Narrowly Passes GOP Tax Bill Targeting Harvard’s Endowment with 21 Percent Tax
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping Republican-backed tax and spending bill Thursday that would impose a 21 percent tax on Harvard’s endowment returns — the latest in a series of federal measures inflicting harsh financial penalties on the University.
House Republicans Threaten To Subpoena Harvard in Antitrust Probe, Despite Extended Document Submission Deadline
The House Judiciary Committee is prepared to subpoena Harvard for allegedly failing to submit documents requested as part of an antitrust tuition collusion investigation launched earlier this month, according to a House staffer familiar with the plans.
6 Members of Congress Call for Release of HMS Researcher
Five U.S. Representatives and a D.C. delegate sent the Trump administration a letter demanding the release of Harvard Medical School researcher Kseniia Petrova on Tuesday, adding their voices to a growing group of legislators criticizing her arrest.
House Oversight Committee Launches Investigation Into Harvard, Requests Documents Related to Trump’s Demands
Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform opened an investigation on Thursday into alleged civil rights violations at Harvard over its response to campus antisemitism.