Senate appropriators advanced fiscal-2026 spending measures that largely preserve scientific research dollars, rejecting steep cuts proposed by the White House. Committees recommended $188.3 billion for scientific research—about 21.3% more than the administration requested and including a robust $8.8 billion for the National Science Foundation and $48.7 billion for NIH. The package still sits slightly below 2025 levels, and final totals depend on a looming budget fight; Congress must pass funding by Jan. 30 to avert a shutdown. University research offices and tech-transfer units will watch the next steps closely: sustained agency funding preserves grants, lab operations, and graduate stipends that anchor university research ecosystems.