The Senate advanced bipartisan legislation that would provide $188.3 billion for scientific research, rejecting the Trump administration’s proposed steep cuts in a robust 82–15 vote. The House had already approved similar measures, and the package heads to the president; lawmakers framed the vote as a defense of U.S. competitiveness and research capacity. The funding victory comes amid other systemic strains: graduate international enrollment fell 5.9% in fall 2025, and several small colleges are confronting existential financial pressure. The California College of the Arts has announced a 2026–27 closure and campus transfer; Hampshire College remains at risk without refinancing. University research leaders said the Senate outcome preserves grant pipelines and lab staffing plans, but industry analysts warn funding stability does not erase enrollment declines, campus closures, or the operational shocks that threaten research continuity.