RICE UNIVERSITY for RICE UNIVERSITY
What was lobbied
7 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Budget/Appropriations BUD
H.R. 6938 (H.R.5342, S.2354) - Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026: Support FY26 National Science Foundation funding at the highest possible level. H.R.6938 (S.3293) - Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026: Support FY26 Energy and Water Development report language for the development and planning of the Eastern Mediterraean Energy Research Center. H.R.5342 - Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026: Support report language on Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure Projects, recommending support for the Mid-scale Research Infrastructure program as authorized by Public Law 117-167 and urging NSF to continue funding already awarded projects designed to advance STEM education and technology capabilities across the country, and a balanced approach to awarding rigorous and transformative mid-scale infrastructure projects, and to meet the various scientific needs identified by major community reports.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Science/Technology SCI
Issues pertaining to indirect costs of research (facilities + administration) policies and payment rates for federally funded scientific research. Issues pertaining to funding for NSF MSRI project MSRI-2, Safe Insights, national research infrastructure for large-scale learning science and engineering. Issues pertaining to the establishment of a "Primary Standards Calibration Facility" and graduate program in metrology.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Defense DEF
Issues pertaining to interest in research funding opportunities that support Defense Department and industry needs in shipbuilding, antitamper, diamond materials, special forces and wireless technology relevant sciences. H.R.3838, Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, and S.1071, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026: Oppose Title XVII, Subtitle D, Sec. 1736 - Sec. 1740, the SAFE Research Act and reject it from the final conference agreement.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Immigration IMM
Issues pertaining to support for policies conducive to international students and scholars studying and working here, as they critical to America's winning the global competition for talent, economic prosperity and innovation dominance.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Copyright/Patent/Trademark CPT
Issues pertaining to the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, including university ownership of inventions made by their researchers using federal grant funding and the ongoing expectation that universities and inventors are expected to facilitate the commercialization process, helping discoveries reach the private sector and grow the economy.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Sports/Athletics SPO
Support H.R. 4312, the SCORE Act, to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of student athletes and to promote fair competition with respect to intercollegiate athletics, and federal standards for name-image-likeness, hard caps on universities, enforcement for NIL rule violations, collegiate agents and transfer portal reforms.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Energy/Nuclear ENG
Issues pertaining to support for funding a Plasma Foundry" focused on converting waste feedstocks to high-value molecules and materials.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| NATHAN COOK | District Director, Rep. Pete Olson; Deputy Regional Director, Sen. John Cornyn |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.