The University of Wisconsin–Madison is aware of the White House’s September 25 announcement of an $810 million “pocket rescissions” package that affects $70 million in funds that Congress had appropriated for International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) programs.
IFLE has historically funded Title VI grants that supported the National Resource Centers (NRCs) in the UW–Madison Institute for Regional and International Studies, Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships, K-12 international education initiatives across the state, and programs with Wisconsin’s community colleges and libraries. Through these programs, individuals received training that prepared them to become experts in national security, diplomacy, international business, and other fields. Expertise in foreign languages and in the regions where they are spoken remains essential to preserving our military readiness, diplomatic expertise, and economic competitiveness.
The Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need (CAANN) program, which was announced by the Department of Education in June 2026, was designed to serve similar purposes, including “teaching modern foreign languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czech, and other languages; providing instruction in fields needed to understand areas, regions, or countries where the language is used; supporting research and training in international studies and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study; and providing instruction and research on issues in world affairs in areas such as Latin America, Europe, and Russia,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. Seven of UW–Madison’s NRCs submitted CAANN proposals in July and were awaiting notice of the awards as funding was to begin on October 1. However, with the end of fiscal year on September 30, CAANN funds cannot be expended without action by Congress.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison continues to monitor this situation and seeks the restoration of funding for IFLE programs so that they can continue benefiting high-priority areas for the state and nation.