Below is an abridged version of RAMC’s weekly Washington Wrap Up. Find out more about Wrap Up and other RAMC resources here.

Last Week in Congress and the Administration

HOUSE

The House is in recess and will return on Monday, March 14.

SENATE

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold an executive session considering S.1878, S.1077, S.1101, S.2055, S.1767, S.1597, S.2512 and the nomination of Dr. John King to be U.S. Secretary of Education on Wednesday, March 9.

ADMINISTRATION

ED’s Office of Inspector General (IG), released a report on its independent investigation of ED’s review of student loan servicers’ compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, specifically its requirement to provide eligible servicemembers with an interest rate reduction on certain federal student loans. This investigation was done at the request of Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The IG found that ED used an inadequate sample of loans in its review, made errors during its review process and took inconsistent and inadequate corrective actions for any issues it found.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]

Donald Trump’s Education Plan: Several Experts Fearful, Curious … and Baffled [Education Week]

New SAT launches with relative calm among test takers [Inside Higher Ed]

Will the New SAT Better Serve Poor Students? [The Atlantic]

Obama calls for tech talent in government [The Hill]

The Week: What You Need to Know About the Past 7 Days [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Accreditor Rejects Grand Canyon U.’s Bid to Turn Nonprofit [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Controversy at UC Davis escalates into wider debate on presidents on corporate boards [Inside Higher Ed]

Regulatory watchdog: Obama administration cutting corners on rules [Inside Higher Ed]

Senate Democrats press Education Department to rescind reviews of loan servicers [The Washington Post]

Obama administration leans on state agencies to tighten up oversight of for-profits  [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
March 9: Executive Session: S.1878, S.1077, S.1101, S.2055, S.1767, S.1597, S.2512, and Nomination of Dr. John King
10:00 a.m. in 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Press Release: Murray, Warren, Blumenthal, Durbin Demand Help for Military Borrowers Who Were Overcharged on Student Loans

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Advisory: Scott, Hinojosa to Host Forum on Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act

Senate Committee on Appropriations
March 10: Subcommittee Hearing: “Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Education”
Witness: Honorable John B. King, Jr., Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
10:00 a.m. in 138 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Press Release: Hearing Schedule for the Week of March 7, 2016

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee Releases Instructions for Submitting Written Testimony for Fiscal Year 2017

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Senate Budget Committee Postpones Action on FY 17 Budget Resolution

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportations
Documents and webcast of last week’s Hearing: “Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission”

House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
March 16: Research and Technology Subcommittee Hearing: “An Overview of Budget Proposal for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for Fiscal Year 2017”
Witness: Dr. Willie E. May, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
10:00 a.m. in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House:

• Blog: Weekly Address: The American Spirit of Innovation
• Blog: Asked and Answered: President Obama Commemorates Black History Month

Department of Education:

• Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) Report: “Reentry Education Framework: Guidelines for Providing High-Quality Education for Adults Involved in the Criminal Justice System (Framework)”

Department of Labor:

• Blog: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Labor Department
• Blog: Training Program Heats Up Tennessean’s Future
• Blog: An Insurance Industry First: Training Tomorrow’s Workforce through Apprenticeship

Institute of Education Sciences:

• Announcement: Summer Research Training Institute: Two-Week Quasi-Experimental Design and Analysis Workshop

Legislative Movement in Congress

ED Comment Request: National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Comments due May 6, 2016.

ED Grant Notice: Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Program. Applications due May 3, 2016.

ED Comment Request: Annual Performance Report for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. Comments due April 4, 2016.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

H.R.4681: To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide greater support to students with dependents, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Duckworth, Tammy [IL-8] (introduced 3/3/2016) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.4660: Jobs for Veterans Act of 2016
Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-2] (introduced 3/2/2016) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/2/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.4661: Parent PLUS Loan Improvement Act of 2016
Sponsor: Rep Fudge, Marcia L. [OH-11] (introduced 3/2/2016) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 3/2/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge Introduces Legislation to Help Lessen Financial Burdens on Families Due to High-Interest PLUS Loans

S.2624: A bill to establish the “Biomedical Innovation Fund”, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Warren, Elizabeth [MA] (introduced 3/3/2016) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2016 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Restore Medical Research Funding

S.2626: A bill to authorize the operation of unmanned aircraft systems by institutions of higher education for educational and research purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Peters, Gary C. [MI] (introduced 3/3/2016) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2016 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Press Release: Peters, Moran Introduce Legislation to Support Educational Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems