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 and SENATE

The House and Senate will be in recess next week, the House will return on May 10 and the Senate will return on May 9.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED), the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Consumer Financial Bureau announced an initiative to update the manner in which student loans appear on borrowers’ credit reports and a set of loan servicing objectives for the previously announced new loan servicing system that is being developed. Additionally, ED debuted the new studentloans.gov/repay landing page and announced a new goal to enroll 2 million more borrowers in income-based repayment plans.

Scores were released for the 2015 12^th grade National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) in mathematics and reading. Compared to the last time the assessments were given, in 2013, the average mathematics score is lower and the average reading score is not significantly different.

ED released a new toolkit intended to provide guidance in supporting the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated youth and adults into education services, including adult, career and technical and postsecondary education.

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

Malia Obama to Attend Harvard, but Not Until 2017 [The New York Times]

U.S. officials adjusted 21 schools’ student-loan default rates [The Wall Street Journal]

Feds list schools that sought exemption from discrimination statute [The Hill]

Education Dept. Grants Researchers More Data Access [Inside Higher Ed]

Apollo Education Group Receives Revised $1.14 Billion Offer from Consortium of Investors [Yahoo Finance]

Why colleges’ brands look so similar [Inside Higher Ed]

Boston to cover community college tuition for BPS students [The Boston Globe]

Report on Journalists Who Cover Education [Inside Higher Ed]
Education Writers Association Report: “State of the Education Beat 2016: A Field With A Future”

Kentucky will delay free community college scholarship [Inside Higher Ed]

It’s almost impossible for students to sue a for-profit college. Here’s why. [The Washington Post]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Press Release: Congressional Democrats Urge Secretary of Education John King To Provide Full Relief To Defrauded Student Borrowers And Protect Against Future Abuses With A Complete Ban On Mandatory Arbitration

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Scott Commends Obama Administration on New Federal Ban-the-Box Proposed Rule

Press Release: Congressional Democrats urge Secretary King to provide full relief to defrauded student borrowers

Press Release: Congressional Democrats urge Secretary of Education John King to provide full relief to defrauded student borrowers and protect against future abuses with a complete ban on mandatory arbitration

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Budget Bulletin: Senate Considers Fixes to America’s Broken Budget Process

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House:

• Press Release: Fact Sheet: Taking Action to Help More Americans Manage Student Debt
• Press Release: Fact Sheet: During National Reentry Week, Reducing Barriers to Reentry and Employment for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
• Blog: Here’s How President Obama Is Taking New Steps to Help More Americans Manage Student Debt

Department of Education:

• Blog: 5 Must Dos Before Repaying Your Student Loans
• Press Release: Departments of Education and Treasury and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Announce New Joint Effort to Protect and Support Student Loan Borrowers
• Blog: 8 Student Loan Tips for the Class of 2016

Department of Labor:

• Blog: The Veterans Employment Resources You Need
• Blog: DOL in Action
• Blog: Autism and Access to the American Dream

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.3974: Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Kuster, Ann M. [NH-2] (introduced 11/5/2015) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2016 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote .

H.R.4901: Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act
Sponsor: Rep Chaffetz, Jason [UT-3] (introduced 4/12/2016) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform
House Reports: 114-522
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2016 Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 224 – 181 (Roll no. 179).
Latest Action: 4/29/2016 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

H.R.5148: To amend the Department of Education Organization Act and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require publication of information relating to religious exemptions to the requirements of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Clark, Katherine M. [MA-5] (introduced 4/29/2016) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

S.2564: Dine College Act of 2016
Sponsor: Sen Flake, Jeff [AZ] (introduced 2/23/2016) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: Senate Indian Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2016 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Press Release: Committee Approves Flake Bill Reauthorizing Navajo Nation’s Diné College

S.2859: A bill to establish a competitive grant program to incentivize States to implement comprehensive reforms and innovative strategies to significantly improve postsecondary outcomes for low-income and first generation college students, including increasing postsecondary enrollment and graduation rates, to reduce the need of postsecondary students for remedial education, to increase alignment of high school and postsecondary education, and to promote innovation in postsecondary education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Franken, Al [MN] (introduced 4/27/2016) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2016 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Sen. Franken Introduces Comprehensive Legislation to Help Make College More Affordable

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

VA Final Rule: Technical Corrections-VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Nomenclature Change in the Title of a Position

ED Notice: Fy 2015 Service Contract Inventory.

ED Comment Request: Higher Education Act (HEA) Title II Report Cards on State Teacher Credentialing and Preparation. Comments due May 26, 2016.