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

BUDGET

The House and Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) (H.R. 2028) that will continue funding for the Federal government through April 28, 2017. The legislation also contains funding for Flint’s contaminated drinking water relief and the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016.

HOUSE

Ranking Members Bobby Scott (D-VA), Sandy Levin (D-MI), and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) of the House Committees on Education and the Workforce, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce respectively, released a statement opposing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia’s decision to delay the consideration of the House v. Burwell case, which focuses on the funding of the Affordable Care Act.

Ranking Member Scott and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) issued statements congratulating Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) on her selection to serve as the Chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee in the 115^th Congress.

Ranking Member Scott was selected by the Democratic Caucus to continue serving as the Ranking Member for another term.

Ranking Member Scott issued a statement, after the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights released its annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, commending the staff on their work.

Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) was selected by the Republican conference to continue serving as chairman for another term.

SENATE

Chairman Alexander as well as the House Education and the Workforce current Chairman Kline and incoming Chairwoman Foxx issued statements congratulating Andrew Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, on his nomination to become the next U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary.

Ranking Member Murray and House Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Scott issued statements voicing their concerns over President-elect Trump’s nomination of Andrew Puzder to become the DOL Secretary.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee released the 2016 United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions, commonly known as the Plum Book, which lists over 9,000, presidentially appointed, civil service positions within the Federal Government.

ADMINISTRATION

ED approved the sale of Apollo Education Group with a number of conditions, including a request that investors provide a letter of credit totaling $385 million, roughly 25 percent of the Federal loans and grants the schools received in the past year.

ED’s Office for Civil Rights released their FY2016 annual report, which shows that there were 16,720 complaints, a record-high number.

The White House released a Fact Sheet announcing new actions by the Administration and 250 different organizations in support of the Computer Science for All initiative.

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

GOP lawmaker’s plan would pressure colleges on affordability [The Hill]

New Call for Debt Relief Before Obama Leaves [Inside Higher Ed]

While some universities hit pause, many move ahead with implementation of overtime rule [Inside Higher Ed]

Annual Civil Rights Complaints to Ed. Dept. More Than Doubled Since 2008 [Education Week]

Education Department places hefty conditions on University of Phoenix Sale [The Washington Post]

Summer Pell Left Out of Congressional Spending Bill [Inside Higher Ed]

Dreamers in Jeopardy [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

College campuses to receive $8 million to boost teacher-prep programs [EdSource]

Private universities branch into associate degrees [Inside Higher Ed]

The untapped potential of ‘some college, no degree’ [The Hill]

A Sex-Assault Case Pits Privacy Against Transparency [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule

Senate Appropriations Committee

Press Release: Cochran Supports Senate Passage of Continuing Resolution

Press Release: Vice Chairwoman Mikulski to Vote for Continuing Funding Resolution
 

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

Department of Education

• Blog: What Forgiveness Means to Student

Department of Labor

• Blog: A Push in the Right Direction

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.6444 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to annually adjust Federal Perkins loan amounts for inflation.
Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] (Introduced 12/06/2016) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 12/06/2016 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.6490 — To invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve the competitiveness of the United States.
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] (Introduced 12/08/2016) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 12/08/2016 Referred to House Education and the Workforce

S.3021 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the use of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to pursue independent study programs at certain educational institutions that are not institutions of higher learning.
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] (Introduced 06/06/2016) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: 12/10/2016 Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
 

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Comment Request: Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Application. Comments due January 5, 2017.

ED Comment Request: Targeted Teacher Shortage Areas. Comments due January 5, 2017.

ED Notice: Computer Matching Program between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).