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

HOUSE

The House passed the Midnight Rule Relief Act, which would amend the Congressional Review Act by allowing Congress to overturn simultaneously multiple regulations finalized in the last 60 days of a presidential administration. The Act is awaiting action by the Senate.

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) issued a statement raising their concerns about loan servicing practices in response to the recently released Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee released a statement supporting the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) announced that Representatives John Moolenaar (R-MI), Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Scott Taylor (R-VA) will serve on the Committee in the 115th Congress.

SENATE

Senate Democrats sent a letter to ED Secretary Nominee DeVos requesting more information in a variety of areas, prior to the hearing on her nomination.

The congressional members on the HELP Committee have been finalized. There are 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats on the Committee, and Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) will join the Committee.

HELP Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released a statement voicing her concerns about ED Secretary Nominee DeVos and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Nominee Representative Tom Price (R-GA).

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) announced the Republican members who will serve on the Committee in the 115th Congress.

The Senate began consideration of a Fiscal Year 2017 budget resolution. The resolution contains reconciliation instructions for the Senate Finance and HELP Committees, as well as for the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees. Under the instructions, these Committees are required to report their reconciliation bills by January 27.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) released a statement announcing the Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee for the 115th Congress and welcoming Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), John Kennedy (R-LA) and John Boozman (R-AR) to the Committee.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) was selected by the Senate Republican Conference to continue serving as Chairman for another term.

ADMINISTRATION

President-elect Donald Trump selected Rob Goad, a former top aide to Representative Luke Messer (R-IN), to serve as the education policy adviser on the White House Domestic Policy Council.

Vice President Joe Biden released a letter advising college leaders on how to combat sexual assault on their campuses as well as a guide.

The CFPB released a report that found that the number of consumers age 60 and older with student loan debt, as well as the average amount they owe, has increased over the last decade.

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

Bill to Ease Path for Repeal of Obama-Era Education Regulations Advances [Article 1 – Education Week]

Trump Taps Rob Goad as White House Education Adviser [Article 2 – Education Week]

Democrats Demand Betsy DeVos Reveal ‘Complicated Web’ of Money, Lobbying [Article 3 – Education Week]

No Higher Ed Details in DeVos Disclosure Report [Article 5 – Inside Higher Ed]

Few colleges use controversial sexual misconduct policy adopted by Stanford [Article 10 – Inside Higher Ed]

Senate Education Committee Gets Three New Members, Including Va.’s Tim Kaine [Article 2 – Education Week]

In Letter to College Presidents, Biden Urges Continued Fight Against Sexual Assault [Article 5 – The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Two For-Profits Must Pay Restitution to Students [Article 9 – Inside Higher Ed]

Study looks at impact of adjunct hiring on college spending patterns [Article 10 – Inside Higher Ed]

Cuomo to Propose Free Tuition at New York State Colleges for Eligible Students [Article 6 – The New York Times]

Former students fight for a stake in ITT Educational Services bankruptcy [Article 7 – The Washington Post]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Blog: Time Is Up for Reckless Rulemaking

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Leahy Names Two Aides To Be His Staff Director, And Chief Counsel/Deputy Staff Director, On The Appropriations Committee

The Administration

Department of Labor

• Blog: America’s Workers: A Worthwhile Investment

White House

• Blog: Weekly Address: Working Together to Keep America Moving
• Press Release: Fact Sheet: Final It’s On Us Summit and Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.43 — 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: Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2] (Introduced 01/03/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: 01/03/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.56 — To establish a grant program for stipends to assist in the cost of compensation paid by employers to certain recent college graduates and to provide funding for their further education in subjects relating to mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (Introduced 01/03/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 01/03/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.201 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide loan deferment and loan cancellation for founders and employees of small business start-ups, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (Introduced 01/03/2017) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Small Business
Latest Action: 01/03/2017 Referred to House Small Business

H.R.254 — To reinstate Federal Pell Grant eligibility for individuals incarcerated in Federal and State penal institutions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (Introduced 01/04/2017) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 01/04/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

S.3084 — American Innovation and Competitiveness Act
Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] (Introduced 06/22/2016) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Reports: S. Rept. 114-389
Latest Action: 12/28/2016 Presented to President.

H.R.287 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt student workers for purposes of determining a higher education institution’s employer health care shared responsibility.
Sponsor: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] (Introduced 01/04/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: 01/04/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
 

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Comment Request: Student Assistance General Provisions—Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Comments due February 2, 2017.

ED Notice: Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study (FWS), and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) programs; 2017-2018 award year deadline dates

ED Grant Notice: Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program. Applications due March 7, 2017.