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 and Senate approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Budget Resolution. The resolution provides reconciliation instructions for the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees, as well as for the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees.

House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) announced the new Republican members who will serve on the committee in the 115^th Congress. Chairwoman Foxx also announced the members who will serve as chairs of the four standing subcommittees. Representative Todd Rokita (R-IN) will chair the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY) will chair the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.

The House passed the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 255), introduced by Representative Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), which encourages more women to pursue careers in science.

Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Mark Takano (D-CA) announced the formation of a new caucus, the House Public Education Caucus, which opposes Betsy DeVos’ nomination as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and supports funding for public schools.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) announced the Chairs and Republican membership of the 12 Appropriations subcommittees for the 115^th Congress.

House Budget Committee Interim Chairwoman Diane Black (R-TN) announced the Republican members of the Committee for the 115^th Congress.

House Science, Space, and Technologies Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) announced the committee members for the 115^th Congress.

SENATE

The HELP Committee rescheduled  the date of the full committee hearing on the nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as ED Secretary from Wednesday, January 11^th to Tuesday, January 17^th. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 5pm on the 17^th.

The HELP Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the nomination of Representative Tom Price (R-GA) to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, January 18^th.

HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter to Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Walter Shaub Jr., requesting information on the status and process that OGE will use for DeVos’ nomination. Director Shaub sent a letter back to Ranking Member Murray, explaining the review process and stating that the process can take weeks or even months.

HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released a statement supporting Devos’ nomination for ED Secretary.

Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced the subcommittee ranking members for the 115^th Congress.

ADMINISTRATION

ED released the debt-to-earnings rates for career training programs, as calculated under the Gainful Employment regulations. ED found that over 800 programs failed to meet the debt-to-earnings thresholds in the regulation.

The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance clarifying when States should deem colleges’ contingent faculty members eligible for unemployment compensation.

ED announced plans to grant borrower defense relief for Federal student loan borrowers who attended the American Career Institute (ACI), which is now closed. ED also announced progress with processing borrower defense claims from former Corinthian Colleges Inc. students and that approvals are beginning for borrower defense claims from former ITT Technical Institutes students.

ED updated the data on the College Scorecard, including the repayment rate data and Financial Aid Shopping Sheet Institutional Metric Data attachment, after ED found an error in the calculations for repayment rates.

President Obama signed into law the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (AICA), S. 3084, which encourages scientific entrepreneurship, expands research opportunities and enhances diversity in STEM fields.

President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Barbara Jenkins, Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz and Daniel Willingham to the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences.

ED Secretary John King released his Cabinet Exit Memo.

President Obama named 102 scientists and researchers as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers.

EVENTS

Penn Hill Group plans to provide clients with a summary of the following event next week:

• January 17 Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on the “Nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as Secretary of Education”
• January 18 Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on the “Nomination of Tom Price to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services”
• January 18 Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Hoover Institution panel discussion on “A New Federal Push on Private School Choice?  Three Options to Consider”

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

Exit Interview: Ed. Sec. John B. King Jr. Talks Legacy and Election Aftermath [Education Week]

Education Department announces thousands of new loan discharges [Inside Higher Ed]

Legislation in two states seeks to eliminate tenure in public higher education [Inside Higher Ed]

NY governor’s ‘free’ tuition plan will make student loan crisis even worse [The Hill]

Analysis Details DeVos Family’s Campaign Donations to Republican Senators [Education Week]

Five cabinet nominees who could affect education [The Atlantic]

Sen. Patty Murray seeks update on ethics review for Trump’s education pick, Betsy DeVos [The Washington Post]

Supporters and Skeptics of Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Nominee for Education Secretary [Education Week]

Here Are the Programs That Failed the Gainful-Employment Rule [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

New Federal Guidance Is Hailed as Helping Adjuncts Collect Unemployment [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Diversity groups urge no vote on Sessions, citing record on protection of minority rights [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
Press Release: Commerce Postpones Confirmation Hearing for Secretary of Commerce
Press Release: Thune Announces Subcommittee Chairmen

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Foxx Applauds Senate Passage of Budget Resolution, Taking Next Step to Repeal Failed Health Care Law
 

The White House

• Blog: Healthy Campuses Help Students #GetCovered

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.483 — To amend title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the provision of funds under such title to institutions of higher education that violate the immigration laws, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-50] (Introduced 01/12/2017) Cosponsors: (13)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 01/12/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.500 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income any discharge of indebtedness income on education loans of deceased or disabled veterans.
Sponsor: Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4] (Introduced 01/12/2017) Cosponsors: (14)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: 01/12/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.413 — To establish an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Program.
Sponsor: Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14] (Introduced 01/10/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 01/10/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.415 — To amend GEAR UP to require that schools receiving funding under the program provide students with access to academic and mental health counseling services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14] (Introduced 01/10/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 01/10/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Notice: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 2017-18 through 2019-20

ED Grant Notice: College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). Applications due March 10, 2017.

ED Meeting Notice: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education. The NACIQI meeting will be held on February 22, 23, and 24, 2017, each day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Hilton Alexandria Old Town Hotel, 1767 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.