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 Republican Steering Committee selected Representative Diane Black (R-TN) to be the Chairwoman of the House Budget Committee in the 115^th Congress.

House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), House Budget Committee Chairwoman Black and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released statements congratulating Representative Tom Price (R-GA) on his confirmation to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

House Education and the Workforce Committee leaders sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Betsy DeVos congratulating her on her confirmation and expressing their commitment to conduct oversight.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies will hold its outside and public witnesses hearings on Wednesday, March 8. The deadline to submit requests to testify is Tuesday, February 21.

Chairwoman Foxx released a statement announcing her disappointment with the withdrawal of Andrew Puzder’s nomination to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Chairwoman Foxx released a statement supporting the nomination of Alexander Acosta to serve as DOL Secretary.

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) released statements on the withdrawal of Puzder’s nomination and on the nomination of Acosta.

SENATE 

The Senate voted to confirm Representative Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. The final vote was 51—49.

HELP Committee Chairman Alexander released a statement regarding the withdrawal of Puzder’s nomination.

HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released a statement regarding the withdrawal of Puzder’s nomination.

Chairman Alexander released a statement supporting the nomination of Acosta.

Ranking Member Murray released a statement saying that she has some initial concerns about the nomination of Acosta.

ADMINISTRATION  

Puzder withdrew his nomination to serve as DOL Secretary.

President Trump announced his nomination of R. Alexander Acosta to serve as DOL Secretary.

ED Secretary DeVos spoke at the Community College National Legislative Summit, and her remarks can be found here.

Education News Headlines

House Education Committee Staffers Get New Power This Congress [Article 1 – Education Week]

DeVos softens stance on protesters at higher ed event [Article 4 – The Washington Post]

Undocumented Teachers Shielded by DACA in Legal and Emotional Limbo [Article 5 – Education Week]

Undocumented Students’ Fears Escalate After a DACA Recipient’s Arrest [Article 6 – The Chronicle of Higher Education]

In First Higher-Ed Address as Education Secretary, DeVos Praises Community Colleges [Article 9 – The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Community colleges can be ‘first responders’ in retraining displaced workers [Article 10 – The Hill]

Community colleges step up outreach to Latinos [Article 11 – Inside Higher Ed]

Betsy DeVos: I’ll Look for Unnecessary Programs to Cut at the Education Dept. [Article 3 – Education Week]

Gender pay gap persists for higher education administrators [Article 12 – Inside Higher Ed]

White House, Republicans reach out to historically black colleges [Article 11 – Inside Higher Ed]

Betsy DeVos Tells Her Side to Conservative Opinion Journalists [Article 3 – Education Week]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
March 8: Full Committee Hearing: “Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission”
Witnesses: The Honorable Ajit Pai, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission; The Honorable Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission; The Honorable Michael O’Rielly, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
10:00 a.m. in 216 Hart Senate Office Building or webcast

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Documents and webcast of yesterday’s Labor, HHS and Education Subcommittee Hearing: “Mental Health Care: Examining Treatments and Services”

House Committee on Science, Space & Technology
Documents and webcast of yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing: “Strengthening U.S. Cybersecurity Capabilities”

House Committee on the Budget  
Press Release: Statement from Budget Committee Chairman Diane Black on Confirmation of Mick Mulvaney as OMB Director
 

The Administration

The White House

• Blog: Empowering Female Leaders

Institute of Education Sciences

• Report: Enrollment and Employees in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2015; and Financial Statistics and Academic Libraries, Fiscal Year 2015: First Look (Provisional Data)

Legislative Movement in Congress

S.351 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for comprehensive student achievement information.
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] (Introduced 02/13/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: 02/13/2017 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R.1050 — To establish a pilot program to promote public-private partnerships among apprenticeships or other job training programs, local educational agencies, and community colleges, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2] (Introduced 02/14/2017) Cosponsors: (32)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 02/14/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.1127 — To increase purchasing power, strengthen economic recovery, and restore fairness in financing higher education in the United States through student loan forgiveness, caps on interest rates on Federal student loans, and refinancing opportunities for private borrowers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37] (Introduced 02/16/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Ways and Means
Latest Action: 02/16/2017 Referred to House Ways and Means
 

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Comment Request: Review of Accrediting Agencies. Comments due March 12, 2017.

NSF Meeting Notice: Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education. Meeting will be March 29, 2017; 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., March 30, 2017; 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230.