Washington Wrap Up – March 7, 2017
Below is an abridged version of RAMC’s weekly Washington Wrap Up. Find out more about Wrap Up and other RAMC resources here.
HOUSE
In a meeting with presidents from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) expressed his support for year-round Pell Grants.
House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) released a statement encouraging the Administration to secure investments for HBCUs in the budget process.
Ranking Member Scott and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Betsy DeVos requesting information about her plans to audit ED’s programs, which she discussed on a radio talk show last month.
Ranking Member Scott and Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development Ranking Member Susan Davis (D-CA), along with other Committee Democrats, sent a letter to Secretary DeVos regarding the Trump Administration’s recent decision to rescind the guidance related to transgender students.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) named the Vice Chairs of the 12 Appropriations subcommittees for the 115th Congress.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will hold its outside and public witnesses hearings on Wednesday, March 8.
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued a statement supporting President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress.
The House Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee held a hearing on career and technical education. The documents and webcast can be found here.
SENATE
HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released a statement supporting President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress.
Ranking Member Murray, along with ranking members from seven other committees, sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to commit to maintaining an independent Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) sent a letter to Secretary DeVos recommending that she conduct a comprehensive audit of all student loan-related data maintained by ED.
ADMINISTRATION
The White House announced that the release of the Administration’s “skinny budget” proposal will now take place on March 16.
ED’s Office of Inspector General released an audit report on Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) processes. The report recommended that FSA improve its processes for reviewing a school’s composite score calculation and implement controls to prevent schools from manipulating composite scores.
The White House Domestic Policy Council hosted a listening session with presidents and chancellors of HBCUs.
President Trump signed an executive order on The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which establishes: (1) that the Initiative be housed in the Executive Office of the President and led by an Executive Director designated by the President, (2) an interagency working group, and (3) a President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs.
President Trump signed into law H.R. 255, the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act.
Secretary DeVos released a statement supporting President Trump’s signing of H.R. 255.
President Trump made his first official speech to a joint session of Congress.
EVENTS
Penn Hill Group plans to provide clients with a summary of the following event next week:
- March 9: House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee hearing on “National Science Foundation Part 1: Overview and Oversight”
Education News Headlines
After Trump administration rescinds transgender student directive, states drop lawsuit challenging it [The Washington Post]
Congress May Turn Focus to Higher Ed. Law’s Renewal [Education Week]
These states give more grant aid to college students in need than the feds [The Washington Post]
Study on First-Year Orientation and Retention [Inside Higher Ed]
Teacher training is failing students with disabilities [The Atlantic]
DeVos Changes Tune on HBCUs, Saying They Were Born of Necessity, Not ‘Choice’ [The Chronicle of Higher Education]
Democrats Press Betsy DeVos for Details on Possible Education Department Cuts [Education Week]
Education Department’s inspector general wants feds to more closely monitor colleges with shaky finances [Inside Higher Ed]
Colleges rush to protect immigrant students [The Hill]
HBCU Leader Says DeVos’s ‘School Choice’ Comment Is Worrying on Multiple Levels [The Chronicle of Higher Education]
Working paper finds little return on investment from online education [Inside Higher Ed]
Stanford University Study: “The Returns to Online Postsecondary Education”
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
House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Polis: CTE Programs Must Emphasize Equity, Provide Opportunity for All Students
Press Release: Bonamici Defends Consumer Protections for Student Loan Borrowers
House Committee on Appropriations
March 8: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee: Public Witness Day
Witnesses: to be determined. The deadline to submit requests to testify is Tuesday, February 21, 2017. The deadline to submit written testimony is Wednesday, March 8, 2017.
10:00 a.m. in 2358-C Rayburn House Office Building
March 9: Hearing: “Management Challenges at the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and the Social Security Administration: Views from the Inspectors General”
Witnesses: Mr. Scott S. Dahl, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor; Mr. Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Ms. Gale Stallworth Stone, Acting Inspector General, Social Security Administration; Ms. Kathleen Tighe, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education
10:00 a.m. in 2358-B Rayburn or webcast
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Press Release: President Signs Bill to Promote Women in Science
March 9: Subcommittee Hearing: National Science Foundation Part 1: Overview and Oversight
Witnesses: Dr. France Córdova, Director, National Science Foundation (NSF); Ms. Allison Lerner, Inspector General, National Science Foundation (NSF)
10:00 am in 2318 Rayburn House Office building or webcast
U.S. Department of Education and the Administration
U.S. Department of Education
- Press Release: Statement from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Following Listening Session with Historically Black College and University Leaders
- Speech: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ Prepared Remarks at HBCU Congressional Luncheon in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Department of Labor:
White House
- Blog: President Trump’s Weekly Address
- Blog: Budgetary Impact Analysis for Executive Order Entitled “White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities”
Legislative Movement in Congress
S.457 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a scholarship program for educators of rural students and provide for loan forgiveness for rural educators, to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide professional development grants for rural elementary schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] (Introduced 02/27/2017) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: 02/27/2017 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
H.R.1286 — To require the Secretary of Education to use the excess revenue generated from the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program to carry out the Federal Pell Grant Program.
Sponsor: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] (Introduced 03/01/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 03/01/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Rep. Kind Introduces Bill to Stop Government from Profiting Off Student Loans
H.R.1342 — To prohibit any institution of higher education that receives a Federal research and development grant and does not comply with a lawful request for information or detainment of an alien made by any officer or employee of the Federal government who is charged with enforcement of the immigration laws from receiving indirect cost reimbursement funding, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1] (Introduced 03/02/2017) Cosponsors: (26)
Committees: House – Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology
Latest Action: 03/02/2017 Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology
Press Release: Representative Harris Introduces Legislation to Combat Sanctuary Campuses
Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices
ED Grant Notice: Strengthening Institutions Program. Applications due April 17, 2017.
ED Grant Notice: Strengthening Institutions Program. Applications due April 17, 2017.