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

HOUSE and SENATE

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) issued a statement about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) following President Trump’s signing statement on the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill, in which he discussed the HBCU Capital Financing program.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee will markup H.R. 2353, “Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21^st Century Act” on Wednesday, May 17.

ADMINISTRATION  

President Trump’s signing statement for the FY2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill included language about treating provisions that allocate benefits on the basis of race, ethnicity and gender – including the HBCUs Capital Financial program – in a manner consistent with the requirement to afford equal protection of the laws.

Following his signing statement, President Trump released a statement voicing his support for and commitment to HBCUs. Additionally, U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Betsy DeVos released a statement voicing her support for HBCUs.

ED Secretary DeVos delivered the commencement address for the graduating class at Bethune-Cookman University, an HBCU located in Florida. Secretary DeVos released a statement on the commencement ceremony.

President Trump delivered Liberty University’s 2017 commencement address on Saturday, May 13.

President Trump signed an executive order on Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure, which directs agencies, including ED, to review education and workforce-development efforts.

ED published, in the Federal Register, a final rule repealing the Title II Teacher Preparation regulations, pursuant to H.J.Res. 58, a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal the those regulations.

EVENTS

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

• May 17: House Education and the Workforce Committee markup of H.R. 2353, “Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21^st Century Act”

Education News Headlines

Pruning Dead-End Pathways in Career and Technical Ed. [Education Week]

Education secretary’s Bethune-Cookman commencement address booed throughout [Inside Higher Ed]

People Esteem Community Colleges but Question How Well Higher Ed Serves Students [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Say goodbye to low interest rates on federal student loans, at least for now [The Washington Post]

Top private high schools start campaign to kill traditional transcripts and change college admissions [Inside Higher Ed]

Common Application Says New Transfer App Will Better Serve Nontraditional Students [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

New report encourages culturally responsive teaching to help minority developmental students [Inside Higher Ed]

Foundation to fund college partnerships on community college transfer [Inside Higher Ed]

One challenge of campus gun laws is that they may be all-but-impossible to implement: [The Atlantic]

What’s Betsy DeVos’ Record on Teacher and Workforce Issues? [Education Week]

After Outcry Over Rejected Grants, DeVos Forbids Formatting Rules [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

House Education and the Workforce Committee
News and Opinion: Job Corps Still Failing Vulnerable Youth on Health and Safety

House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology
Press Release: Smith Statement on President Trump’s Cybersecurity Executive Order
 

U.S. Department of Labor

• Blog: We’re Fired Up about Apprenticeships

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.2399 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax for employees who participate in qualified apprenticeship programs.
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13] (Introduced 05/08/2017) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House – Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Action: 05/08/2017 Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform

H.R.2417 — To eliminate discrimination and promote women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.
Sponsor: Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-10] (Introduced 05/11/2017) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, House Administration, Oversight and Government Reform, Judiciary
Latest Action: 05/11/2017 Referred to House Judiciary
Press Release: Nadler, Coffman, Casey, Shaheen, Heller Reintroduce Bipartisan Pregnant Workers From Workplace Discrimination

H.Res.307 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives relating to protecting freedom of speech, thought, and expression at institutions of higher education.
Sponsor: Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] (Introduced 05/03/2017) Cosponsors: (9)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, Judiciary
Latest Action: 05/11/2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
 

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

DOL Comment Request: Workforce Innovation Fund Grants Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements. Comments due June 7, 2017.

ED Request for Information: Disclosures for Student Financial Accounts. Comments due June 8, 2017.

ED Meeting Notice: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). The NACIQI meeting will be held on June 20, 21, and 22, 2017, each day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW., National Ballroom, Washington, DC 20005.

ED Comment Request: Consolidation Loan Rebate Fee Report. Comments due June 12, 2017.