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

The House and Senate returned from the August recess on Tuesday, September 5.

The House Rules Committee met on Tuesday, September 5, to discuss the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 (H.R. 3354), indicating that the House will consider this legislation this week. This bill includes 8 of the 12 remaining appropriations bills not yet passed by the House, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

The Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee announced that they will mark up their fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill on Wednesday, September 6. The bill will be marked up by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, September 7.

ADMINISTRATION  

ED published a notice on their intent to establish two negotiated rulemaking committees on the Borrower Defense to Repayment and Financial Responsibility regulations, as well as on the Gainful Employment regulations. The notice states that nominations are due by September 29, 2017 and outlines the schedule of the committee meetings.

President Trump announced that the Administration has decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, with a six-month delay.

ED Secretary Betsy DeVos announced ED’s new approach to how Federal Student Aid (FSA) enforces compliance by institutions participating in the Federal student aid programs, as well as the hiring of additional FSA personnel: Dr. Julian Schmoke, Jr. to lead enforcement activities, Dr. Michael Dean as the chief enterprise risk officer, Dr. Charles Patterson as the senior advisor for executive-level compliance and enforcement outreach and Chris Greene to head the communications, outreach and customer experience teams.

ED activated its emergency response contact center following Hurricane Harvey to assist school districts and institutions of higher education in their recovery efforts. Additionally, ED created an information page on their website.

EVENTS

Penn Hill Group plans to provide clients with summaries of the following events next week:

• September 6: Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Markup: “FY2018 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill”
• September 7: Senate Appropriation Committee Markup: “FY2018 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill”

Education News Headlines

New approach to Education Dept. oversight focuses on risk assessment and outreach [Inside Higher Ed]

Education Dept. Appointee’s For-Profit Past Draws Flak, but It’s Complicated [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Trump civil rights official listed Clinton attacks as qualification on resume: report [The Hill]

More Than 1 Million Students Affected by Hurricane Harvey So Far [Education Week]

Trump and DeVos fuel a for-profit college comeback [Politico]

Trump wants to cut college work study amid calls to boost job aid to public campuses [EdSource]

‘We don’t pretend this is over’: After Charlottesville, colleges expect trouble [The Washington Post]

Report: 15  Hours of Work Per Week Can Hold Students Back [Inside Higher Ed]

Study says multiple factors work together to drive women away from STEM [Inside Higher Ed]

Instead of offering free college tuition Democrats should value other paths to success [The Atlantic]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

House Education and the Workforce Committee
September 6: Full Committee Hearing: “The Sharing Economy: Creating Opportunities for Innovation and Flexibility”
Witnesses: to be announced
10:00 a.m. in 2175 Rayburn House Office Building or webcast

Press Release: Foxx, Byrne Statement on EEO-1 form

Press Release: Scott Statement on Roll Back of Workplace Civil Rights Protections

Press Release: Rep. Takano: Trump Administration is Turning Education Department into an Accomplice in For-Profit Fraud

Press Release: Bonamici Responds to Hiring of For-Profit Official to Lead Enforcement Unit

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Alexander Commends Administration for Rescinding Obama-era Mandate to Increase by 20-fold Employee Data Required From 61,000 Private Employers

September 6: Full Committee Hearing: Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: State Insurance Commissioners
Witnesses: John Doak, Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Insurance, Tulsa, OK; Mike Kreidler, OD, Washington State Insurance Commissioner, Olympia, WA; Julie Mix McPeak, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Nashville, TN; Theresa Miller, JD, Insurance Commissioner Of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA; Lori K. Wing-Heier, Director, Alaska Division of Insurance, Anchorage, AK
10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

September 7: Full Committee Hearing: Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Governors
Witnesses: Charlie Baker, Governor, Massachusetts; Steve Bullock, Governor, Montana; Bill Haslam, Governor, Tennessee; Gary Herbert, Governor, Utah; John W. Hickenlooper, Governor, Colorado
9:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

Press Release: Murray on Texas Federal Judge’s Decision Against the Overtime Rule: “A Disappointing Blow To Workers Across the Country”