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

HOUSE

President Trump and Democratic Congressional leaders announced their support for attaching an extension of the Federal government’s borrowing authority and a continuing resolution for fiscal year (FY) 2018 funding through December 2017 to legislation providing additional spending for hurricane relief efforts. The House and Senate passed legislation embodying this deal.

The House began consideration of the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 (H.R. 3354), which includes 8 of the 12 appropriations bills not yet passed by the House, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill. Click here to view the amendments made in order. The House did not complete consideration of this bill due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Irma and is expected to resume consideration this week.

A spokesperson for House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) announced her intent to introduce and move a bill that would reauthorize the Higher Education Act later this year.

Chairwoman Foxx released a statement supporting the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) decision to end its information sharing agreements with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) released a statement opposing ED Secretary Betsy DeVos’ decision to rewrite ED’s Title IX policy.

The House Judiciary Committee passed the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R.620) 15—9, on a party line vote. This bill would bar civil actions for certain violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

SENATE

The Senate FY2018 LHHS appropriations bill passed the LHHS Subcommittee by voice vote and the full Appropriations Committee 29—2.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released statements opposing ED Secretary DeVos’ decision to rewrite ED’s Title IX policy and suggesting steps DeVos should take to protect survivors of campus sexual assault.

ADMINISTRATION  

President Trump announced that his Administration will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, with a six-month delay to provide Congress with time to develop and pass a permanent legislative solution for DACA participants. After the Administration’s official announcement, President Trump stated that he would revisit DACA if Congress failed to legislate on the issue. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released additional information on the phasing out of DACA. 15 States and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in Federal court asking a judge to strike down as unconstitutional the president’s action involving DACA.

The White House announced that it would postpone its annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) conference following multiple calls from organizations and congressional offices to postpone it. The White House also announced it would meet with a small number of HBCU leaders and students on strategic issues.

ED ended two agreements with CFPB to share information in connection with oversight of Federal student loans, asserting that CFPB failed to direct complaints related to Title IV Federal student loans to ED. CFPB Director Richard Cordray sent a letter to ED discussing the agreements.

ED Secretary DeVos discussed ED’s Title IX policy at George Mason University and announced that ED will rewrite what standards ED will require through a regulatory process that would require public input.

ED Secretary DeVos and President Trump visited with victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana.

Education News Headlines

Citing Obama-Era Failures, DeVos Will Replace Landmark Directive on Sexual Assault [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Campus administrators reassure students of protections after Title IX announcement [Inside Higher Ed]

Five Former Education Secretaries to Congress: Save the ‘Dreamers’ [Education Week]

People Are Putting Less Faith in Four-Year College Degrees, Poll Finds [Education Week]

15 states, DC sue Trump administration over ending DACA [Associated Press]

Ryan calls for ‘permanent legislative solution’ on DACA [The Hill]

Schumer threatens to add DREAM Act to all bills that move this fall [The Hill]

What Major Universities Had to Say About Trump’s Move to Roll Back DACA [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

State campus rape laws could be problematic under new administration [Inside Higher Ed]

Diversity increases in community college humanities students [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Democrats Introduce Bold Legislation to Broadly Expand Access to Higher Education

Press Release: Scott Statement on Judiciary Committee Passing Bill Attacking Civil Rights For People with Disabilities

Press Release: Encouraging Innovation, Opportunity, and Flexibility in the Sharing Economy

Press Release: Committee Democrats Champion Innovation and Worker Protections at Sharing Economy Hearing

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Disability Rights: Murray Statement on Misguided, Harmful House Bill: “ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017”

September 12: Full Committee Hearing: Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: State Flexibility Witnesses: Governor Michael O. Leavitt, Former Secretary Of Health And Human Services, Salt Lake City, UT; Allison Leigh O’Toole, Chief Executive Officer, MNsure, St. Paul, MN; Tarren Bragdon, CEO, Foundation for Government Accountability, Naples, FL; Bernard J. Tyson, President And Chief Executive Officer, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan, Inc., Pleasanton, CA; Tammy Tomczyk, FSA, FCA, MAAA, Senior Principal And Consulting Actuary, Milwaukee, WI
10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

September 14: Full Committee Hearing: Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders
Witnesses: Manny Sethi M.D., President Of Healthy Tennessee, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, Nashville, TN; Susan L. Turney MD, MS, FACP, FACMPE, Chief Executive Officer, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Inc., Marshfield, WI; Robert Ruiz-Moss, Vice President, Individual Market Segment, Anthem Inc., Denver, CO; Christina Postolowski, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, Young Invincibles, Denver, CO; Raymond G. Farmer, Director, South Carolina Department of Insurance NAIC Secretary-Treasurer, Columbia, SC
10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

ED Blog: 3 FAFSA Deadlines You Need to Be Aware of

DOL Blog: Electrical Apprentice Finds Passion for Her Trade

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.3440 — Dream Act of 2017
Sponsor: Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] (Introduced 07/26/2017) Cosponsors: (120)
Committees: House – Judiciary, Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 09/06/2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

H.R.3591 — American Hope Act of 2017
Sponsor: Rep. Gutierrez, Luis V. [D-IL-4] (Introduced 07/28/2017) Cosponsors: (150)
Committees: House – Judiciary, Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: 09/06/2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

H.R.496 — BRIDGE Act
Sponsor: Rep. Coffman, Mike [R-CO-6] (Introduced 01/12/2017) Cosponsors: (25)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action: 09/05/2017 Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mr. Coffman. Petition No: 115-4.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities

ED Comment Request: Experimental Sites Initiative Reporting Tool 2017.
 Comments due November 6, 2017.

ED Notice: Tests for review and approval for use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS). Submissions due October 1, 2017 and April 1, 2018.