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 passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by a vote of 227—205.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing to discuss the policies and priorities of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Committee Republicans and Democrats released statements on their priorities.

26 Democratic Members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Betsy DeVos and Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Dr. Wayne Johnson regarding reports that DeVos is considering providing partial relief for students who were defrauded by their institution of higher education.

The House passed the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2017 (H.R.4174) by a voice vote.

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee unanimously passed three bills related to science, technology, engineering, math and computer science (STEM) education: the STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act (H.R. 4375); the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act (H.R. 4323); and the Women in Aerospace Education Act (H.R. 4254).

SENATE

The Senate Finance Committee passed the Senate Republicans’ version of tax cut legislation by a vote of 14—12. The bill is expected to be considered on the Senate Floor the week after the Thanksgiving holiday. A number of Republican Members have raised concerns about the bill.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) released a statement stating the need for a budget deal between Congress and the Administration in order to complete fiscal year (FY) 2018 appropriations bills and indicated he would release chairman’s marks this week for the four remaining FY2018 appropriations bills the Committee has not yet marked up.

HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) sent a letter to ED Secretary DeVos urging her to make the borrower defense to repayment (BDR) rulemaking process, including the meetings, transparent and open to the public.

Ranking Member Murray released a statement on the nomination of Alex Azar to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released a statement supporting the nomination of Alex Azar to serve as HHS Secretary.

ADMINISTRATION

Members of the negotiated rulemaking committee on the BDR and financial responsibility regulations met for the first time last week.

The members of the negotiated rulemaking committee on the gainful employment regulations were announced.

President Trump nominated Alex Azar to be HHS Secretary. Azar is a former executive of Eli Lilly & Co., a global pharmaceutical company, and served as HHS Deputy Secretary under President George W. Bush.

A Federal appeals court in California has ruled that President Trump’s most recent travel ban can go into partial effect, allowing the government to temporarily keep travelers from six countries from entering the U.S. The appellate panel ruled that it would allow “foreign nationals who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the U.S.” This would include foreign students attending U.S. universities.

President Trump announced his intent to nominate Johnny Collett to be the Assistant Secretary of Education for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at ED. Collett is the Director of Special Education Outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Education News Headlines

Future of DACA up in the air as deadline looms [The Hill]

Comments About Muslims, Women in Science Sink Trump Education Nominee [Education Week]

Betsy DeVos: Stop ‘Forcing’ Four-Year Degrees as Only Pathway to Success [Education Week]

Sexual Harassment and Assault in Higher Ed: What’s Happened Since Weinstein [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Democrats Seek Full Relief for Defrauded Borrowers [Inside Higher Ed]

Pressure mounts for Betsy DeVos to address the backlog of 87,000 student debt relief claims [The Washington Post]

Tax Bills’ Potential Impact on Federal Education Funding: Big Cuts, or Meh? [Education Week]

Education Debt Held by Older Americans [Inside Higher Ed]

House passes tax plan with many provisions opposed by colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

GOP Bill Would Force Students Who Don’t Graduate to Repay Pell Grants  [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

What we now know about who struggles with student debt [The Washington Post]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor
House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Committee Democrats Introduce Bill to Simplify the FASFA

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Documents and webcast of Nov 15 Full Committee Hearing: Nominations, including Mitchell Zais to be Deputy Secretary of Education, James Blew to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development of Education and Timothy Kelly to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education

Press Release: HELP Committee Holds Hearing on 4 Well-Qualified Nominees for Positions at the Education and Labor Departments

November 28: Full Committee Hearing: “Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act: Examining Proposals to Simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)”
Witnesses: to be announced
10:00 a.m.

November 29: Full Committee Hearing: “Nomination of Alex Azar to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services”
Witness: Mr. Alex M. Azar II, Indianapolis, IN
10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast
Press Release: Alexander Statement on Selection of Alex Azar to Serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services

November 30: Full Committee Hearing: “The Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis: Perspectives from States, Communities, and Providers:
Witnesses: to be announced
10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Cochran Addresses FY2018 Appropriations Outlook

Documents and webcast of Nov 15 Subcommittee Hearing: “VA Efforts to Prevent and Combat Opioid Overmedication”

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
Press Release: Senate Passes Bill Requiring U.S. Amateur Athletic Organizations, Members to Report Sexual Abuse

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

DOL Press Release: U.S. Secretary of Labor Acosta comments on National Apprenticeship Week

White House Press Release: Statement from the Press Secretary regarding the House of Representatives Passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.4323 — To promote veteran involvement in STEM education, computer science, and scientific research, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2] (Introduced 11/09/2017) Cosponsors: (7)
Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology
Latest Action: House – 11/09/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

H.R.4327 — To amend the National Labor Relations Act to provide that a question of representation affecting commerce shall exist when a petitioner establishes that fewer than 50 percent of the current bargaining unit members had the opportunity to vote in a certification election covering their bargaining unit or no certification election was conducted, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Rooney, Francis [R-FL-19] (Introduced 11/09/2017) Cosponsors: (12)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 11/09/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.4336 —To amend the institutional refunds provision of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Rep. Lewis, Jason [R-MN-2] (Introduced 11/09/2017) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 11/09/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.4387 — To amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to increase the allocation for rural areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Duffy, Sean P. [R-WI-7] (Introduced 11/14/2017) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 11/14/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.4414 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require students who do not complete a program of study to repay Federal Pell Grants.
Sponsor: Rep. Rooney, Francis [R-FL-19] (Introduced 11/15/2017) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 11/15/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Congressman Rooney-Norman Introduce the Pell for Performance Act

H.R.4435 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow the Secretary of Education to award Early College Federal Pell Grants.
Sponsor: Rep. Faso, John J. [R-NY-19] (Introduced 11/16/2017) Cosponsors: (10)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 11/16/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Faso Introduce Bipartisan Go to High School, Go to College Act

S.2143 — A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to strengthen protections for employees wishing to advocate for improved wages, hours, or other terms or conditions of employment, to expand coverage under such Act, to provide a process for achieving initial collective bargaining agreements, and to provide for stronger remedies for interference with these rights, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (Introduced 11/16/2017) Cosponsors: (16)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 11/16/2017 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Comment Request: Generic Application Package for Departmental Generic Grant Programs. Comments due December 14, 2017.

ED Comment Request: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Third Party Perjury Form. Comments due January 16, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Gainful Employment Program—Subpart R—Cohort Default Rates. Comments due December 18, 2017.

ED Comment Request: Gainful Employment Program—Subpart Q—Appeals for Debt to Earnings Rates. Comments due December 18, 2017.

ED Comment Request: Gainful Employment Program—Subpart Q. Comments due December 18, 2017.