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

February 20, 2018
 

HOUSE
Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) released a statement on the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget request.

Budget Committee Ranking Member John Yarmuth (D-KY) released a statement on the President’s FY2019 budget request.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) released a statement on the President’s FY2019 budget request.

The Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing on “Examining the Government’s Management of Native American Schools”. Members of the subcommittee heard from BIE’s Director Tony Dearman about the challenges facing BIE, and what the bureau is doing to provide educational opportunities to Native American students while strengthening its accountability measures.

Committee Democrats released a statement pushing for stronger supports for Native American schools.

The Committee on Science, Space & Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing on “Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships for STEM Education and Careers”. The hearing explored how participation in mentoring, training and apprenticeship opportunities impacts STEM students and may assist in addressing the growing need for a diverse and technically trained STEM workforce.

Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) released a statement on the Parkland, Florida shooting.

All Democrats on the House Education and the Workforce Committee today urged Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) to hold hearings on school shootings.

SENATE
Budget Committee Chairman Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) released a statement on the President’s FY2019 budget request.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) released a statement on the President’s FY2019 budget request.

Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) released a statement on the President’s FY2019 budget request and Infrastructure Plan.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released a statement on reports confirming that the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is officially refusing to respond to complaints filed by transgender students under Title IX.

HELP Committee Ranking Member Murray (D-WA) issued a statement ahead of a vote in the House of Representatives on the Americans with Disabilities Act Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620).

HELP Committee Chairman Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Murray (D-WA) asked the public for comments or suggestions for the Committee’s consideration as they work to reauthorize the Higher Education Act.

The Senate debated immigration policies in an open amendment process. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed a procedural motion late Wednesday to set up votes on four amendments to H.R.2579, an unrelated vehicle serving as the “shell” for future immigration legislation. All four amendments required 60 votes to advance. On Thursday night, the Senate rejected all amendments to the bill.

HELP Committee Ranking Member Murray released a statement on the Parkland, Florida shooting.

ADMINISTRATION
On Monday, February 12, the Trump Administration submitted its FY2019 budget request to Congress. The budget includes an addendum recommending additional funding in light of the two-year budget deal agreed to by Congress last week which raised spending caps by $300 billion over FY2018 and FY2019. The budget request proposes $63.2 billion in discretionary spending for ED, which is a decrease of $3.6 billion, or 5.4 percent, from the FY2017 enacted funding level.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released a statement on the President’s FY2019 budget request for ED.

Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta  commented on the President’s FY2019 budget request for the U.S. Department of Labor.

This week, President Trump released his infrastructure plan based on 6 principles:

1. $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments with partners at the State, local, Tribal and private level.
2. New investments in rural America.
3. Returning decision-making authority to State and local governments.
4. Removing regulatory barriers that get in the way of infrastructure projects.
5. Streamlining and shortening the permit approval process for infrastructure projects.
6. Supporting and strengthening America’s workforce.

The final principle to support and strengthen America’s workforce includes a few details related to education. These include:

1. Making high-quality, short-term programs that provide students with a certification or credential in an in-demand field eligible for Pell Grants.
2. Reforming the Perkins Career and Technical Education Program to ensure more students have access to high-quality technical education to develop the skills required in today’s economy.
3. Better targeting Federal Work-Study funds to help more students obtain important workplace experience, including through apprenticeships.

President Trump released a statement on the Shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Secretary DeVos expressed that Congress needs to hold hearings on issues regarding school shootings.

Secretary DeVos delayed, until July 1, 2019, the effective date of selected provisions of the final regulations entitled Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program.

Last week, ED stated that Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, not gender identity, and, if students, including transgender students, are penalized or harassed for failing to conform to sex-based stereotypes, this would fall under sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. However, ED stated that providing separate bathroom facilities based on sex is not a form of discrimination prohibited by Title IX.

Last month, ED awarded new 5-year contracts to two debt collection companies, Windham Professionals and Performant Financial Corp, after agreeing last year to terminate five existing debt collection contracts and reevaluate the bids since the awards process was unfair. Seven of the 40 companies that lost the contract awards have filed lawsuits against ED. A Federal judge consolidated the cases and scheduled a hearing on the matter for next week.

ED concluded its third and final session of negotiated rulemaking on borrower defense to repayment regulations. The draft regulations being considered included some tweaks from the version released in January.

Last week, a Federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Administration from ending DACA, making this the second Federal judge to rule against the way in which the President ended the DACA program. This ruling is being appealed.

ED is accepting applications for the “Student-Centered Funding Pilot,” an initiative authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Supreme Court will meet behind closed doors Friday on DACA [CNN]

Senate immigration debate ends in failure [Politico]

Betsy DeVos and Democrats call for congressional hearings in wake of Florida school shooting [The Washington Post]

Senate Democrats want Public Service Loan Forgiveness fix in budget agreement  [Inside Higher Ed]

After Borrower Defense Negotiation Fails, Department to Craft New Rule [Inside Higher Ed]

Bill Would Hold College Presidents Accountable for Sexual Abuse by Employees [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Conference shows higher education’s many tensions and challenges [Inside Higher Ed]

Senate Leaders Reconsider Ban on Pell Grants for Prisoners [The New York Times]

Who’s Missing From America’s Colleges? Rural High School Graduates [National Public Radio]

Projections show House work-study proposal would benefit for-profits, community colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

Trump Budget Request Prioritizes STEM And Apprenticeships. But Is There a Catch? [Education Week]

Study: DACA Increased Educational Attainment [Inside Higher Ed]
National Bureau of Economic Research Report: “Do Human Capital Decisions Respond to the Returns to Education? Evidence from DACA”

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Bonamici: Kids are Being Murdered in Schools, Prayers are Not Enough

Press Release: Subcommittee Discusses Native American Education and Accountability

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Murray Asks Students, Parents, and Workers to Share Personal Stories as Congress Kicks Off Work to Update Higher Education Law

Press Release: School Shootings: Senator Murray to Secretary DeVos: I Agree, Let’s Hold Hearings on School Shootings and Gun Safety

Press Release: Senator Murray Blasts Legislative Assault on Disability Rights from House of Representatives

Press Release: Senator Murray on Trump-DeVos Refusal to Protect Transgender Students: “Deeply Disappointed and Disgusted”

House Committee on Science, Space & Technology
Press Release: House Unanimously Approves Building Blocks of STEM Act

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Enzi Statement on President’s FY 2019 Budget Proposal

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: An American Budget – The President’s FY19 Request

Press Release: Chairman Womack Statement on President’s Budget Request

Press Release: Yarmuth Statement on the Trump FY19 Budget

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Chairman Frelinghuysen Statement on President Trump’s Budget Request

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Cochran Statement on President Trump’s Budget Request

Press Release: Statement Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On President Trump’s Budget Proposal And Infrastructure Plan

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
ED Press Release: President’s Budget Expands Education Freedom, Protects Vulnerable Students

DOL Press Release: President’s 2019 Budget Represents Strong Commitment to the American Workforce

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.5053 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to support innovative technology partnerships.
Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] (Introduced 02/15/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 02/15/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

S.2431 — A bill to ensure that certain incidents involving a covered employee that are reported to the title IX coordinator at an eligible institution of higher education have been reviewed by the president of the institution and not less than 1 additional member of the institution’s board of trustees, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (Introduced 02/15/2018) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 02/15/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: In Wake of Nassar Scandal, Peters, Cornyn, & Stabenow Introduce Legislation to Hold Universities Accountable for Sexual Abuse

H.R.5018 – To carry out pilot programs to improve skills and job training, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] (Introduced 02/14/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 02/14/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.5020 – To provide for the establishment of a Department of Education program to award grants to secondary schools that establish a project to encourage students in their junior and senior school years to experience career and technical education courses at a community college, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2] (Introduced 02/14/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 02/14/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

S.1446 — A bill to reauthorize the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program.
Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA] (Introduced 06/27/2017) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Energy and Natural Resources
Latest Action:  Senate – 02/14/2018 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

H.R.3397 — Building Blocks of STEM Act
Sponsor: Rep. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV-3] (Introduced 07/25/2017) Cosponsors: (31)
Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology
Latest Action:  House – 02/13/2018 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

H.Res.730 — Supporting the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education Month.
Sponsor: Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2] (Introduced 02/07/2018) Cosponsors: (44)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  02/13/2018 Sponsor introductory remarks on measure.

S.2423 — A bill to reinstate Federal Pell Grant eligibility for individuals incarcerated in Federal and State penal institutions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (Introduced 02/13/2018) Cosponsors: (15)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 02/13/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: Teacher Cancellation Low Income Directory. Comments due March 19, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Work Colleges Application and Agreement. Comments due March 19, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Work Colleges Expenditure Report. Comments due March 19, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Student Loan Repayment Benefits Case Files. Comments due March 19, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Survey of Postgraduate Outcomes for the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Program (Tracking Survey). Comments due March 19, 2018.

ED Final Regulations: Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program

ED Comment Request: Survey of Postgraduate Outcomes for the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship Program (Survey). Comments due March 16, 2018.

ED Notice: Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiver of Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA), and Programs Under Title V of the HEA

NSF Notice: Faster Administration of Science and Technology Education and Research (FASTER) Community of Practice (CoP)