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

March 19, 2018

HOUSE 
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is scheduled to testify before the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations on her agency’s FY2019 budget request. The hearing is scheduled for March 20.

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) issued a statement after the Trump Administration released its proposals for school safety.

The House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing entitled “Strengthening Access and Accountability to Work in Welfare Programs” to discuss the role of work in welfare programs.

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee on Appropriations  held a hearing entitled “An Overview of the National Science Foundation Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2019” to discuss the agency’s funding request.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled “FY2019 Budget Hearing – Department of Health and Human Services” to discuss funding for a variety programs within the agency.

The House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations has requested that Members send their programmatic and language submissions for consideration in the FY2019 appropriations bill by March 19. Please note that other subcommittees have different deadlines for submissions.

SENATE                 
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing entitled “See Something, Say Something: Oversight of the Parkland Shooting and Legislative Proposals to Improve School Safety” to focus on the tragic shooting that occurred in Parkland, Florida and discuss potential legislation to address school safety.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved by voice vote the nominations of Frank Brogan to be Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education and Mark Schneider to be Director of the Institute of Education Sciences. Former Florida Lt. Governor Brogan has been heading ED’s Office of Postsecondary Education as he awaits Senate confirmation. There is no timeline yet for when the full Senate will consider these nominations.

HELP Committee Raking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released a statement on ED’s announcement asserting that State laws protecting students do not apply to student loan companies.

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations will accept written testimony from outside witnesses on FY2019 appropriations. Submissions are due by June 1, 2018.

ADMINISTRATION
Secretary DeVos announced the reallocation of $22.9 million in unexpended funds to assist students at colleges and universities located in Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared major disaster areas impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as postsecondary schools across the nation that have enrolled a significant number of students from the affected areas.

Secretary DeVos announced full forgiveness of the hurricane relief loans provided to four Historically Black Colleges and Universities after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Secretary DeVos announced  new Federal assistance for students and schools impacted by the October 2017 California wildfires. The California Department of Education will receive $2 million in Project SERV funds to aid in their recovery efforts.

The Administration announced that Secretary DeVos will lead a school safety commission. The Commission will be comprised of Federal officials that will hear ideas and thoughts from people such as education practitioners, school safety experts and university officials among others.

This week the White House announced the nomination of Mark Schultz to be Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration at ED. Schultz is currently a Deputy Commissioner in the Nebraska Department of Education and he previously served as the Director of Vocational Rehabilitation.

ED concluded its third and final session of negotiated rulemaking on gainful employment regulations without reaching consensus. The Administration will now move forward with developing a proposed regulation that is not bound by the negotiated rulemaking process.

President Trump released a statement applauding the House for passing H.R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, and referred to it as an important step towards keeping American students safe.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Betsy DeVos Is About to Defend Her Budget. Keep These Three Things in Mind [Education Week]

Op-Ed: Betsy DeVos is transforming her office, but she needs a message do-over [The Hill]

Consumer lawyers want to end Education Department’s partial student debt relief plan [The Washington Post]

More high schools offer free college admission testing. But there’s a catch. [The Washington Post]

Harvard ends requirement of SAT essay [Inside Higher Ed]

Senators Zero In on Law Enforcement, School Discipline in Hearing on Parkland Shooting [Education Week]

House Passes STOP School Violence Act One Month After Parkland Shooting [Education Week]

How Student Activism Could Potentially Impact American Politics [National Public Radio]

These college students joined walkouts to protest gun violence after the Parkland shooting [The Washington Post]

Education Dept forgives relief loans given to black colleges after hurricanes [The Hill]

House GOP bill would raise colleges’ costs for reimbursing federal aid when students drop out [Inside Higher Ed]

N.J. Governor’s Plan for Free Community College [Inside Higher Ed]

How Can Colleges Help Their Adult Students? [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Can Higher Education Make Silicon Valley More Ethical? [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Privacy Advocates Brace for Shakeup at U.S. Education Department [Education Week]

Education Department, DeVos says false reports of sexual assault are rare [Inside Higher Ed]

At PTA, Betsy DeVos Talks School Safety, Does ’60 Minutes’ Damage Control [Education Week]

Trump Taps a Nebraska Education Official for Rehabilitative Services Post [Education Week]

GOP chairman: Government funding bill will likely boost school safety [The Hill]

Top Democrat Has ‘No Confidence’ in Betsy DeVos’ School Safety Commission [Education Week]

Was Betsy DeVos’ ’60 Minutes’ Interview a ‘Trainwreck’ or ‘Selectively Edited’? [Education Week]

DeVos commission to mull Obama ‘Rethink School Discipline’ policies [The Hill]

State Education Leaders’ Group Announces New Executive Director [Education Week]

Democrats Seek More Money for Mental Health Services, Counseling in Schools [Education Week]

Don’t Use SAT and ACT as Your High School Tests, Study Urges [Education Week]

A new kind of computer science major delves into how technology is reshaping society [The Los Angeles Times]

Oakton community college builds faculty-student relationships to increase persistence [Inside Higher Ed]

Ashford University is latest big for-profit to attempt nonprofit conversion [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and the Workforce Committee 
Press Release: Scott Urges DeVos to Uphold and Protect Students’ Civil Rights

Press Release: Foxx and Roe Praise Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling to Vacate Obama-era Fiduciary Rule

Press Release: Chairwoman Foxx: “All students must be safe in school.”

Press Release: This Week: Subcommittee Hearing on Access and Accountability to Work in Welfare Programs

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump’s Proposal to Arm Teachers and Harden Schools

Press Release: Bonamici: Students Need Education Leader Who Will Stand Up for All Students

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Senate HELP Committee Approves NLRB, Education, Mine Safety Nominees

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Basics of the Current Federal Budget Process

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: President Donald J. Trump Proclaims March 18 through March 24, 2018, as Vocational-Technical Education Week

ED Press Release: Secretary DeVos Announces New Support for Wildfire Impacted Schools in California

ED Blog: Students Use Self-Directed Learning to Serve Their Community, One Foot at a Time

White House Press Release: Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding House Passage of the STOP School Violence Act of 2018

ED Press Release: Secretary DeVos Issues Full Forgiveness of HBCU Hurricane Relief Loans

White House Press Release: President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration

ED Press Release: DeVos Announces Additional Funds to Support Students at Colleges and Universities Impacted by Hurricanes

ED Speech: Prepared Remarks to the National Parent Teacher Association Legislative Conference

ED Media Advisory: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to Keynote National PTA Conference

ED Blog: ED Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Announces MLK Jr. Drum Major Innovative Service Award

IES WWC Report: Should students assessed as needing remedial mathematics take college-level quantitative courses instead? A randomized controlled trial.

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.137 — Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017
Sponsor: Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13] (Introduced 01/03/2017) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action:  House – 03/14/2018 ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP – Mr. Cicilline asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 137, a bill originally introduced by former Representative Conyers, for purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings

H.R.4909 — STOP School Violence Act of 2018
Sponsor: Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-4] (Introduced 01/30/2018) Cosponsors: (100)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action:  House – 03/14/2018 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Press Release: Legislative Update: House Overwhelming Passes STOP School Violence Act

H.R.5268 — To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to make grants to eligible local education agencies to provide improved security measures on school grounds, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Messer, Luke [R-IN-6] (Introduced 03/14/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, Judiciary
Latest Action:  House – 03/14/2018 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction

H.R.5277 — To require the Financial Literacy and Education Commission to establish and publish best practices for teaching financial literacy for institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (Introduced 03/14/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Financial Services, Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 03/14/2018 Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction
Press Release: Jump$tart Coalition to Honor Rep. Joyce Beatty for Leadership in Financial Literacy

H.Res.779 — Expressing support for the designation of the week of March 12 through 16, 2018, as “Public Education Week”.
Sponsor: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (Introduced 03/14/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Action:  House – 03/14/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

S.2547 — A bill to provide assistance for educational facilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (Introduced 03/14/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/14/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

S.2495 — STOP School Violence Act of 2018
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] (Introduced 03/05/2018) Cosponsors: (35)
Committees: Senate – Judiciary
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/14/2018 Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
Video: It’s Time for the STOP School Violence Act

S.2502 — Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2018
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] (Introduced 03/06/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Judiciary
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/14/2018 Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

S.Res.434 — A resolution recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni to the lives of the people of the United States.
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (Introduced 03/14/2018) Cosponsors: (32)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/14/2018 Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R.5261 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for regional centers of excellence in substance use disorder education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Bill [R-OH-6] (Introduced 03/13/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
Latest Action:  House – 03/13/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Press Release: Representatives Bill Johnson and Paul Tonko Introduce the TEACH to Combat Addition Act

S.2542 — A bill to amend part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to provide full Federal funding of such part.
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (Introduced 03/13/2018) Cosponsors: (6)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/13/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Van Hollen, Tester Introduce Legislation to Fully Fund Special Education

S.2532 — A bill to make demonstration grants to eligible local educational agencies or consortia of eligible local educational agencies for the purpose of increasing the numbers of school nurses in public elementary schools and secondary schools.
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] (Introduced 03/12/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/12/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Tester Introduces Bill To Hire More School Nurses, Improve Student Health in Montana

S.2533 — A bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to allow National Health Service Corps members to provide obligated service as behavioral and mental health professionals at schools, other community-based settings, or patient homes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (Introduced 03/12/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/12/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Sens. Tina Smith, Lisa Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Mental Health Services in Schools

S.2534 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit individuals who are eligible for assistance under a Department of Defense educational assistance program or authority to use such tuition assistance for licensing and certification programs offered by entities other than an institution of higher education.
Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] (Introduced 03/12/2018) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate – Armed Services
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/12/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Press Release: Ernst, Tester, Isakson Introduce CERTIFY Heroes Act

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Meeting Notice: The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Capital Financing Advisory Board. The Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Central Time, in Room 313 (Bowden Alumni Center), Sutton Learning Center Building, St. Philip’s College, 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, San Antonio, TX 78203.