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

May 15, 2018
 

HOUSE and SENATE
Reps. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Jeff Denham (R-CA) and Will Hurd (R-TX) filed a discharge petition to open floor debate on four immigration proposals that deal with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations will accept written testimony from outside witnesses on fiscal year (FY) 2019 appropriations. The deadline to submit written testimony is Friday, June 1.

ADMINISTRATION
The Administration submitted a rescission package to Congress proposing $15.4 billion in cuts. None of the cuts were to the FY2018 Omnibus appropriations bill, and none of the cuts were to U.S. Department of Education (ED) programs. The Administration also indicated that it will submit a second and possible third round of rescissions in the coming months that is expected to target FY2018 appropriations funds.

ED approved the Alabama, Colorado and Kentucky consolidated Elementary and Secondary Education Act State plans.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) posted EDs updated Spring 2018 unified regulatory agenda, which outlines the timeline for ED regulatory action.  Included in this agenda were new higher education regulatory efforts on state authorization, accreditation, credit hour, regular and substantive requirements and issues pertaining to faith-based matters. On the updated Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) regulatory agenda, student loan servicing rules was removed.

The interest rates on new Federal student loans for the coming academic year will increase by more than half of a percentage point following the U.S. Treasury Department’s sale of 10-year notes.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion released its final report to the President.

As part of a reorganization effort, CFPBs office for students & younger consumers will be folded into their office of financial education.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Education Department Unwinds Unit Investigating Fraud at For-Profits [The New York Times]

New data show plans of potential transfer students [Inside Higher Ed]

Community college graduation rates jumped after Tennessee Promise, numbers show [The Tennessean]

Federal panel’s take on industry-recognized apprenticeships [Inside Higher Ed]
Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion Report: Final Report to The President of the United States

Interest rates on federal student loans set to rise for the second year in a row [The Washington Post]

Report finds rapid growth in foreign-student work program [Inside Higher Ed]

Feds Aim for Fall Release of Campus Sexual Misconduct Rule [Inside Higher Ed]

On California campaign trail, a push to strip school funding for undocumented students [EdSource]

Single moms in college spend nine hours a day on housework [The Atlantic]

Did #RedForEd Just Capture Its First Midterm Victory? [Education Week]

Mick Mulvaney takes aim at consumer bureau’s student protection unit [The Washington Post]

Proposed Federal Rule Making on ‘Innovation’ and Aid [Inside Higher Ed]

Why Internet Scholars Are Calling Out Facebook for Restricting Access to Its Data [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Multiple Math Pathways and College Completion [Inside Higher Ed]
WestEd Report: Multiple Paths Forward: Diversifying Mathematics as a Strategy for College Success

Policy Brief Makes Case for Expanded Child Care for Student Parents [Inside Higher Ed]

Senate GOP warms to Trump’s rescissions package [The Hill]

White House Spending Cuts Would Hit AmeriCorps Funding, Preserve Student Aid [Inside Higher Ed]

Plans for Performance Funding for Calif.’s 2-Year Colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

DeVos’s appearance at Ave Maria University reignited a debate about the proper role of a Catholic institution in a sharply divided time [The Atlantic]

Melania Trump Unveils Initiative to Bolster Emotional Health, Combat Bullying and Opioid Crisis [Education Week]

Some House GOP Urged Preservation of Public Service Loan Forgiveness [Inside Higher Ed]

Free textbooks? Federal government is on track with a pilot program. [The Washington Post]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Senate Appropriations Schedule for the Week of May 14, 2018

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Subcommittee Explores Private Sector Solutions to Close the Skills Gap

Press Release: As Demand for Skilled Workers Rises, Committee Democrats Push to Restore Public and Private Support for Training and Education

Press Release: Closing the CFPB’s Office for Students is Reckless and Harmful

Press Release: Don’t Kill Loan Forgiveness in Higher Ed Bill, Republicans Say

Press Release: O’Halleran Introduces Resolution to Support Higher Teacher Pay and Education Investment

Blog: Three Lessons: ‘Talent’ Has Become the New Theme Uniting Education and Employment

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Murray: Trump Administration Is “Giving Student Loan Corporations the Green Light to Take Advantage of Students”

House Committee on Ways and Means
Press Release: Chairman Brady and Subcommittee Chairman Buchanan Announce Hearing Series on Tax Reform

Press Release: Brady, Smith Release Legislation to Reauthorize TANF, Close Jobs Gap

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Chairman Enzi Files Topline Numbers to Establish FY 19 Senate Budget Framework and Enforcement

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Chairman Womack: “Balancing the budget is a team effort”

House Committee on Appropriations 
Press Release: Fiscal Year 2019 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill Released

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: The White House Announces Its Rescission Package

White House Press Release: Remarks by the First Lady at the Launch of the “Be Best” Initiative

ED Media Advisory: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to Observe STEM Classrooms in New Hampshire

IES Report: “Role of Education in Work Experience Programs”

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.5731 — To require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a strategy to secure elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education from acts of terrorism, active shooters, and other homeland security threats, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] (Introduced 05/09/2018) Cosponsors: (10)
Committees: House – Homeland Security, Judiciary, Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 05/09/2018 Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions

H.R.5734 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for interest-free deferment on student loans for borrowers serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program.
Sponsor: Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] (Introduced 05/09/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 05/09/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.5736 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a pilot program to help individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder transition from treatment to independent living and the workforce, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6] (Introduced 05/09/2018) Cosponsors: (14)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services
Latest Action:  House – 05/09/2018 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
Press Release: Rep. Barr Fights Opioid Epidemic by Empowering Kentuckians

H.R.5738 — To amend the Social Security Act, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to require that the value of child’s savings accounts be disregarded for the purpose of determining eligibility to receive benefits under such Acts; and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17] (Introduced 05/09/2018) Cosponsors: (8)
Committees: House – Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 05/09/2018 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker…
Press Release: Rep. Cartwright Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation To Promote College Savings

H.R.5711 — 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 setting, or patient homes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Sanchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38] (Introduced 05/08/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
Latest Action:  House – 05/08/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Press Release: Linda Sánchez and Morgan Griffith Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Mental Health Services in Schools

H.Res.876 — Supporting the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public education funding.
Sponsor: Rep. O’Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] (Introduced 05/08/2018) Cosponsors: (109)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 05/08/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: O’Halleran Introduces Resolution To Support Higher Teacher Pay and Education Investment

H.R.5679 — To require the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to establish a pilot program for Jobs Plus Recovery programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1] (Introduced 05/07/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce
Latest Action:  House – 05/07/2018 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: Norcross, Brat Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Include Job Training in Addition Recovery Programs

S.2791 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide grants for institutions of higher education to prevent substance abuse, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] (Introduced 05/07/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 05/07/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Tester Introduces Bill To Make College Campuses Safer

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Grant Notice: Centers for International Business Education Program. Applications due June 13, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Application package for Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program. Comments due June 11, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Pell Grant Reporting under the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System. Comments due June 11, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Application package for TRIO Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs. Comments due June 11, 2018.

ED Meeting Notice: Quarterly Board Meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board. The Quarterly Board Meeting will be held on the following dates: May 17, 2018 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; May 18, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; May 19, 2018 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the Embassy Suites Montgomery Hotel and Conference Center, 300 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery, Alabama.