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

June 5, 2018

HOUSE and SENATE
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said that the Committee was not going to produce a Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization bill this year.

ADMINISTRATION
The Federal Commission on School Safety held its first field visit at an elementary school in Maryland. The visit was attended by Secretary DeVos, who chairs the Commission.

A Federal judge of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco ruled that ED violated the Privacy Act when it used Social Security Administration (SSA) data to calculate the amount of loan forgiveness provided to borrowers who attended Corinthian colleges and have borrower defense to repayment claims. The court will hold a hearing on June 4 to determine whether or not to compel ED to award full student loan forgiveness.

The U.S. State Department plans to limit Chinese graduate students to one-year visas if they are studying in certain STEM fields, like robotics, aviation and high-tech manufacturing. The change would go into effect on June 11, and would also require such students to get special clearance from multiple U.S. agencies if they work as researchers or managers for companies on a U.S. Commerce Department list of entities requiring higher scrutiny.

A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge granted ED’s motion to dismiss lawsuits filed regarding a cancelled procurement for debt collection activities for Federal student loans.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]

Lawmakers, civil rights groups call for Betsy DeVos to set the record straight on immigration and schools [The Washington Post]

Research on Special Education, Career-Tech Ed., and Research Partnerships Sought by Education Department [Education Week]

The Trump Administration’s Approach to School Violence Is More Style Than Substance [The Atlantic]

From the classroom to the campaign trail: Emboldened teachers run for office [The Washington Post]

Federal court to resolve questions over loan forgiveness for defrauded borrowers [Inside Higher Ed]

We Now Know A Lot More About Students Who Receive Federal College Grants [National Public Radio]

Perspective | How the Great Recession changed the job market forever for college grads [The Washington Post]

Faculty groups at Conn.’s two-year colleges call for end to consolidation plans and more state funding [Inside Higher Ed]

Civil rights groups sue Education Dept over provision on dismissing civil rights complaints [The Hill]

Higher education reform stalled in the Senate, while House GOP charges ahead [The Washington Post]

First jobs matter: Avoiding the underemployment trap [The Washington Post]

GOP lawmaker and former community college leader weighs in on the endowment tax [Inside Higher Ed]

Colleges Are No Match for American Poverty [The Atlantic]

Think Tanks Stress Importance of Completion [Inside Higher Ed]

Why Walmart Is Paying for Its Employees to Go to College [The Atlantic]

Mostly Positive Effects of a ‘Last-Dollar’ Scholarship [Inside Higher Ed]

Undeterred by Criticism, Koch Foundation Increases Spending in Higher Education [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Op-Ed: Free-college programs are valuable, but must be done right [The Hill]

Op-Ed: The college dropout problem most education advocates don’t talk about [The Hill]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: This Week: Hearing on Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Blog: Religious Leaders Support the PROSPER Act

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Alexander: Colleges Should Apply Same Enthusiasm to Underrepresented Points of View that they Apply to Underrepresented Students

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Senate Appropriations Schedule for the Week of June 4, 2018

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: CEA Report: The Potential for Youth Sports to Improve Childhood Outcomes

DOL Press Release: U.S. Secretary of Labor Acosta and U.S. Senator Collins Highlight Importance of Skills-Based Education In Maine

ED Media Advisory: Federal Commission on School Safety to Host Public Listening Session

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.5990 — Protecting Our Kids Act
Sponsor: Rep. Barletta, Lou [R-PA-11] (Introduced 06/01/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 06/01/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Congressman Barletta and State Senator Mike Regan Demand Action on Improving Student Safety

H.R.5995 — To prohibit the National Endowment for the Arts to make grants to demonstrate how artists work to show the impact of climate change in the San Francisco bay area and how works of art can inform, inspire, and empower communities at risk.
Sponsor: Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5] (Introduced 06/01/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action:  House – 06/01/2018 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988. Comments due July 2, 2018.

IES Grant Notice: The National Center for Education Research (NCER) and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) are inviting applications for FY 19 funding in Education Research (84.305A), Special Education Research (84.324A), Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Education Interventions (84.305L), Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special Education Interventions (84.324L), and Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy and Practice in Special Education (84.324N).

DHS Comment Request: Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Comments due July 30, 2018.