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

July 3, 2018

HOUSE and SENATE
The House and Senate are in recess this week.

The House voted to reject the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act (H.R. 6136) by a vote of 121 to 301.

Last week, both the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee and the full Appropriations Committee marked up its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 LHHS spending bill. The bill funds the U.S. Department of Education (ED) at $541 million over the FY2018 level and increases the maximum Pell Grant award by $100.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee marked up its version of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act reauthorization (S.B. 3141).  Floor time for this legislation has not yet been announced.

The Senate confirmed Frank Brogan as the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at ED by a voice vote.

The Senate HELP Committee approved the nominations of Scott Stump to be the Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education at ED and John Lowry to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Floor time for these nominations have not yet been determined.

Senate leadership reached an agreement to consider the nomination of James Blew to be the Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at ED. Floor time for this nomination has not yet been scheduled.

ADMINISTRATION
The Federal Commission on School Safety held a listening session in Lexington, Kentucky.

SUPREME COURT
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Janus in the case of Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees by a 5 to 4 vote, determining that government workers who choose not to join unions may not be required to help pay for collective bargaining.

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the Court after serving for nearly three decades.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Betsy DeVos: Merging Labor and Education Will Help U.S. Keep Up With Other Nations [Education Week]

Education Department Watchdog Criticizes Oversight of Accreditors [Inside Higher Ed]

California Attorney General charges one of the nation’s largest student loan servicers for violating state laws [EdSource]

No. 2 Senate Republican backs college transparency bill [Inside Higher Ed]

Code Now. Pay Tuition Later. [The Atlantic]

Lawmakers Demand Answers From DeVos About Unaccompanied Migrant Children’s Education [Education Week]

Eastern Michigan sued in sports-equity Title IX lawsuit [Inside Higher Ed]

Google announces $2.8M in grants, office space to Boulder tech education [The Denver Post]

Departure of Justice Kennedy could erase Supreme Court majority backing consideration of race in admissions [Inside Higher Ed]

Supreme Court’s Ruling Against Public Unions Leaves Murky Outlook for Academic Labor [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

College savings plan accounts breached, $1.4 million taken [Associated Press]

Senate Appropriators Boost Pell Grant [Inside Higher Ed]

Bipartisan Career and Technical Education Bill Approved by Key Senate Committee [Education Week]

Selective universities want more high-achieving community college students to transfer [Inside Higher Ed]

Senate Approves Jeb Bush’s Former Lt. Gov. for Top K-12 Job at Education Department [Education Week]

Supreme Court upholds Trump’s travel ban in 5-4 ruling [Inside Higher Ed]

Higher Ed Researcher Matthew Soldner to Lead Evaluations at IES [Education Week]

Re-evaluating perceptions about first-generation college students and their academic engagement [Inside Higher Ed]

Google Launches IT Certificate at Community Colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

Beyond FERPA: Five Tips For Protecting Student Data [Education Week]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and the Workforce Committee 
Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Condemns Education Department Effort to Rollback Accountability for Online Education Programs

Press Release: Scott & Murray on the Rollback of Civil Rights for Students with Disabilities, Students of Color

Press Release: Top Dems Request Documents on Union Busting at the Department of Education

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Major Bipartisan Breakthrough on Career and Technical Education Bill

Press Release: Senator Murray Applauds Bipartisan Progress on Career and Technical Education, Maternal Mortality, and More

Press Release: Murray on Supreme Court Decision to Weaken Unions: “A Loss for Workers and Yet Another Win for Corporate Special Interests”

Press Release: Alexander: Senate Approves Record Funding for Government-Sponsored Research

Senate Committee on the Budget 
Press Release: Budget Bulletin – Changes in Mandatory Programs: An Overspending Tool

Press Release: Chairman Enzi Urges Select Committee on Budget Reform to Consider 2-Year Appropriations Process

House Committee on the Budget 
Press Release: Chairman Womack Statement on CBO’s 2018 Long-Term Budget Outlook

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: FY2019 Labor, HHS, & Education Appropriations Bill Gains Subcommittee Approval

Press Release: Summary: FY2019 Labor, HHS, & Education Appropriations Bill Gains Subcommittee Approval

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Conferees Named for “Mini-Bus” Appropriations Bill

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation  
Press Release: Committee Approves Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator, Other Agenda Items

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
ED Press Release: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Welcomes Frank Brogan as Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education

ED Press Release: Prepared Remarks from Secretary DeVos to the National Leadership and Skills Conference

IES Notice: Dr. Matthew Soldner Named Commissioner for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.4254 — Women in Aerospace Education Act
Sponsor: Rep. Knight, Stephen [R-CA-25] (Introduced 11/06/2017) Cosponsors: (7)
Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology | Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Reports: H. Rept. 115-472
Latest Action:  Senate – 06/27/2018 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

S.3141 — A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to provide for career and technical education research and outreach.
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (Introduced 06/26/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 06/26/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Klobuchar Introduces Legislation to Expand Career and Technical Education Research and Outreach

S.3122 — A bill to support coding education.
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA] (Introduced 06/25/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 06/25/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.3124 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for no accrual of interest on Federal Direct Loans for individuals employed in public service.
Sponsor: Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND] (Introduced 06/25/2018) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 06/25/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Heitkamp Introduces Bill to Encourage More Students to Enter Public Service Careers by Eliminating Federal Student Loan Interest

S.3129 — A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 in order to improve career and technical education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (Introduced 06/25/2018) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 06/25/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.3130 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the disapproval of any course of education for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs unless the educational institution providing the course permits individuals to attend or participate in courses pending payment by Department, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (Introduced 06/25/2018) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action:  Senate – 06/25/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Press Release: Warren, Boozman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Student Veterans

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: Federal Student Loan Program Deferment Request Forms. Comments due July 30, 2018. 

DOL Comment Request: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. Comments due July 30, 2018.

ED Comment Request: The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Annual Performance Report (APR). Comments due August 27, 2018. 

ED Comment Request: High School Equivalency Program (HEP) Annual Performance Report. Comments due August 27, 2018.. 

ED Grant Notice: Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP). Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 9, 2018. Applications due July 27, 2018.

ED Grant Notice: Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs. Applications due July 27, 2018.

ED Comment Request: Income Driven Repayment Plan Request for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loan Programs. Comments due July 26, 2018.