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

November 5, 2019

HOUSE and SENATE
The Senate, in a 51-41 vote, failed to pass an initial vote to start debate on a second fiscal year (FY) 2020 spending package. The four-bill package, H.R. 2740 (116), includes the Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, State Foreign-Operations and Energy-Water spending measures for FY 2020.

The House Education and Labor Committee held a markup on the College Affordability Act (H.R.4674), the House Democrats’ Higher Education Act reauthorization proposal. The bill was favorably reported to the House, as amended, by a vote of 28-22.

The Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) invited Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to testify before the Committee on Tuesday, November 19, to discuss the Department of Education’s (ED) policies pertaining to debt relief for students who formerly attended Corinthian Colleges.

ADMINISTRATION
ED announced the publication of final accreditation and State authorization distance education regulations.

2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math and reading results were released.

Secretary DeVos released a statement on the 2019 NAEP results.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
House Democrats to DeVos: Agree to testify about student debt relief claims or face a subpoena [The Washington Post]

Lowey expects short-term funding bill to carry into 2020 [The Hill]

Education Department issues new regulations on accreditation and state authorization of online providers [Inside Higher Ed]

House Panel Passes College Legislation on Party Lines [Inside Higher Ed]

Op-Ed: It’s time to change the STEM status quo [The Hill]

Study finds noncompetitive colleges more likely to reject applicants who report felonies, even minor ones [Inside Higher Ed]

Erasing student debt creates a ‘moral hazard’ with a small economic stimulus: Moody’s Investors Service [The Hill]

As AI-assessed job interviewing grows, colleges try to prepare students [Inside Higher Ed]

What Exactly Is a ‘Free’ Textbook, and Other Questions About Open Resources [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

New data on the 36 million Americans who left college without a credential [Inside Higher Ed]
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Report:“Some College, No Degree: A 2019 Snapshot for the Nation and 50 States”

Head Start for Campus Childcare [Inside Higher Ed]

23 Senators Demand Investigation Into Mismanagement Of Student Loan Program [National Public Radio]

College Readiness Concerns Raised by Latest Round of ACT Scores [Education Week]

Burr promises bill to tax scholarships of student athletes who profit off their likenesses [The Hill]

Faculty support for online learning builds slowly, steadily — but not enthusiastically [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and Labor Committee 
Press Release: Chairman Scott Threatens to Subpoena Secretary DeVos to Testify About Department’s Refusal to Provide Debt Relief to Defrauded Students

Press Release: Committee Advances Comprehensive Legislation to Lower the Cost of College

Press Release: Scott Statement on Department of Education’s Final Accreditation Rule

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions 
Press Release: Alexander Statement on the Nomination of Dr. Stephen Hahn to Serve as FDA Commissioner

Press Release: Alexander: Senate Health Committee Approves Eight Bipartisan Public Health Bills

Press Release: Murray Slams DeVos Rule Weakening Higher Education Oversight and Lowering Standards for College Accreditation

Press Release: Amid Delay, Senator Murray and Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Prioritize Children’s Health and Keep Promise to Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes

Senate Committee on the Budget 
Press Release: Senators Enzi and Whitehouse Offer Bipartisan Reforms to Fix Broken Budget Process

Press Release: Chairman Enzi: Better Financial Management Will Lead to Better Budgets

Senate Committee on Appropriations 
Press Release: Senate Passes Important Domestic Funding, Crucial Defense Package on Deck

Press Release: Vice Chairman Leahy Statement on Final Passage of the Senate Minibus Appropriations Bill

House Committee on Appropriations 
Press Release: Lowey Statement on Senate Passage of Appropriations Minibus

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
DOL Press Release: U.S. Department Of Labor Announces Funding Opportunity To Support Communities Impacted By The Opioid Crisis

ED Press Release: Secretary DeVos Finalizes Higher Education Regulations that Promote Innovation, Protect Students, and Reduce Regulatory Burden

ED Speech: Prepared Remarks by Secretary DeVos on 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress Results

IES Report: “2019 NAEP Mathematics and Reading Assessments: Highlighted Results at Grades 4 and 8 for the Nation, States, and Districts”

IES Report: “2012-17 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study restricted-use data”

White House Press Release: ONDCP Announces 150 New Drug-Free Communities Grants Aimed at Preventing Youth Substance Use

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.4977 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the use of Federal funds to be used to pay an individual for influencing or attempting to influence an officer of employer of any agency, Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3] (Introduced 11/01/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 11/01/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R.2740 — Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2020
Sponsor: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] (Introduced 05/15/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Appropriations Committee Reports: H. Rept. 116-62
Latest Action:  Senate – 10/31/2019 Motion by Senator McConnell to reconsider the vote by which the third cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2740 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 342) entered in Senate.

H.R.3055 — Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2020
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15] (Introduced 06/03/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Appropriations Committee Reports: H. Rept. 116-101
Latest Action:  Senate – 10/31/2019 Passed Senate, under the order of 10/30/19, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 – 9. Record Vote Number: 341.

H.R.4674 — College Affordability Act
Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. “Bobby” [D-VA-3] (Introduced 10/15/2019) Cosponsors: (62)
Committees: House – Education and Labor Latest Action:  House – 10/31/2019 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 – 22.

H.R.4937 — To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to make permanent a grant program to promote and assist in the reentry of justice-involved individuals into the workforce.
Sponsor: Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11] (Introduced 10/31/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/31/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R.4943 — To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide that children who have relocated from Puerto Rico to the States are fully considered for purposes of State allotments under the English Language Acquisition grants.
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7] (Introduced 10/31/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/31/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Press Release: Reps. Murphy and Díaz-Balart, Senators Rubio and Murphy Introduce Bill to Help School Districts Accommodate Students from Puerto Rico

H.R.4950 — To direct the Secretary of Education to conduct a study on Federal data collection related to student participation and performance in career and technical education programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Budd, Ted [R-NC-13] (Introduced 10/31/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/31/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R.4965 — To promote effective registered apprenticeships, for skills, credentials, and employment, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (Introduced 10/31/2019) Cosponsors: (40)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/31/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Press Release: Pocan Introduces Bill to Strengthen Apprenticeships for New Wave of Working People

H.R.4968 — To provide for the basic needs of students at institutions of higher education.
Sponsor: Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35] (Introduced 10/31/2019) Cosponsors: (12)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/31/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

S.Amdt.1088 to S.Amdt.948  — Purpose: To provide appropriations for centers of excellence at 1890 Institutions, with an offset. Amends Bill: H.R.3055
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] (Submitted 10/24/2019) (Proposed 10/31/2019)
Latest Action: 10/31/19 Amendment SA 1088 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Press Release: Brown Secures Critical Investments for Historically Black 1890 Land-Grant Institutions in Spending Package

H.R.4917 — To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the renovation, repair, or expansion needs of certain elementary schools and secondary schools that educate dependants of active duty military personnel.
Sponsor: Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2] (Introduced 10/30/2019) Cosponsors: (7)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Armed Services
Latest Action:  House – 10/30/2019 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee…
Press Release: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Introduces Bill to Support Schools Serving Servicemembers’ Children

H.R.4925 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to support community-based coverage entities to carry out a coverage program that provides to qualifying individuals health coverage and educational and occupational training, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-2] (Introduced 10/30/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/30/2019 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee…

H.R.4933 — To amend the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Act to provide for reimbursement of certain expenses and to establish new requirements for selection of grantees, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] (Introduced 10/30/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 10/30/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Press Release: Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Leads Charge To Strengthen Workforce Development Programs for Women

S.2736 — A bill to increase rates of college completion and reduce college costs by accelerating time to degree, aligning secondary and postsecondary education, and improving postsecondary credit transfer.
Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] (Introduced 10/30/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 10/30/2019 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Senators Hassan, Young Introduce Bipartisan Fast Track To and Through College Act

H.R.3398 — Pathways to Health Careers Act
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (Introduced 06/21/2019) Cosponsors: (32)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action:  House – 10/29/2019 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 211.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: Federal Direct Loan Program Regulations for Forbearance and Loan Rehabilitation. Comments due on or before December 4, 2019.

ED Comment Request: Federal Student Aid User Experience Design Research Generic Clearance. Comments due on or before January 3, 2020. 

ED Final Regulations: Student Assistance General Provisions, The Secretary’s Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, The Secretary’s Recognition Procedures for State Agencies.

ED Grant Notice: 2019-2020 Award Year Deadline Dates for Reports and Other Records Associated With the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG), the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Programs, the Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant) Program, the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant Program. For deadline and submission Dates: See Tables A and B at the end of the notice.

ED Comment Request: Upward Bound (UB) Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) Annual Performance Report.Comments due on or before December 2, 2019. 

ED Comment Request: Program for International Student Assessment 2021 (PISA 2021) Main Study Recruitment and Field Test. Comments due November 29, 2019. 

ED Comment Request: Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program Annual Performance Report. Comments due November 29, 2019. 

DOE Meeting Announcement: President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. The meeting will be held November 18, 2019; 9:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the National Academy of Sciences (in the Lecture Room), 2101 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC.