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

November 12, 2019

HOUSE and SENATE
Last week, Senators sought to advance, by unanimous consent, two proposals to extend mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) under the Higher Education Act (HEA), the FUTURE Act (H.R.2486) and the Student Aid Improvement Act (S.2557). Both requests were objected to and therefore did not advance.

ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) final Title IX regulations have been sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review.

ED released new guidance for what it considers a “standard term.” Under the guidance, semesters and trimesters may now be between 14 and 21 weeks of instruction, quarters may now be between 9 and 13 weeks of instruction, and standard terms (semesters, trimesters and quarters) are no longer required to be substantially equal in length. These terms have implications for the awarding of Title IV student aid.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Facing lawsuit, DeVos erases student loans for 1,500 [Associated Press]

Supreme Court to Tackle DACA. What Does It Mean for Students, Teachers, and Schools? [Education Week]

Are There Faint Echoes of Race to the Top in Democratic Candidates’ Plans? [Education Week]

Study: Gainful Employment Associated With Closures [Inside Higher Ed]

Here’s How 2 Schools Have Made Free College Work — For Decades [National Public Radio]

‘First-Gen’ Proud: Campuses Are Celebrating An Overlooked Group. But Is That Enough? [National Public Radio]

Betsy DeVos Might Outlast Them All [Huffington Post]

Buttigieg unveils $1 trillion child care, college, housing plan [The Hill]

University of California heads to Supreme Court to defend protections for undocumented immigrants [EdSource]

Virginia seeks larger pipeline of computer science degrees [The Washington Post]

Higher-Ed Groups Raise Concerns About Foreign-Gift Reporting [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Six-Figure Price Tags Are Coming to Colleges [The Atlantic]

Education Department calls Grand Canyon a for-profit, raising questions about conversion bids [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and Labor Committee 
Press Release: Chairman Scott: Partial Relief for Dream Center Students “Falls Well Short” of What Defrauded Borrowers Deserve

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions  
November 13: Full Committee Hearing: “Examining the Response to Lung Illnesses and Rising Youth Electronic Cigarette Use”
Witnesses: Mitch Zeller, Director, Center for Tobacco Products, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD; Anne Schuchat, MD, Principal Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

Press Release: Education Groups Overwhelmingly Support Bipartisan Legislation to Simplify the FAFSA

Press Release: Senate Democrats Block Permanent Funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: Second Lady Karen Pence Visits Tracy’s Kids Art Therapy Program

ED Press Release: Secretary DeVos Cancels Student Loans, Resets Pell Eligibility, and Extends Closed School Discharge Period for Students Impacted by Dream Center School Closures

DOL Press Release: Fifth Annual National Apprenticeship Week Aims To Highlight Innovative Programs And Raise Awareness

WWC Summary: Research on Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) for Community College Students

IES Report: “U.S. Results from the 2018 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) Web Report”

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.4991 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a pilot program under which eligible individuals may elect to receive financial assistance in lieu of educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program to establish and operate a qualified business enterprise, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2] (Introduced 11/08/2019) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action:  House – 11/08/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Press Release: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Introduces Bill to Promote Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

H.R.5009 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to certain veterans and members of the Armed Forces who require extra time to complete remedial and deficiency courses, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4] (Introduced 11/08/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action:  House – 11/08/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Press Release: Congressman Steven Horsford and Senator Cory Booker Announce Legislation to Increase GI Bill Assistance to Veterans

H.R.5012 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a credit for employer-provided worker training.
Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (Introduced 11/08/2019) Cosponsors: (8)
Committees: House – Ways and Means; Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 11/08/2019 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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…
Press Release: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Reintroduces The Investing In American Workers Act To Establish A Worker Training Tax Credit For Small And Mid-Sized Businesses

S.2811 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to continue to pay educational assistance or subsistence allowances to eligible persons when educational institutions are temporarily closed, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (Introduced 11/07/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action:  Senate – 11/07/2019 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Press Release: Cassidy, Warren Introduce Legislation to Protect Student Veterans’ Housing Benefits During Natural Disasters

S.1890 — Renew America’s Schools Act of 2019
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (Introduced 06/18/2019) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: Senate – Energy and Natural Resources
Latest Action:  Senate – 11/06/2019 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy. Hearings held.
Press Release: Department Of Energy Assistant Secretary Touts Importance Of Cortez Masto’s Renew America’s Schools Act

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: Impact Evaluation to Inform the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program. Comments due on or before December 6, 2019.

ED Comment Request: International Study of Adult Skills and Learning (ISASL) [Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Cycle II] 2022 Field Test. Comments due on or before December 6, 2019.