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

May 11, 2021

HOUSE and SENATE
The House and Senate did not conduct legislative business last week. The Senate returns for floor votes on Monday, May 10 and the House will resume legislative activity on Tuesday, May 11.

Cloture has been filed on the nomination of Cindy M. Marten to be Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

ADMINISTRATION
ED announced that Richard Cordray, former Ohio Attorney General and director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the Obama Administration, will serve as the next Chief Operating Officer (COO) for ED’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA).

U.S. Secretary of Education Cardona testified in front of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee on the Biden Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget request.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced it is accepting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship.

The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) announced it is accepting student nominees to serve on NACIQI.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
As US reopens, campuses tighten restrictions for virus [Associated Press]

Vaccines and containment mean fewer COVID-19 cases at colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

How community colleges are bringing hands-on training closer to home [Higher Ed Dive]

Want to weigh in on Title IX? Ed Dept will hear comments in June [Higher Ed Dive]

Courts view COVID-19 tuition refund lawsuits skeptically [Inside Higher Ed]

Arizona community colleges can now offer bachelor’s degrees [Higher Ed Dive]

Free College Offer Lures Thousands [Inside Higher Ed]

Mapping Out a ‘Credential As You Go’ Movement For Higher Education [EdSurge]

Biden admin taps Rich Cordray, former CFPB chief, to oversee federal student loans [POLITICO]

[Video] Biden Outlines His Tax Plan During Community College Visit [The Associated Press]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Speaker of the House
Press release: Associated Press: Republicans Struggle to Defend Votes Against American Rescue Plan

House Minority Leader
Press Release: President Biden’s “Tax-And-Spend” Policies Are Bad For America

House Education and Labor Committee
May 13: Subcommittee Hearing: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization: Creating Opportunities for Youth Employment
Witnesses: to be announced
10:15 a.m. via Zoom

Remarks: Foxx on April’s Jobs Report

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
May 11: Full Committee Hearing: “An Update from Federal Officials on Efforts to Combat COVID-19”
Witnesses: Anthony Fauci, MD, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; David Kessler, MD, Chief Science Officer, COVID Response, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC; Peter Marks, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD; Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, Director, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
10:00 a.m. in 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

May 12: Executive Session: Nominations of Jocelyn Samuels to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Jennifer Abruzzo to serve as General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board; Seema Nanda to serve as Solicitor for the Department of Labor
Time TBD. Note this hearing will not be webcast. 

House Committee on Rules
May 11: Full Committee Hearing: “Meeting Announcement for H.R. 2547 and H.R. 1065”
H.R. 2547, the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act, includes student loan debt measures.
3:30 p.m. via Webex

House Committee on Appropriations
May 11: Subcommittee Hearing: “USDA Research, Education and Economics Mission Area”
Witnesses: Dr. Carrie Castille, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture; Mr. Hubert Hamer, Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, US Department of Agriculture; Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young
Acting Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, US Department of Agriculture; Dr. Simon Y. Liu, Acting Administrator, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture; Dr. Spiro Stefanou, Administrator, Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture
10:00 a.m. via webcast

May 13: Subcommittee Hearing: “Mental Health Emergencies: Building a Robust Crisis Response System”
Witnesses: to be announced
10:00 a.m. via webcast

Press Release: Chair DeLauro Statement at the FY 2022 Budget Request for the Department of Education Hearing

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Press Release: Science Committee Republicans Call for Bipartisan Solutions to America’s Innovation Challenges

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Press Release: Pallone Opening Remarks At Hearing On Addressing Disparities In Broadband Access And Affordability

House Committee on the Judiciary
May 13: Subcommittee Hearing: “Juvenile Justice Pipeline and the Road Back to Integration”
Witnesses: to be announced
10:00 a.m. in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building

Senate Committee on the Judiciary 
May 12: Subcommittee Hearing: “The Essential Role of Immigrant Workers in America”
Witnesses: to be announced
2:30 p.m. in 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

Senate Committee on Finance 
May 12: Subcommittee Hearing: “The COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Improving Mental Health and Addiction Services in Our Communities”
Witnesses: Victor R. Armstrong, MSW, Director Of North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, NC; Stephanie Woodard, Psy.D., Senior Advisor on Behavioral Health, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Carson City, NV; Lenette Kosovich, RN, MHA, Chief Executive Officer, Rimrock Foundation, Billings, MT; Malkia Newman, Team Supervisor, CNS Healthcare Anti-Stigma Program, Waterford, MI
3:00 p.m. in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building or webcast

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Blog: How the American Rescue Plan, the American Jobs Plan, and the American Families Plan Meet the Moment for Moms this Mother’s Day

White House Remarks: Vice President Kamala Harris Statement on the April Jobs Report

ED Speech: Oral Statement by Miguel Cardona Secretary of Education on the U.S. Department of Education Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request

ED Press Release: Statement from U.S Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on Results of the March 2021 NAEP Survey on School Reopening

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Richard Cordray as Chief Operating Officer of Federal Student Aid

DOL Remarks: Statement by US Secretary of Labor Walsh on the April Jobs Report

DOL Press Release: US Department Of Labor Welcomes Nominations For Members Of The National Advisory Committee On Apprenticeship

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.3012 — To establish a Higher Education Initiative in the Office of Private Sector of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6] (Introduced 05/07/2021) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action:  House – 05/07/2021 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.3024 — To establish a temporary program for the refinancing of certain Federal student loans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2] (Introduced 05/07/2021) Cosponsors: (9)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 05/07/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R.3054 — To establish a grant program in the Department of Labor to assist unemployed and under employed workers following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] (Introduced 05/07/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; House Administration
Latest Action:  House – 05/07/2021 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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: Reps Lieu And Leger Fernandez Introduce The 21st Century Federal Writers’ Project Act

H.R.2968 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include service as a veteran family caregiver as a public service job for purposes of the public service loan forgiveness program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (Introduced 05/04/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 05/04/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Press Release: Connolly, Turner Introduce Military and Veteran Caregiver Student Loan Relief Act

H.R.2983 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the deduction for interest paid on student loans without reduction for employer educational assistance.
Sponsor: Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16] (Introduced 05/04/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action:  House – 05/04/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.2984 — 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 05/04/2021) Cosponsors: (6)
Committees: House – Ways and Means; Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 05/04/2021 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: Krishnamoorthi Introduces Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation To Boost Workforce Training As Part Of Covid-19 Economic Recovery Efforts

H.R.2987 — To increase the amount of loan forgiveness available to teachers.
Sponsor: Rep. Luria, Elaine G. [D-VA-2] (Introduced 05/04/2021) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 05/04/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R.3004 — To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a pilot program to award grants to units of general local government and community-based organizations to create jobs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (Introduced 05/04/2021) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 05/04/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: Rural, Insular, Native Achievement Programs (RINAP) Progress Update—Outlying Areas and the Republic of Palau. Comments due on or before July 9, 2021. 

DOL Nominations: Workforce Information Advisory Council. Submit nominations, including attachments, by email using the following address: WIAC@dol.gov (use subject line “Nomination—Workforce Information Advisory Council”). The Department will not accept nominations by mail, express delivery, hand delivery, messenger, courier service, or facsimile. Nominations for individuals to serve on the WIAC must be submitted (postmarked, if sending by mail; submitted electronically; or received, if hand delivered) by June 9, 2021.

NSF Meeting Notice: National Science Foundation. The majority of these meetings will take place at NSF, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314. These meetings will be closed to the public.

HHS Grant Notice: CDC’s Collaboration with Academia to Strengthen Public Health Workforce Capacity. Applications due on July 6, 2021. 

ED Comment Request: Income Driven Repayment Plan Request for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loan Programs. Comments due on or before July 6, 2021.

Library of Congress Grant Notice: Teaching with Primary Sources. Applications due on May 28, 2021.

State Department Grant Notice:  Youth Empowerment Virtual Exchange Program. Applications due on June 4, 2021.

ED Nomination Request: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). Nominations should be received no later than Friday, May 28, 2021. 

DOL Notice: Intent To Reestablish the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) Charter and Request for Member Nominations. The reestablishing ACA charter will be filed May 19, 2021. ACA member nominations must be received by June 3, 2021.