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

July 6, 2021

HOUSE and SENATE
Last week, House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro released the Subcommittee allocations (which are known as 302(b)s) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 House appropriations bills. The full House Appropriations Committee subsequently approved these allocations. The House Appropriations Committee announced  that the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) FY2022 appropriations Subcommittee markup will occur on July 12 and the Full Committee LHHS FY2022 appropriations markup will occur on July 15.

The Congressional Budget Office released its  report on “The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2021 to 2031.”

ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced it was releasing $3 billion in American Rescue Plan funding to support students with disabilities.

President Biden issued an Executive Order on “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce.”

ED’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) notified interested parties that it was abandoning the Interim Servicing Solution, a solicitation that would have provided a bridge between current companies and organizations that service Federal student loans and new contractors as part of the FSA’s NextGen Initiative.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its Quarterly Supervisory Report this week, which included findings on how student loan servicers administered matters related to the  Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Several regulations related to higher education developed during the last year of the Trump Administration pertaining to distance education, TEACH grants and other matters went into effect this week.

ED published new proposed priorities for discretionary grant programs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report on disparities in learning mode access among K-12 students.

SUPREME COURT
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) declined to consider an appeal of G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, a case concerning a transgender student’s bathroom access in a Virginia school district.

SCOTUS declined to hear Conti v. Arrowood Indemnity Co, a case focused on whether student loans can be discharged in bankruptcy.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Colleges prepare for incoming freshmen with high school learning loss [EdSource]

Looking ahead to college freshman year, students welcome help [EdSource]

Aggressive Collections for Students but Not Institutions? [Inside Higher Ed]

Business partnerships with community colleges funnel workers to better jobs [The Hechinger Report]

The debate over using Pell Grant funds for very short-term vocational programs [Inside Higher Ed]

Nontuition costs burden CUNY community college students [Inside Higher Ed]

Facing a white-collar worker shortage, companies try on-the-job training [The Hechinger Report]

Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College [NPR]

Report: Department of Education Took ‘Unprecedented Actions’ in Sale of For-Profit Chain [Inside Higher Ed]
ED OIG Report: “Inspection of the Department’s Activities Surrounding the Sale of Postsecondary Schools to Dream Center Education Holdings”

Hearing witnesses suggest tax changes to help students pay for college [Inside Higher Ed]

Op-Ed: The significant benefits of virtual advising for low-income students [Inside Higher Ed]

Schneider: To Build a STEM Workforce, We Must Invest in Education Science. But a Bill Congress Is Considering Doesn’t Go Far Enough [The 74]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Speaker of the House
Blog: As House Dems Rescue the Economy, Republicans Root Against It

Press Release: Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference on H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act

House Education and Labor Committee
Press Release: Scott Statement on Watchdog Report Showing Trump Administration’s Education Department Improperly Handed $387 Million to Failing For-Profit Schools

Press Release: Scott, Murray Urge Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Murray, Scott Urge Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause

House Committee on Agriculture  
July 12: Subcommittee Hearing: “Examining the SNAP Benefit Cliff”
Witnesses: to be announced
12:00 p.m. via Live Stream

House Committee on the Budget 
Press Release: Chairman Yarmuth on CBO’S Updated Economic Outlook: “Today’s CBO report confirms again that the American Rescue Plan is working”

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology         
Press Release: Chairwoman Johnson Statement on House Passage of the INVEST in America Act

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Press Release: Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and commerce Committee Leaders Applaud House Passage of the INVEST in America Act

Press Release: Pallone Floor Statement on H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act

Online Events:
July 8: The Hunt Institute event— “Postsecondary Pathways | College in High School Partnerships”
As stakeholders from the higher education, K-12, and business communities think about how to establish creative partnerships that can drive economic recovery from the pandemic, they should explore options to establish or expand College in High School programs – which include dual enrollment and dual credit. This conversation will highlight how these programs can provide effective pathways to in-demand jobs as well as the importance of collaborative partnership in these efforts.
Speakers: Dr. Shannon Gilkey, Commissioner on Postsecondary Education, Rhode Island; Dr. Russ Wigginton, Chief Postsecondary Impact Officer State Collaborative on Reforming Education; Dr. Corinthia Price, Founder, Workforce Career Readiness
11:00 a.m. Eastern
Register here.

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: Remarks by President Biden in a Naturalization Ceremony with Essential Workers and Military Service Members

White House Press Release: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese, July 2, 2021

White House Press Release: Remarks by President Biden at the 2021 National Education Association Annual Meeting

White House Press Release: White House Releases Fact Sheets to Highlight Nationwide Need and Impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework

White House Press Release: Fact Sheet: Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Will Address Barriers Communities of Color Face to Economic Opportunity

ED Press Release: Department of Education Implements TEACH Grant Program Changes to Benefit Teachers and Students

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Invites States and School Districts to Apply for Additional $600 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Students Experiencing Homelessness

DOL Press Release: US Department Of Labor Announces Availability Of $43M In Funds To Support Reemployment Of Workers Displaced By The Pandemic

IES Blog: IES Announces a New Research and Development Center for Self-Directed Learning Skills in Online College Courses

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.4354 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve the employer-provided child care tax credit.
Sponsor: Rep. Wenstrup, Brad R. [R-OH-2] (Introduced 07/02/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 07/02/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.2837 – Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (Introduced 04/26/2021)
Committees: House – Agriculture; Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

H.R.3100 – Student Food Security Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (Introduced 05/11/2021)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Agriculture
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

H.R.3246 – Connecting Youth to Jobs Act
Sponsor: Rep. Garcia, Jesus G. “Chuy” [D-IL-4] (Introduced 05/14/2021)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Agriculture
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

H.R.3428 – SNAP Reform Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Gregory [R-NC-3] (Introduced 05/20/2021)
Committees: House – Agriculture; Education and Labor; Energy and Commerce
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

H.R.3473 – Build Local, Hire Local Act
Sponsor: Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37] (Introduced 05/25/2021)
Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure; Education and Labor; Agriculture; Financial Services; Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Homeland Security; Small Business
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.

H.R.3684 – INVEST in America Act
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (Introduced 06/04/2021)
Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee Meetings: 06/09/21 10:00AM
Committee Reports: H. Rept. 117-70; H. Rept. 117-70,Part 2
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 3684.
Roll Call Votes: There have been 8 roll call votes
Press Release: DeFazio-Authored Invest in America Act Passes House with Bipartisan Support

H.R.4331 – To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize lawful permanent resident status for certain college graduates who entered the United States as children, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (Introduced 07/01/2021)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Press Release: Representatives Ross, Miller-Meeks, Krishnamoorthi, Kim Introduce Bipartisan America’s CHILDREN Act

H.R.4338 – To establish a fund to provide grants for the operation and expansion of evidence-based workforce development and post-secondary education programs and to support evaluations of these programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] (Introduced 07/01/2021)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action: House – 07/01/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R.4252 — To provide additional funding for scholarships for students at 1890 institutions.
Sponsor: Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13] (Introduced 06/30/2021) Cosponsors: (8)
Committees: House – Agriculture
Latest Action: House – 06/30/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

H.R.4293 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide loan deferment and loan cancellation for certain founders and employees of small business start-ups, to amend the Small Business Act to establish a young entrepreneurs business center, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (Introduced 06/30/2021) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Ways and Means; Small Business
Latest Action: House – 06/30/2021 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction…

H.R.1500 —Learning Loss Assessment Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6] (Introduced 03/02/2021) Cosponsors: (15)
Committees: House – Foreign Affairs
Latest Action: House – 06/29/2021 The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

H.R.4223 — To provide grants for the conduct of demonstration projects designed to provide education and training for eligible individuals with an arrest or conviction record to enter and follow a career pathway in the health professions through occupations that pay well and are expected to experience a labor shortage or be in high demand, under the health profession opportunity grant program under section 2008 of the Social Security Act.
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (Introduced 06/29/2021) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 06/29/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
HHS Comment Request: Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High-Quality Early Care and Education. Comments due on or before August 2, 2021.  

ED Comment Request: Education Stabilization Fund-Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER I/ESSER II/ARP ESSER Fund) Recipient Data Collection Form. Comments due on or before August 31, 2021.  

VA Comment Request: VHA Homeless Programs-Project CHALENG (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups) for Veterans. Comments due on or before August 31, 2021.

ACF Comment Request: Head Start Program Performance Standards. Comments due within 30 days of publication.

Executive Office of the President Executive Order: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce