RAMC Washington Wrap Up – September 8, 2021

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

September 8, 2021

HOUSE AND SENATE 
The House Education and Labor Committee is set to markup the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget reconciliation bill on Thursday, September 9th at noon.

ADMINISTRATION
The Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights opened investigations in five States to determine if the prohibition of mask mandates in such states discriminates against students with disabilities.

ED released guidance for K-12 schools on how to use American Rescue Plan funds to address lost instructional time.

ED approved Minnesota’s State plan for the use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds under the American Rescue Plan.


Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
U.S. education secretary: ‘We have to muster whatever political will we can to hit the reset button on those things we know didn’t work’ [The Washington Post]

Jill Biden Is Heading Back To The Classroom As A Working First Lady [NPR]

Supporting adults at historically Black community colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

Perspective | How to fight big universities that stomp on your local college credits [The Washington Post]

Op-Ed: Doubling the Pell Grant invests in America’s future [The Hill]

20 states sue Education Department over Title IX interpretation [Higher Ed Dive]

Ransomware capitalizes on holiday weekends. Feds urge vigilance over Labor Day. [Higher Ed Dive]

Getting educated while on active duty is getting harder as military rolls back benefits [The Washington Post]

Democrats race to resolve House-Senate disputes on $3.5T megabill [POLITICO]

California’s 2-year system reports scam involving 65,000-plus fake student accounts [Higher Ed Dive]

Ed Dept gave too much relief funding to some colleges, watchdog finds [Higher Ed Dive]

Disparities in student transfers grew during pandemic [Inside Higher Ed]

Apple broadens Racial Equity and Justice Initiative with $30 million in new commitments [Apple]

Union and health care provider join to offer training to fill worker gaps in California health care [EdSource]

Op-Ed: It’s time to close apprenticeship’s long-overlooked equity gaps [The Hill]

Women’s colleges work to compete in a crowded market [Inside Higher Ed]


Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Senate Minority Leader
Press Release: ICYMI: Leader McConnell Continues Pro-Vaccine Message With New PSA

House Education and Labor Committee
September 9: Markup: “Committee Print to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, S. Con. Res. 14”
12:00 p.m. via Zoom

Press Release: @EdLaborGop Requests Transparency from Chairman Scott for Upcoming Budget Resolution Markup

Press Release: ICYMI: Stopping Critical Race Theory Requires a Whole-of-Society Approach

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Senator Murray Applauds Creation of HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity

Home Committee on Rules
September 8: Roundtable: “Ending Hunger in America: Hunger on College Campuses”
Witnesses: Dr. Alicia Powers, Managing Director, Hunger Solutions Institute, Auburn University; Dr. Joseph Ray, Acting Director of Counseling and Placement, Allen University; Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab, President & Founder, The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University; Ruben Canedo, Director, Strategic Equity Initiatives, University of California, Berkeley; Rachel Sumekh, CEO and Founder, Swipe Out Hunger
11:30 a.m. Eastern streamed live on rules.house.gov via Cisco Webex

Press Release: Chairman McGovern Announces Roundtable Examining Hunger on College Campuses

House Ways & Means Committee 
September 9 Markup: “Markup of the Build Back Better Act”
10:00 a.m. Eastern in 1100 Longworth House Office Builidng and Via Cisco Webex

House Committee on the Budget 
Press Release: CBO Confirms: Higher Inflation Harms Wages, Increases Tax Burden, & Decreases Investment in America’s Future


Online Events:
October 5-7: NCAN Virtual Conference—“Rebuilding Postsecondary Equity
The NCAN conference is the premier professional development event in the field of postsecondary attainment for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and first-generation-to-college students. Join the conference to explore topics such as connecting college and career success, putting data into practice, how to model diversity, equity, and inclusion at you organization/ program, K-12 practice for postsecondary success, organizational leadership and capacity building, embedding equity in policy change and student inclusion.
Speakers: Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, CEO, Baltimore City Public Schools; Evelyn Garcia Morales, Executive Director, Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas; AiLun Ku, President and CEO, Opportunity Network; Carmen Lopez, Executive Director, College Horizons.
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Eastern
Register here.


U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: A Proclamation on National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, 2021

White House Press Release: Executive Order on White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

White House Press Release: Press Briefing by White House COVID-⁠19 Response Team and Public Health Officials

ED Press Release: White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Announces 2021 Virtual National HBCU Week Conference

ED Media Advisory: Secretary Cardona to Join Pennsylvania Congresswoman Madeleine Dean to Visit Montgomery County Community College for Roundtable Policy Discussions

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor launches career workshops to provide employment assistance to spouses of transitioning military service members


Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.5151 — To amend title 38, United States Code to provide for the transfer of entitlement to educational assistance under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of Department of Veterans Affairs when an eligible individual dies after approval of transfer and before transferring all of the individual’s entitlement, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] (Introduced 09/03/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 09/03/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

H.R.5162 — To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that local educational agencies applying for certain Federal education funds post the curriculum for elementary and secondary schools online, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5] (Introduced 09/03/2021) Cosponsors: (20)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action: House – 09/03/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Press Release: Fitzgerald & Foxx Introduce CRT Transparency Act

H.R.5138 — To authorize the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to establish an apprenticeship program and to establish a pilot program on cybersecurity training for veterans and members of the Armed Forces transitioning to civilian life, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6] (Introduced 08/31/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Homeland Security; Education and Labor; Veterans’ Affairs; Oversight and Reform
Latest Action: House – 08/31/2021 Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Veterans’ Affairs, and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as…

H.Res.613 — Expressing support for approximately doubling funding for Federal career and technical education programs.
Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (Introduced 08/31/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action: House – 08/31/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.


Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: School Pulse Panel Data Collection. Comments are due on or before October 7, 2021.

ED Correction: Distance Education and Innovation. Corrected text in the regulations.

ED Comment Request: Implementation of Title I/II-A Program Initiatives. Comments due on or before November 2, 2021.

VA Comment Request: Student Beneficiary Report-Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors (REPS). Comments due on or before October 4, 2021.

VA Solicitation of Nominations: Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO). Nominations are due on or before October 31, 2021.

HHS Comment Request: Verification of Continued Eligibility for Benefits Through the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) Program. Comments due on or before October 4, 2021.

ED Notice: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Information To Be Verified for the 2022-2023 Award Year

EPA Comment Request: Proposed Renewal of an Existing Collection and Request for Comment; Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools and Asbestos Model Accreditation Plans. Comments are due on or before November 1, 2021.

Veterans Affairs Department Notice: Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Request for Approval of School Attendance and School Attendance Report. Comments are due within 30 days of publication.

USDA Comment Request: Annual State Report on Verification of SNAP Participation. Comments due on or before November 1, 2021.

Executive Office of the President Proclamation: Women’s Equality Day.