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

September 28, 2021

HOUSE and SENATE
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the Federal government funded through December 3, 2021.

The House Budget Committee held a markup on Saturday, September 25 to report reconciliation submissions from House Committees pursuant to the FY 2022 Budget Resolution to the full House.

ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) opened a civil rights investigation into Texas’ ban on the implementation of school mask mandates.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Pelosi Plans Infrastructure Vote as Safety Net Bill Remains Mired in Rifts [The New York Times]

What the Debt Ceiling Debate Means for Higher Ed [Inside Higher Ed]

What student safeguards are needed if Congress expands Pell to short-term programs? [Higher Ed Dive]

Op-Ed: As community college students return to class, let’s help them graduate [The Hill]

The post-pandemic future of college? It’s on campus and online. [The Washington Post]

U.S. Has Enough COVID-19 Vaccines for Both Kids’ Shots and Boosters [Education Week]

Pelosi Announces Vote on $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill [The New York Times]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Speaker of the House
Blog: Washington Post Editorial Board: The Nation Faces Financial Calamity. Republicans Will be to Blame

Press Release: Dear Colleague on the Advancement of the Build Back Better Act & Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework This Week

Senate Majority Leader 
Press Release: Schumer Floor Remarks Setting Up Senate Floor Vote on Funding the Government and Averting a Catastrophic Default Crisis

Senate Minority Leader
Press Release: McConnel Floor Remarks Regarding Democrats Multi-Trillion Dollar Reckless Tax and Spending Spree and Their Duty to Raise the Debt Ceiling

House Education and Labor Committee
September 28: Joint Subcommittee Hearing: “How to Save a Life: Successful Models for Protecting Communities from COVID-19”
Dr. Leana Wen, Professor & Distinguished Fellow Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Chris Pernell,
Chief Strategic Integration and Health Equity Officer,
University Hospital, Newark, NJ; Mr. Avik Roy, President, The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, Director of Health Equity and Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Duke University School of Medicine,
Durham, NC.
10:15 a.m. via Zoom

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
September 30: Full Committee Hearing: “School Reopening During Covid-19: Supporting Students, Educators and Families”
Witnesses: Sec. Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services and Sec. Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education.
10:00 a.m. in 216 Hart Senate Office Building and webcast

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
September 28: Subcommittee Hearing: “The Disinformation Blackbox: Researching Social Media Data”
Witnesses: Alan Mislove, Professor and Interim Dean, Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University; Laura Edelson, PhD Candidate and Co-Director of Cybersecurity for Democracy at New York University and Kevin Leicht, Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Campaign Department of Sociology.
10:00 a.m. via videoconferencing

House Committee on Financial Services 
September 28: Subcommittee Hearing: “Access Denied: Eliminating Barriers and Increasing Economic Opportunity for Justice-Involved Individuals”
Witnesses: Sakira Cook, Sr. Director of the Justice Reform Program, The Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights; Jeffery Korzenik, Author, Untapped Talent; Dolfinette Martin, Housing Director, Operation Restoration; Melissa Sorenson, Executive Director of the Professional Background Screening Association; Marie Claire Tran-Leung, Director of Legal Impact Network, Shriver Center on Poverty Law.
10:00 a.m. in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building and WebEx

September 30: Full Committee Hearing: “Oversight of the Treasury Department’s and Federal Reserve’s Pandemic Response”
Witnesses: to be announced
10:00 a.m. in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building or WebEx

House Committee on Energy & Commerce 
September 30: Subcommittee Hearing: “A Level Playing Field: College Athletes’ Rights to Their Name, Image, and Likeness”
Witnesses: Ramogi Huma, Executive Director, National College Players Association; Mark Emmert, Ph.D., President, National College Athletic Association; Linda Livingstone, Ph.D., President, Baylor University; Jacqie McWilliams, Commissioner, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association; Cameron March, College Athlete, Women’s Golf, Washington State University.
10:30 a.m. in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building, and Cisco WebEx

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Statement of Chairman Leahy Objecting to Unanimous Consent to Take Up and Pass The Republican Substitute For the FY 2022 Continuing Resolution

Press Release: Shelby Urges Democrats to Pass a Bipartisan CR Package

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
September 30: Subcommittee Hearing: “Protecting Kids Online: Facebook, Instagram, and Mental Health Harms”
Witnesses: Antigone Davis, Director, Global Head of Safety, Facebook
10:30 a.m. Commerce Committee Hearing Room, Russell 253 and via livestream

House Budget Committee
Press Release: House Budget Committee Advances Build Back Better Act

Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis
Press Release: Economic Policy Experts Praise Federal Pandemic Response At Hearing, Call on Congress to Enact Build Back Better Agenda

Online Events:
September 30: Jobs for the Future webinar— “Adult Skills Network Kick-Off Webinar”
Join us to learn more about the newly funded Adult Skills Network and its member research teams’ plans to understand the role of technology-supported interventions in improving the foundational skills and academic attainment of adults. The Adult Skills Network includes five research teams, a diverse group of policy and practice leaders in adult skills development, and the Network Lead, a group that will coordinate communication across and beyond the Network to facilitate broadly sharing information about the Network research.
Speakers include: Stephanie Cronen, Amanda Ahlstrand & Paul Giguere American Institutes for Research (AIR); Jen Vanek, EdTech Center @ WorldEd; Judith Alamprese, Abt Associates; Lisa Soricone, Jobs for the Future (JFF).
4:00 p.m. Eastern
Register here.

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: Readout of President Biden’s Call with Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer

White House Press Release: Remarks by President Biden While Receiving a COVID-19 Booster Shot

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Awards Project SAFE Funds to Florida School District Following State-Imposed Penalty for Implementing COVID-19 Safety Measures

ED Media Advisory: Awards Ceremony Tuesday for 2021 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor Announces $29M in Grants for Job Training, Supportive Services in Appalachian Region, Lower Mississippi Region

HHS Press Release: HHS and USDA Launch Resource Guide to Help Rural Communities Increase Access to Child Care Services

IES Report: “Identifying Students At Risk Using Prior Performance Versus a Machine Learning Algorithm”

GAO Report: “Higher Education: Office of Federal Student Aid Is Beginning to Identify and Address Its Workforce Needs”

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.3684 — Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (Introduced 06/04/2021) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Reports: H. Rept. 117-70, H. Rept. 117-70, Part 2 Committee Print: H.Prt. 117-9
Latest Action: House – 09/27/2021 The Chair announced that pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further proceedings on agreeing to the Senate amendment to H.R. 3684 were postponed.

H.R.5305 — Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act
Sponsor: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] (Introduced 09/21/2021) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget; Ways and Means
Latest Action: Senate – 09/27/2021 Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5305 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 385) entered in Senate.

H.R.5380 — To require institutions of higher education to notify students of the impact of private scholarships and grants on eligibility for institutional financial aid, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Kim, Andy [D-NJ-3] (Introduced 09/27/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action: House – 09/27/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Press Release: Congressman Kim Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Improve Transparency in Student Financial Aid

H.R.5381 —To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the front-loading of grant aid by institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Kim, Andy [D-NJ-3] (Introduced 09/27/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action: House – 09/27/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

H.Res.683 — Expressing support for the recognition of September 27, 2021, to October 3, 2021, as “Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week”.
Sponsor: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27] (Introduced 09/27/2021) Cosponsors: (15)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action: House – 09/27/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

S.2858 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, to award grants for arts and creative workforce programs.
Sponsor: Sen. Lujan, Ben [D-NM] (Introduced 09/27/2021) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 09/27/2021 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R.4374 — Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act
Sponsor: Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13] (Introduced 07/09/2021) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Agriculture; Energy and Commerce Committee Report: H. Rept. 117-113
Latest Action: House – 09/24/2021 House Committee on Energy and Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Oct. 28, 2021.

H.R. 5360 — To nullify certain executive orders regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates and to prohibit the Secretary of Labor from issuing a rule mandating vaccination against COVID-19, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] (Introduced 09/24/2021) Cosponsors: (21)
Committees: House – Oversight and Reform; Education and Labor; Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 09/24/2021 Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, 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 concerned.

H.R. 5363 — To direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Government Accountability Office, and Small Business Administration to conduct a joint study on pandemic unemployment programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-1] (Introduced 09/24/2021) Cosponsors: (0) Committee: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 09/24/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.5346 — To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide for the direct certification and enrollment of households of active members of the Armed Forces of the United States in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2] (Introduced 09/23/2021)
Committees: House – Agriculture; Armed Services
Latest Action: House – 09/23/2021 Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 concerned.
Press Release: Congressmen Bishop and Fortenberry introduce bipartisan bill to increase access to nutrition assistance for military families

H.R.5348 — To establish eligibility requirements for education support professionals under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (Introduced 09/23/2021)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Oversight and Reform; House Administration
Latest Action: House – 09/23/2021 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, and 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 concerned.
Press Release: Casten, Duckworth Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Educational Support Professionals Access Benefits Through FMLA

H.R.5353 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income any amount awarded under a Federal Pell Grant and any portion of a scholarship used by a full-time student for room and board.
Sponsor: Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5] (Introduced 09/23/2021)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 09/23/2021 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means
﷟Press Release: Kildee-championed legislation to make college more affordable included in build back better budget

S.2816 — A bill to establish a youth savings match grant program for students in grades 9 through 12.
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary [D-MI] (Introduced 09/23/2021)
Committees: Senate – Finance
Latest Action: Senate – 09/23/2021 Read twice and refer to the Committee on Finance.
Press Release: Peters Introduces Bipartisan PIGGY BANK Act to Bolster Financial Literacy

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Comment Request: International Resource Information System (IRIS). Comments due on or before November 29, 2021.

HHS Comment Request: Advanced Nursing Education Program Specific Form. Comments due on or before October 25, 2021.