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

June 14, 2022

CONGRESS
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) released its committee report for fiscal year (FY) 2023.

The House Committee on Appropriations approved the LHHS subcommittee FY 2023 bill on a 32-24 vote.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) suffered a hip injury and his office has not released a timeline on when he may return to the Senate. The Republican Party will have a 50-49 simple majority in the U.S. Senate while he recovers.

ADMINISTRATION
Federal Student Aid (FSA) began shutting down the “myStudentAid” mobile application which offered applicants the option to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) form on a mobile device. FSA cited the application’s lack of usage when compared to the studentaid.gov website as the reason for discontinuing it.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed its review of U.S. Department of Education (ED) regulations related to Borrower Defense to Repayment; Total and Permanent Disability, Closed School, and False Certification Discharges; Public Service Loan Forgiveness; and Interest Capitalization. This clears the way for ED to publish Notices of Proposed Rulemaking on these matters in the Federal Register in the coming days.

ED issued, in a form prior to formal publication in the Federal register, final priorities, requirements, definitions and selection criteria pertaining to FY 2022 grants under the Charter School Program.

The Department of Agriculture announced nearly $1 billion in additional funding to schools to support food purchase for school meal programs.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Lawmakers propose $10.3B increase for education in FY23 [K-12 Dive]

Protections for Trans Athletes in Title IX Proposal Still Unknown [Inside Higher Ed]

Op-Ed: DeVos-era regulations broke campus Title IX proceedings — Biden rules restore due process [The Hill]

Some college leaders want short-term Pell for online programs. What guardrails would be needed? [Higher Ed Dive]

A new way to help college students transfer: Admit them to two schools at once [The Hechinger Report]

Persistence Moves Closer to Pre-Pandemic Levels [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Speaker of the House
Press Release: Pelosi Statement on Mass Shooting in Highland Park, Illinois

House Minority Leader
Press Release: Empowering American Workers is Key to Unleashing Economic Growth

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Appropriations Committee Releases Reports for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies and Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bills, Revised Fiscal Year 2023 Subcommittee Allocations

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Press Release: Remarks by President Biden During a Virtual Meeting with Governors on Reproductive Rights

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor Announces Additional Partners to Deliver Employment Assistance to Transitioning Service Members, Spouses

GAO Report: Military Child Care: Coast Guard is Taking Steps to Increase Access for Families

IES Press Release: IES Announces FY 2023 Research Grant Competitions

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.8247 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish an emergency grant aid program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25] (Introduced 06/28/2022) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 06/28/2022 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on 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

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Notice: Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; FFEL/Direct Loan/Perkins Military Service Deferment/Post-Active-Duty Student Deferment Request. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before August 29, 2022.

SBA Rule: Regulatory Reform Initiative: Streamlining and Modernizing the 7(a), Microloan, and 504 Loan Programs to Reduce Unnecessary Regulatory Burden. The effective date of this final rule will be August 1, 2022.