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

CONGRESS
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) won their Senate elections, ensuring at least a 50-50 Democrat majority (with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote) for the 118^th Congress.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was re-elected to serve as Minority Leader in the 118^th Congress by his fellow Senate Republicans.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) announced that he would seek the top Republican spot on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee rather than on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced that he would seek the top Republican spot on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Senator Patty Murray’s office confirmed that she is seeking to chair the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

The Republican Party is now projected to be the majority party in the U.S. House of Representatives next Congress.

Current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced that, while she will remain in Congress, she will not seek reelection as Speaker of the House or seek to serve in the House Democrat Caucus’ leadership in the next Congress.

Current Majority Leader Steny Hoyer released a statement indicating that he will not seek to serve in an elected Democrat leadership position for the 118^th Congress.

Current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) won an initial intraparty election to serve as the Speaker of the House for the 118^th Congress. The official vote for Speaker will take place on the first day Congress is in session after the new year.

Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) use of Federal resources in addressing “school board-related threats.”

A spokesperson for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) indicated that Sen. Sanders will seek the top Democrat spot on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Department of Education (ED), along with the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced a joint effort that aims “to support career-connected learning and increase job pathways for young Americans.”

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued a statement on the settlement in the Theresa Sweet et al. v. Miguel Cardona et al. (Sweet v. Cardona) case.

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson issued a statement on the Federal Communications Commission’s release of its pre-production draft map of broadband availability in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued guidance on the treatment of student loans in bankruptcy cases.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released an update on its investigation into bomb threats received by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) earlier this year.

The U.S. Department of Justice will seek to have the Supreme Court and the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals review recent judicial decisions halting the Administration’s student loan forgiveness initiative.

ED began sending emails to borrowers notifying them that their student loan relief application has been approved pending court action.

THE COURTS
U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman ruled unlawful, and vacated, the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness program.

The 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency motion for injunction as the court continues consideration of legal challenges to the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness program.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup granted final approval of a settlement in the Sweet v. Cardona case.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Penn Hill Group provides a list of grant opportunities and summaries for select grants. Please visit our website for more information.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Pressure Builds for Biden to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause [Inside Higher Ed]

How library collections can help colleges diversify [Higher Ed Dive]

Yale Law School Abandons U.S. News Rankings, Citing Flawed Methodology
[The Wall Street Journal]

Congress passes bill voiding NDAs in cases of sexual assault, harassment; Biden expected to sign [Higher Ed Dive]

Common App expands program that offers automatic admission to students [Higher Ed Dive]

Biden administration looks to Supreme Court to continue student debt relief program [The Hill]

‘Positively dystopian’: Florida judge blocks DeSantis’ anti-woke law for colleges [Politico]

A Building by Any Other Name [Inside Higher Ed]

Defrauded student loan borrowers in line for relief are still waiting months later
[The Washington Post]

As More Top Law Schools Boycott Rankings, Others Say They Can’t Afford to Leave [The New York Times]

The path to a career could start in middle school [The Hechinger Report]

Stanford, Michigan, Duke, Northwestern law schools join wave swearing off U.S. News rankings [Higher Ed Dive]

Biden administration extends student loan payment pause to no later than June 2023 [The Hill]

A Step Toward Outcomes-Based Funding for Texas 2-Year Colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

Can High Schoolers Save the Community College? [Inside Higher Ed]

Lame Duck Agenda [Inside Higher Ed]

Cornell, University of Chicago law schools stick with U.S. News rankings [Higher Ed Dive]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Speaker of the House
Press Release: Pelosi Statement on the 2022 Election

Press Release: Transcript of Pelosi Floor Speech on Future Plans

Press Release: Pelosi Statement on New House Democratic Leadership

House Majority Leader
Press Release: Hoyer Statement on the One-Year Anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Press Release: Hoyer: Now Is the Time for a New Generation of Leaders

Press Release: Hoyer Statement on Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark

Press Release: Hoyer Statement on House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries

Senate Majority Leader
Press Release: Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Celebrating House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Historic Career

Press Release: Majority Leader Schumer Statement On Biden Administration’s Extension Of Student Loan Payment Pause

Senate Minority Leader
Press Release: McConnell Remarks on Reelection as Senate Republican Leader

Press Release: Democrats’ Inflation and Unfair Student Loan Socialism Hurts Georgians and All Americans

House Committee on Education and Labor
Press Release: Foxx, Smith Demand Answers on Biden’s Student Loan Giveaway to the Wealthy

Press Release: Biden’s Student Loan Repayment Pause is Fiscal Insanity

Blog: Workforce Pell Opens Pathways to Successful Careers

Blog: Seven Reasons Not to Extend the Student Loan Repayment Pause

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Biden Adds Another $25+ Billion to Taxpayers’ Tab, as White House Extends Student Loan Repayment Moratorium

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Press Release: Pallone and Doyle Praise House Passage of Bill to Promote Enrollment In Broadband Service Affordability Programs

Press Release: Rodgers, Latta Statement on New FCC Broadband Maps

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
White House Speech: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at the College Promise Careers Institute

White House Speech: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a Roundtable with National Guard Families and State Adjutants General

White House Press Release: Statement by President Joe Biden

White House Press Release: Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris on Speaker Nancy Pelosi

White House Press Release: President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions

White House Press Release: Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Announces Six-Week Campaign to Get More Americans their Updated COVID-⁠19 Vaccine Before End of the Year

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Continues Fight for Student Debt Relief for Millions of Borrowers, Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause

DOL Press Release: Deputy Labor Secretary Su Stresses Registered Apprenticeships’ Ability To Expand Access To Good Jobs For Women, Marginalized Workers

IES Press Release: NCER Awards Three Additional Education Research Grants

GAO Review: Pell Grants for Prison Education Programs; Determining the Amount of Federal Education Assistance Funds Received by Institutions of Higher Education (90/10); Change in Ownership and Change in Control

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.4275 — Ensuring Phone and Internet Access Through Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program Act of 2022
Sponsor: Luria, Elaine G. [Rep.-D-VA-2] (Introduced 06/30/2021) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House – Energy and Commerce | Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Latest Action: Senate – 11/17/2022 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Press Release: Rep. Luria’s Bipartisan Ensuring Phone and Internet Access Through Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program Act Passes House

S.2 — A bill to support national training, technical assistance, and resource centers, to ensure that all individuals with significant expressive communication disabilities have access to the augmentative and alternative communication the individuals need to interact with others, in order to learn, work, socialize, and take advantage of all aspects of life in the United States.
Sponsor: Casey, Robert P., Jr. [Sen.-D-PA] (Introduced 11/17/2022) Cosponsors: (6)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 11/17/2022 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
ED Correction: Determining the Amount of Federal Education Assistance Funds Received by Institutions of Higher Education (90/10)

ED Comment Request: Evaluating the Impact of the Professional Learning Community: Emergent Literacy (PLC-EL). Comments due on or before January 23, 2023.

ITA Comment Request: University of South Florida, et al.; Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments. Comments must be postmarked on or before December 12, 2022.

VA Final Rule: Readjustment Counseling Service Scholarship Program