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

CONGRESS

Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Bobby Scott (D-VA) wrote to U.S. Department of Education (ED) Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon on racial discrimination in K-12 schools and higher education.

ADMINISTRATION

The Biden Administration filed arguments against an appeal in the recently settled Sweet v. Cardona case involving a class-action borrower defense to repayment lawsuit.

ED announced that Lexi Barrett will be its next Chief of Staff.

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]

An Overabundance of Caution [Inside Higher Ed]

Minimum Wage Gains, Community College Enrollment Losses [Inside Higher Ed]

Online-Education Juggernaut Agrees to ‘Wind Down’ Controversial ‘Free College’ Program [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Licensing barriers keep people with criminal records from education and training [The Washington Post]

For First Time, U.S. Releases Data on Student Basic Needs [Inside Higher Ed]

Law Schools Split on ChatGPT in Admissions Essays [Inside Higher Ed]

Campus Bomb Threats Increased More Than Fivefold Last Year [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Scared of AI? Don’t Be, Computer-Science Instructors Say. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:

Speaker of the House

Press Release: Seven Times Democrats Voted Against America

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Press Release: Ranking Member Cassidy Blasts Biden’s Inflationary Davis-Bacon Rule Harming Small Businesses

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:

White House Press Release: Remarks by Vice President Harris Highlighting Investments in Infrastructure and Announcing a Major Initiative for Workers

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on the One Year Anniversary of the CHIPS and Science Act

White House Press Release: Remarks by Vice President Harris Highlighting the Impacts of Bidenomics and Announcing Increasing Support for Small Businesses

ED Speech: Secretary Cardona Touts Pathways for Students to Well-Paying Careers at SMART Union Leadership Conference

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.5095 — To freeze hiring activity for the Department of Education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4] (Introduced 08/01/2023) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce; Appropriations

Latest Action: House – 08/01/2023 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, 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…

H.R.5141 — To authorize funding for section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10] (Introduced 08/04/2023) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 08/04/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Comment Request: Federal Direct Loan Program and Federal Family Education Loan Program Teacher Loan Forgiveness Forms. Comments due on or before August 21.

ED Notice: Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records. Comments due on or before August 28, 2023.

ED Rule: Improving Income Driven Repayment for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program.

ED Comment Request: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs Final Performance Report. Comments due on or before September 8, 2023.

ED Comment Request: Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Eligibility Regulations. Comments due on or before September 22, 2023.

ED Grant: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education—Historically Black Colleges or Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges or Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) Research and Development Infrastructure Grant Program. Applications due on or before October 2, 2023.