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

CONGRESS

The House failed to pass a continuing resolution, H.R. 5525 Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, by a 198-232 vote.

The House and Senate passed the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act by a 424-1 vote in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate.

ADMINISTRATION

President Joe Biden issued a proclamation on National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) prepublished its final rule on Gainful Employment, which includes a higher education “Financial Value Transparency” framework, in the Federal Register. Official publication of the rule is scheduled for October 10.

ED published two blog posts titled “Advancing Opportunity through Building and Using Evidence” and “Online For All: Coalition Mobilizes for Digital Equity during Back-to-School Season.”

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]

Americans Without College Degrees Die Younger. Here’s What the Latest Research Tells Us. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Liberty University broke safety laws for years, government asserts [The Washington Post]

Student loans join a long list of Biden’s new economic problems [POLITICO]

Is Study Abroad the Newest Front in the Academic Boycott of Israel? [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Biden Administration Prepares for Student Debt Relief Negotiations [Inside Higher Ed]

New College of Florida settles disability complaint with Education Department [Higher Ed Dive]

Accreditation group wants Education Department to withdraw guidance on complaints [Higher Ed Dive]

Biden administration unveils college admissions roadmap after Supreme Court ruling [Higher Ed Dive]

How rising student loan interest rates could affect college-going behavior [Higher Ed Dive]

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

Senate Minority Leader

Press Release: With Government Funded, Important Business Remains

Senate Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: Senator Murray Speaks on Senate Passage of CR to Prevent Needless Shutdown—and Path Ahead for Appropriations

Speaker of the House

Press Release: Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans Pass Stopgap to Keep the Government Open

House Minority Leader

Press Release: Leader Jeffries Statement On The Motion To Vacate The Chair

Press Release: Joint House Democratic Leadership Statement On Passage Of The Continuing Resolution

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Press Release: Foxx Champions Medical Education Based on Merit

Press Release: Hearing Recap: Race-Based Admissions Edition

Press Release: Chair Owens Leads Hearing on the Changing Landscape of College Admissions

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Opening Statement at Hearing on Race-Conscious College Admissions Policies

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the House Motion to Vacate

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on Passage of the Bipartisan Bill to Keep the Government Open

White House Press Release: Readout of White House Event on Advancing Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education

ED Press Release: FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Highlights A Record of Championing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Strategies to Increase Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Landmark Final Rules to Protect Consumers from Unaffordable Student Debt and Increase Transparency

DOL Press Release: Biden-Harris administration awards $16M to improve job quality, expand access to good jobs in critical sectors, including care, climate resilience, hospitality

IES Press Release: IES Announces Research Grant Competitions in Research Training Programs and Education Research Statistics

Legislative Movement in Congress:

S.2966 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to encourage programs to address college athlete mental health.

Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR] (Introduced 09/28/2023) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Latest Action: Senate – 09/28/2023 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Press Release: Boozman, Booker Lead Measure to Enhance Suicide Prevention Efforts for College Athletes

S.2977 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Comptroller General of the United States to study the feasibility of Historically Black Colleges and Universities achieving a certain classification.

Sponsor: Warnock, Raphael G. [Sen.-D-GA] (Introduced 09/28/2023) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Latest Action: Senate – 09/28/2023 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

USDA Grant Notice: Farm To School Technical Assistance-Cooperative Agreement. Applications due on or before October 10, 2023.

ED Comment Request: Federal Direct Loan Program and Federal Family Education Loan Program Teacher Loan Forgiveness Forms. Comments due on or before October 10, 2023.

ED Notice: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, Federal Direct PLUS Loan Request for Supplemental Information. Comments due on or before October 16, 2023.

ED Comment Request: Educational Opportunity Centers Program (EOC) Annual Performance Report. Comments due on or before October 16, 2023.

ED Notice: Loan Discharge Applications (DL/FFEL/Perkins). Comments due on or before October 25, 2023.

ED Notice: Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program (TEACH Grant) Agreement To Serve or Repay. Comments due on or before October 25, 2023.

ED Comment Request: High School and Beyond 2022 (HS&B:22) First Follow-up Field Test Data Collection. Comments due on or before October 30, 2023.

ED Comment Request: 2023-24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24) Full-Scale Study-Student Data Collection and Student Records. Comments due on or before October 30, 2023.

ED Notice: President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.