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 U.S. Congress passed, and President Joe Biden signed, a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through November 17.

Laphonza Butler was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) to serve as the new U.S. Senator from California and was sworn in this week. Sen. Butler replaces Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) who passed away last week.

ADMINISTRATION

ED will hold its first of three negotiated rulemaking sessions pertaining to the U.S. Secretary of Education’s ability to modify, waive or compromise student loans next Tuesday, October 10 and Wednesday, October 11. You can register to view the negotiations live here.

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]

Ed Department: Mass Loan Cancellation Is Off the Table [Inside Higher Ed]

Op-Ed: High-debt Programs Escape Accountability – Again [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

HBCUs have been underfunded by $12 billion, federal officials reveal [NPR]

More colleges are resetting tuition. Does the strategy work? [Higher Ed Dive]

FAFSA delay scrambles colleges’ fall plans [Inside Higher Ed]

Federal grant proves elusive for certain colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

Florida’s ‘CLT’ is an SAT alternative. Experts say the test isn’t ready. [The Washington Post]

Aging states to college graduates: We’ll pay you to stay [The Hechinger Report]

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

Senate Majority Leader

Press Release: Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks on The Memorial For California Senator Dianne Feinstein

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Press Release: Ranking Member Cassidy on Biden Attempt to Shift Additional $9 Billion in Student Debt onto Taxpayers

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Hearing on “CHIPS and Science Implementation and Oversight”.

House Majority Leader

Press Release: Scalise: As Speaker, I’d Lead In The Fight For American Families

House Minority Leader

Press Release: Leader Jeffries Statement Upon Being Nominated For Speaker Of The House By The Democratic Caucus

Press Release: Leader Jeffries in Washington Post: “A Bipartisan Coalition Is The Way Forward For The House”

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Press Release: Foxx, Owens Slam Antisemitic Students for Moral Bankruptcy

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at the College of Menominee Nation’s Women Empowerment Summit

White House Press Release: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at Dutchess Community College’s Mechatronics Lab Opening

White House Press Release: Remarks by President Biden on the Administration’s Efforts to Cancel Student Debt and Support Students and Borrowers

ED Press Release: Secretary Cardona Appoints New Members to National Assessment Governing Board

IES News Release: Technical Working Group Summary: Embedding Equity in Education Research

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.5760 — Climate Resilience Workforce Act

Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7] (Introduced 09/27/2023) Cosponsors: (41)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce; Energy and Commerce; Oversight and Accountability; Judiciary; Transportation and Infrastructure; Ways and Means; Agriculture; Natural Resources; Financial Services

Latest Action: House – 10/10/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

H.R.5895 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for additional uses of funds for grants to strengthen historically Black colleges and universities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12] (Introduced 10/06/2023) Cosponsors: (17)

Latest Action: 10/06/2023 Introduced in House

H.R.5910 — To prioritize educating and training for existing and new environmental health professionals.

Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13] (Introduced 10/06/2023) Cosponsors: (0)

Latest Action: 10/06/2023 Introduced in House

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

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 Notice: Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program (TEACH Grant Program) Service Obligation Certification and Suspension Request Forms. Comments due on or before October 18, 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 Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

FCC Rule: Affordable Connectivity Program.