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. House of Representatives passed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act on a 357-70 vote.

House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the “Roadmap to College Student Success.”

ADMINISTRATION

The Biden Administration announced additional actions on artificial intelligence (AI) following President Biden’s Executive Order on AI.

ED announced that it will hold a fourth negotiated rulemaking session on student loan debt. The session will be held on February 22 and 23 and focus primarily on loan forgiveness for borrowers experiencing hardship.

Navient announced that it will outsource its servicing of federally guaranteed loans to the Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA).

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]

High school senior FAFSA submissions drop almost 57% year over year, NCAN finds [Higher Ed Dive]

Pennsylvania governor pitches sharp funding increase for higher education overhaul [Higher Ed Dive]

Department of Education Lends Colleges a Hand After FAFSA Backlash [Inside Higher Ed]

Colleges need a deliberate online strategy to better serve first-generation students [Higher Ed Dive]

Final Title IX ruling sent to White House for approval after delay [The Hill]

Colleges begin pushing back deadlines amid FAFSA delay [Higher Ed Dive]

Senate Republicans slam Biden administration over FAFSA launch [Inside Higher Ed]

Counseling centers battle a spike in students with trauma [Inside Higher Ed]

What’s inside House Democrats’ plan for higher education reform? [Higher Ed Dive]

Colleges should extend May 1 decision deadline amid FAFSA delays, higher ed groups say [Higher Ed Dive]

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

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Press Release: ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-ed on Troubling Influence of DEI, Pledges to Examine Federal Funding for Higher Education

Press Release: Cassidy, Colleagues to Hold Press Conference on Biden Admin’s Botched FAFSA Rollout

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Press Release: American Bar Association Revises Accreditation Standards Following Foxx Letter

Press Release: @EdWorkforceCmte Advances Bill to Lower Cost of College

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Markup on H.R. 6951, College Cost Reduction Act.

Press Release: What People Are *Actually* Saying About the So-Called “College Cost Reduction Act”

House Committee on Ways and Means

Press Release: Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act Supports Key Investments in Energy Jobs, Production, and Security

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: A Proclamation on National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week, 2024

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on the January Jobs Report

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Deploys Federal Personnel, Funding, and Resources to Support Colleges, Students, and Families with Better FAFSA®

ED Blog: The Transformative Influence of Academic Advisors

IES Press Release: IES Announces FY 2024 Transformative Research in the Education Sciences Grants

IES Blog: Research and Development Partnerships Using AI to Support Students with Disabilities

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.7231 —To prohibit Federal support for institutions of higher education that promote antisemitism, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11] (Introduced 02/05/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.7250 — To strengthen Federal data collection regarding the teacher and principal workforce.

Sponsor: Cartwright, Matt [Rep.-D-PA-8] (Introduced 02/06/2024) Cosponsors: (6)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/06/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

S.3727 — A bill to establish the Proprietary Education Interagency Oversight Committee and to facilitate the disclosure and reporting of information regarding complaints and investigations related to proprietary institutions of higher education eligible to receive Federal education assistance.

Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL] (Introduced 02/01/2024) Cosponsors: (4)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 02/01/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S344-347)

S.3742 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a community college and career training grant program.

Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA] (Introduced 02/06/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 02/06/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Press Release: Kaine & Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Student Success and Career Readiness

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Notice: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholar Recognition Program. Comments due on or before February 28, 2024.

ED Notice: Request for Information on Sexual Violence at Educational Institutions. Comments due on or before March 11, 2024.

ED Notice: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program. Applications due on or before March 29, 2024.

ED Comment Request: The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Annual Performance Report (APR). Comments due on or before April 7, 2024.

ED Notice: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program and Faculty Research Abroad Fellowship Program.

ED Notice: Federal Student Aid Programs (Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program, and the Federal Direct Loan Program).