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 passed a package of six appropriations bills on a 339-85 vote. The bills in the package include the fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills for: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivered the annual presidential State of the Union (SOTU) address before both Houses of Congress and the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.

House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a bipartisan roundtable on antisemitism at postsecondary institutions.

ADMINISTRATION

The Biden Administration submitted its fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request to Congress. Agency-specific documents for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) can be found here, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) here and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) here. ED Secretary Miguel Cardona’s statement on the Administration’s budget request can be found here.

ED provided updates on its efforts to fix the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) issues for individuals without a social security number.

The Government Accountability Office released a new report examining the infrastructure needs of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

ED’s Office for Civil Rights sent a Dear Colleague Letter reminding schools of the obligation to address discrimination against Muslim, Arab, Sikh, South Asian, Hindu and Palestinian students.

Chief Operating Officer of the Office of Federal Student Aid Richard Cordray wrote a blog post titled “Modernizing Federal Student Loan Servicing.”

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]

Biden Administration Wants Accreditors to Set Benchmarks For Student Outcomes [Inside Higher Ed]

A FAFSA Fix for the Most Vulnerable Families Is a Work in Progress [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Indiana governor signs bill tying tenure to intellectual diversity [Higher Ed Dive]

Inside the Blunders That Plunged the College Admission Season Into Disarray [The New York Times]

College Board declares launch of shorter, digital SAT a success [Higher Ed Dive]

Regents on the Hot Seat [Inside Higher Ed]

Abortion and Gun Laws Matter in College Choice, a New Study Finds [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Lumina Foundation Report: “Policies and Laws: How they’re impacting college enrollment”

Doubts About Value Are Deterring College Enrollment [Inside Higher Ed]

NAACP urges Black athletes to avoid Florida public universities over anti-DEI policies [NPR]

House Republicans Warn Against College Athlete Unions [Inside Higher Ed]

Columbia University sued for suspending student groups over pro-Palestine protests [The Hill]

Biden Seeks Another Pell Grant Increase, but Shortfall Looms [Inside Higher Ed]

Violent protest at UC Berkeley triggers federal investigation into alleged discrimination [Los Angeles Times]

Biden proposes 3.9% FY 2025 increase for Education Department [K-12 Dive]

Louisiana Stops Requiring FAFSA Completion in High School [Inside Higher Ed]

Virginia Bans Legacy Admissions in Public Universities and Colleges [The New York Times]

Scrutiny Mounts Over Idaho-Phoenix Deal [Inside Higher Ed]

How creating the new FAFSA unraveled [The Washington Post]

At US universities, record numbers of Indian students seek brighter prospects — and overseas jobs [Associated Press News]

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

Speaker of the House

Press Release: House Republican Leadership Statement on Biden’s Budget

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

April 17: Full Committee Hearing on “Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University’s Response to Antisemitism”

Witnesses: Dr. Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, President, Columbia University; Ms. Claire Shipman, Board of Trustees Co-Chair, Columbia University; Mr. David Greenwald, Board of Trustees Co-Chair, Columbia University

2175 Rayburn or via YouTube.

10:15 a.m. ET

Press Release: Chair Good Delivers Opening Remarks at Joint Hearing on Student Athletes

Press Release: Chair Owens Delivers Opening Remarks at Joint Hearing on Student Athletes

Press Release: Foxx: Biden’s FY25 Budget Is a Menagerie of Failed Policies

Press Release: Foxx on Julie Su’s Failed Year as “Acting Labor Secretary”

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

Press Release: NEWS: Sanders Introduces Legislation to Enact a 32-Hour Workweek with No Loss in Pay

Press Release: Support Grows for Cassidy’s CRA to Overturn Biden Rule Threatening 27 Million Independent Contractors

March 14: Full Committee Hearing on “Workers Should Benefit from New Technology and Increased Productivity: The Need for a 32-Hour Work Week with No Loss in Pay”

Witnesses: Mr. Shawn Fain, International President, UAW; Dr. Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology, Boston College and Lead Researcher Four Day Week; Mr. Jon Leland, Chief Strategy Officer, Kickstarter and Cofounder WorkFour-The National Campaign for the 4-day Workweek Global Trials; Dr. Liberty Vittert, Professor of the Practice of Data Science, Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis; Mr. Roger King, Senior Labor and Employment Counsel, HR Policy Association.

430 Dirksen or via Webcast.

10:00 a.m.

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on “Youth Apprenticeships: Building Partnerships, Strengthening Career Pathways”

Senate Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: Senate Approves Bipartisan Funding Package in Overwhelming 75-22 Vote

Press Release: Senator Collins Calls on Colleagues to Support FY24 Six-Bill Appropriations Package, Avert Shutdown

House Committee on Appropriations

March 20: Subcommittee Hearing on “Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request For The Department Of Health And Human Services”

Witnesses: The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

2358 Rayburn or via webcast.

10:00 a.m. ET

March 21: Subcommittee Hearing on “Budget and Oversight Hearing – President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request and Economic Outlook”

Witnesses: The Honorable Janet Yellen, Secretary, Department of the Treasury; The Honorable Shalanda Young, Director, Office of Management and Budget

2359 Rayburn and via webcast.

2:30 p.m. ET

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

Presidential Executive Order: Scaling and Expanding the Use of Registered Apprenticeships in Industries and the Federal Government and Promoting Labor-Management Forums

White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Takes New Action to Crack Down on Junk Fees in Higher Education

White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: The President’s Budget Creates Good-Paying Clean Jobs, Cuts Energy Costs, and Delivers on the President’s Ambitious Climate Agenda

White House Press Release: Remarks by President Biden in State of the Union Address

DOL Press Release: Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Su on February Jobs Report

GAO Report: Grants: AmeriCorps Should Take Multiple Actions to Better Manage Fraud Risks

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R. 7612 — To affirm and protect the First Amendment rights of students and student organizations at public institutions of higher education.

Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9] (Introduced 03/11/2024) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 03/11/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.7619 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to States on strategies under Medicaid and CHIP to increase mental health and substance use disorder care provider education, training, recruitment, and retention.

Sponsor: Neguse, Joe [Rep.-D-CO-2] (Introduced 03/11/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Latest Action: House – 03/11/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R.7644 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize the Federal work-study program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1] (Introduced 03/13/2024) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 03/13/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Press Release: Bonamici, Kilmer Introduce Bill to Modernize Federal Work Study Program

H.R.7679 — To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a fund to provide support services for individuals participating in certain training activities under such Act.

Sponsor: Smith, Adam [Rep.-D-WA-9] (Introduced 03/13/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 03/13/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce

S.3947 — A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours per week to 32 hours per week, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sanders, Bernard [Sen.-I-VT] (Introduced 03/14/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 03/14/2024 Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.

S.3952 — A bill to increase rates of college completion and reduce college costs by accelerating time to degree, aligning secondary and postsecondary education, and improving postsecondary credit transfer.

Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH] (Introduced 03/14/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 03/14/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Press Release: Senators Hassan and Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reduce College Costs and Increase College Completion Rates

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Comment Request: Work Colleges Application and Agreement. Comments due on or before March 18, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Work Colleges Expenditure Report. Comments due on or before March 18, 2024.

HHS Comment Request: Health Professions Student Loan Program, Loans for Disadvantaged Students Program, Primary Care Loan Program, and Nursing Student Loan Program Administrative Requirements. Comments due on or before March 21, 2024.

ED Grant Notice: American Overseas Research Centers Program. Applications due on or before March 26, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Revised Second Chance Pell Experiment and Prison Education Program (PEP) Data Collection. Comments due on or before March 29, 2024.

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

ED Grant Notice: Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities Program-Preservice Program Development Grants at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions To Diversify Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities. Applications due on or before April 4, 2024.

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

ED Comment Request: Personal Authentication Service (PAS) for Federal Student Aid ID. Comments due on or before April 16, 2024.

ED Comment Request: PLUS Adverse Credit Reconsideration Loan Counseling. Comments due on or before April 16, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Gainful Employment/Financial Value Transparency Reporting Requirements. Comments due on or before April 22, 2024.

ED Grant Notice: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Institutional Service – Alaska Native-Serving Institutions Program. Applications due on or before April 29, 2024.

ED Grant Notice: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Institutional Service: Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH) Program. Applications due on or before April 29, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2024-25 Through 2026-27. Comments due on or before May 3, 2024.

ED Comment Request: College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form (CATEF). Comments due on or before May 10, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Application for Flexibility for Equitable Per-Pupil Funding. Comments due on or before May 10, 2024.

ED Grant Notice: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Student Service: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) State Grants, Assistance Listing Number 84.334S. Applications due on or before May 7, 2024.

NSF Grant Notice: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Computing in Undergraduate Education. Applications due on or before May 30, 2024.

ED Notice: Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Variable-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the Federal Family Education Loan Program Prior to July 1, 2010.