Below is RAMC’s weekly Washington Wrap Up from Wednesday. Find out more about Wrap Up and other RAMC resources here.

May 22, 2024

CONGRESS

House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) wrote a letter to leaders at Northwestern University announcing that the Committee has launched a formal investigation into the college.

Chair Foxx wrote a letter to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) leaders requesting submission of several documents to the Committee in advance of the May 23 Committee hearing next week.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce released a report, titled “Investigative Update, The Antisemitism Advisory Group and Harvard’s Response: Clarity and Inaction.”

The House Appropriations Committee announced that it will begin marking up fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations bills this week. The Committee’s announced schedule has the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill being considered in the LHHS Subcommittee on June 27 and in the Appropriations Full Committee July 10. Additionally, the Committee announced that non-defense spending overall will be six percent below FY 2024 funding levels with the LHHS Subcommittee allocation totaling $184.564 billion. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced a tentative schedule for full House action on all appropriations bills by the end of July.

The Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group – consisting of Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Todd Young (R-IN) – published an AI policy roadmap that summarizes its findings from the nine AI Insight Forums it held in the Fall of 2023. It also outlines policy areas the group proposes to be considered by Congress moving forward, including those related to AI and the workforce.

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a Department Administrative Order (DAO) to establish an agency education and workforce policy to ensure the integration of workforce development into Departmental strategic planning and programs, as well as a Department of Commerce Workforce Council (CWC) to further develop and oversee implementation of the DAO.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) shared updates on the timeline for processing paper Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms, the implementation of school-initiated corrections through the FAFSA partner portal and the disbursement of Title IV Pell grants.

ED extended the deadline to June 30 for borrowers to consolidate their Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans for the purposes of benefiting from the agency’s payment count adjustment. ED also announced that the payment count adjustment is anticipated to be fully implemented in September 2024.

The White House announced new actions and resources related to reducing chronic absenteeism as part of its Every Day Counts Summit.

The White House unveiled principles related to the development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]

A Last-Minute Sprint to the FAFSA Finish Line [Inside Higher Ed]

Biden administration extends deadline to consolidate old student loans [The Washington Post]

Dartmouth College is investing $500M to become a sustainability leader. Will others follow? [Higher Ed Dive]

Did colleges give away the store in deals with student protesters? [The Hill]

Thousands Weigh In on Biden’s Debt Relief Plan [Inside Higher Ed]

What’s next for the test-optional movement? [Higher Ed Dive]

Ohio reviewing race-based scholarships after Supreme Court affirmative action ruling [NPR]

Police break up University of Michigan protest encampment [The Hill]

More companies open on-site child care to help employees juggle parenting and jobs [The Hechinger Report]

The FAFSA Isn’t Fixed for Everyone [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Connecticut Lawmakers Put Final COVID Funds Toward Higher Ed [Inside Higher Ed]

UC academic workers’ strike begins as pro-Palestinian activism enters new phase [Los Angeles Times]

Biden canceling student debt for more than 160,000 borrowers [The Hill]

Undergraduate Enrollment Picks Up Steam [Inside Higher Education]

‘Unacceptable gaps persist’: A new report details higher ed’s racial and ethnic disparities [Higher Ed Dive]

American Council on Education Report on “Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education: 2024 Status Report”

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

Senate Majority Leader
Press Release: Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Release Of The Roadmap For AI Policy By The Senate Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group

Senate Minority Leader
Press Release: 2024 In Higher Education: Biden Admin. Bureaucratic Botch Job

House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Press Release: @EdWorkforceCmte Demands Documents from UCLA Ahead of Hearing with Chancellor Block

Blog: Hearing Recap: Secretary Becerra Edition

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Statement at Hearing with HHS Secretary Becerra

Statements and Webcast from Full Committee Hearing on “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Health and Human Services”

May 23: Full Committee Hearing on “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos”
Witnesses: Dr. Peter Salovey, President, Yale University; Dr. Gene Block, Chancellor, University of California, Los Angeles; Dr. Santa Ono, President, University of Michigan
2175 Rayburn and via Webcast
10:15 a.m. ET

Press Release: Committee Investigative Update Reveals Pattern of Inaction by Harvard Leadership in Combating Antisemitism

Press Release: Northwestern, Rutgers, and UCLA Presidents to Testify Before the Committee About Antisemitism

Press Release: Foxx, Cassidy Lead Bicameral Letter Urging Biden Administration to Withdraw Latest $147 Billion Student Loan Transfer Scheme

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Applauds the Biden Administration’s Proposal to Expand Student Debt Relief for Over 30 Million Americans

Press Release: Taxpayer-Funded Truman Scholarship Favors Liberals 10:1 Foxx, Owens, Aderholt Want Answers

Press Release: WATCH: Foxx Champions Two Bills to Boost Workforce Development Options for Students & Workers

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
Press Release: NEWS: Sanders and 13 Democratic Senators Commend Biden on Historic Student Debt Relief Effort and Offer Feedback to Strengthen Proposal

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Statements and Webcast from Subcommittee Hearing on “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the Department of Commerce”

House Committee on Appropriations
May 23: Subcommittee Hearing on “Nutritious Foods in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)”

Press Release: Cole Previews Interim Fiscal Year 2025 Subcommittee Allocations

Press Release: Cole Releases Fiscal Year 2025 Markup Schedule

Press Release: DeLauro Releases Fact Sheet from The Tortured Topline Department

Press Release: House Republicans Set the Stage to Hurt Hardworking Americans, Reward Billionaires and the Biggest Corporations

House Committee on the Judiciary
Statements and Webcast from Subcommittee Hearing on “Antisemitism on College Campuses”

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Press Release: Chair Rodgers Joins Chuck Todd to Discuss Section 230 Reform, Data Privacy, and TikTok

Press Release: Chairs Rodgers and Bilirakis Announce IDC Subcommittee Markup

May 23: Subcommittee Markup: Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee Markup of Three Bills
2123 Rayburn and via Youtube
10:00 a.m. EST

Senate Committee on Finance
Statements and Webcast from Full Committee Hearing on “Child Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts Benefiting American Children.”

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Unveils Critical Steps to Protect Workers from Risks of Artificial Intelligence

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Allows Borrowers More Time to Consolidate Loans to Get Credit for Progress Toward Loan Forgiveness Programs

DOL Press Release: Department of Labor announces approximately $35M in additional funding available for 2nd round of Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs grants

White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Record Over $16 Billion in Support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

White House Press Release: Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris on the Biden-⁠Harris Administration’s Historic Investments in HBCUs

DOL Press Release: Department of Labor announces $12M in additional funding available to improve job quality, expand access to good jobs in critical industries

DOL Press Release: Biden-Harris administration announces groundbreaking AI principles for worker well-being

ED Media Advisory: U.S. Secretary of Education to Visit Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Join Debt Forgiveness Roundtable

ED Media Advisory: U.S. Secretary of Education to Visit Annapolis, Maryland, to Join Mental Health Roundtable During Mental Health Awareness Month

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on $7.7 Billion in Student Debt Cancellation for 160,000 Borrowers

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $7.7 Billion in Approved Student Debt Relief for 160,000 Borrowers

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.8407 — To provide for the discharge of parent borrower liability if a student on whose behalf a parent has received certain student loans becomes disabled.
Sponsor: Magaziner, Seth [Rep.-D-RI-2] (Introduced 05/15/2024) Cosponsors: (7)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/15/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.8409 — To assist parents in locating and utilizing child care that meets individual family needs.
Sponsor: Nickel, Wiley [Rep.-D-NC-13] (Introduced 05/15/2024) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 05/15/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Press Release:
Congressman Nickel Introduces Child Care Bill During Mother’s Day Roundtable

H.R.8451 — To establish a grant program for certain institutions of higher education to plan and implement projects for economic and community development in economically distressed communities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Costa, Jim [Rep.-D-CA-21] (Introduced 05/17/2024) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure; Financial Services
Latest Action: House – 05/17/2024 Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, 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 committees concerned.

H.R.8461 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a program under which an institution of higher education may elect to cosign Federal student loans made to students attending the institution, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Perry, Scott [Rep.-R-PA-10] (Introduced 05/17/2024) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/17/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.Res.1239 — Strongly condemning the rise of antisemitism on campuses of institutions of higher education across the United States.
Sponsor: Donalds, Byron [Rep.-R-FL-19] (Introduced 05/17/2024) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/17/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Donalds Offers Schools a Choice: Protect Jewish Students or Have Your Funding Slashed

S.4380 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote matriculation, and increase in the graduation rates, of individuals with disabilities within higher education.
Sponsor: Casey, Robert P., Jr. [Sen.-D-PA] (Introduced 05/21/2024) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 05/21/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Casey Introduces Bills to Make Higher Education More Accessible for Students with Disabilities

H.R.8468 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to terminate the eligibility of certain individuals for student loan forgiveness, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Yakym, Rudy [Rep.-R-IN-2] (Introduced 05/21/2024) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/21/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Yakym Introduces “No Debt Forgiveness for SPOILED Students Act”

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Penn Hill Group provides a list of grant opportunities and summaries for select grants. Please visit our website for more information.

ED Proposed Rule: Research and Development Infrastructure Grant

ED Comment Request: College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form (CATEF). Comments are due on or before June 17, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment Reporting Requirements. Comments are due on or before June 17, 2024.

ED Notice: President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.