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

October 2, 2024

CONGRESS

The House and Senate passed H.R. 9747, a continuing resolution that will extend funding for Federal agencies through December 20, 2024.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee, along with the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, released a staff report regarding U.S. university research and China’s military and technological research.

The General Accountability Office issued preliminary results of their work on the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) system in conjunction with a hearing held by the House Education and the Workforce Committee on the topic.

The House Education and Workforce Committee released a report regarding Harvard University’s discipline policy for violation of University rules.

ADMINISTRATION

ED issued a letter and white paper providing updates on the 2025-2026 FAFSA.

The President issued an Executive Order regarding combating firearms threats and improving school-based active-shooter drills.

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

Testing of new FAFSA form begins following bundled rollout of last application season [The Hill]

Our Comprehensive, Inconclusive Diversity Database [Inside Higher Ed]

Top higher education conferences to attend in 2025 [Higher Ed Dive]

Can DEI Officers Prove Their Worth? [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

After bungling financial aid process, Ed Dept. begins testing new FAFSA [The Washington Post]

Legacy admissions banned at California colleges under new law [The Hill]

The Microcredential Generation [Inside Higher Ed]

Equity, Impact, Transparency: Rethinking Ed Vendor Contracts After ESSER [The 74]

Is Your College About to Close? [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

College student voting is way up [The Hechinger Report]

New Laws in 27 States Could Keep Students From Voting [Inside Higher Ed]

George Mason University’s law school faces $38M in running losses [Higher Ed Dive]

Community of Practice Leads to Improved Student Outcomes, Enrollment [Inside Higher Ed]

College student voting is way up [The Hechinger Report]

Students at This High School Do Internships. It’s a Game Changer [Education Week]

Federal Agencies Aim to Boost Research at HBCUs [Inside Higher Ed]

These student loan grace periods end this month. Are you prepared? [The Washington Post]

Taking the ‘College’ Out of College Counseling [Inside Higher Ed]

Op-Ed: Universities are smart to step away from thorny political issues [The Hill]

Democrats and Republicans Agree Teacher Prep Needs to Change. But How? [Education Week]

The View From the FAFSA Trenches [Inside Higher Ed]

Moms for Liberty Co-Founder Would Be ‘Honored’ to Be Trump’s Education Secretary [Education Week]

Burnout of Administrative Staff Risks ‘Destabilizing’ Colleges [Inside Higher Ed]

Here’s What to Know About Turnover Risks in Higher Ed’s Work Force [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

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

Senate Majority Leader

Press Release: Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Ahead Of Vote On Final Passage Of The Bipartisan Agreement To Avoid A Government Shutdown

Press Release: Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Taking Bipartisan Action To Avoid A Government Shutdown

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Press Release: Cassidy, Klobuchar National Hazing Awareness Week Resolution Passes Senate

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on “Reading the Room: Preparing Workers for AI.”

Senate Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: Chair Murray Speaks in Support of Short-term CR, Urges Serious Bipartisan Negotiations of Full-year Funding Bills

House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Press Release: Chair Foxx: Harvard Failed, New Disciplinary Documents Show

Press Release: Hearing Recap: Teacher Prep Edition

Press Release: Foxx, Good Demand Answers After Biden-Harris’ Botched Job Numbers

Press Release: ICYMI: New Report Shows Investments in School Infrastructure Benefits Students, Economy and the Environment

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on “Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators.”

House Committee on Ways and Means

Press Release: Tax Teams Recap: 2025 Super Bowl of Tax is Pro-Growth, Pro-America Tax Policy vs. Tax Hikes for Every American

Press Release: Chairman Smith: American Families Continue to Experience Economic Turbulence Caused by Biden-Harris Administration’s Failed Policies

House Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: Following Continuing Resolution Passage, DeLauro Calls for Bipartisan Negotiations on Full-Year Funding Bills

House Committee on Small Business

Press Release: Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Holds Hearing Focusing on Workforce Training Programs for Employees

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Hearing on “Avenues to Success: Examining Workforce Training Programs for Employees.”

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: A Proclamation on National Arts and Humanities Month, 2024

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on the August PCE Report

White House Press Release: Readout of the White House States Convening on Child Care

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

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Announces Resolution of Antisemitism Investigation of Muhlenberg College

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Participants in 2025–26 FAFSA Beta Testing and New Resources to Support Students, Families, and Institutions

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Centers to Advance Educational Opportunity, Foster Academic Achievement and Raise the Bar for Students

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor announces $20M in grants available for out-of-school time organizations to increase access to good jobs for underserved youth

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor, Albany State University launch partnership to support veterans, enhance employment opportunities at HBCUs

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.5646 — Stop Campus Hazing Act

Sponsor: McBath, Lucy [Rep.-D-GA-7] (Introduced 09/21/2023) Cosponsors: (58)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: Senate – 09/25/2024 Received in the Senate.

Press Release: House Passes Bipartisan McBath Bill to Combat Hazing on College Campuses

H.R.7323 — Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserves Tuition Fairness Act of 2024

Sponsor: Van Orden, Derrick [Rep.-R-WI-3] (Introduced 02/13/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services | Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

Committee Report: H. Rept. 118-675

Latest Action: Senate – 09/25/2024 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Press Release: Van Orden Bill to Establish Educational Parity Between Reservists and Active-Duty Passes House

H.R.9747 — Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025

Sponsor: Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4] (Introduced 09/23/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget

Latest Action: 09/26/2024 Presented to President.

H.R.9829 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a community service technical assistance reservation and to increase the percentage of funds used for compensation of students participating in Federal work-study programs who are employed in community service, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Hayes, Jahana [Rep.-D-CT-5] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 09/25/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.9847 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the knowledge and skills of principals and school leaders regarding early childhood education.

Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 09/25/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Press Release: Representative Pettersen Introduces Bills to Expand Access to Quality Child Care, Bolster Education Workforce

H.R.9854 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of monthly housing stipend received by parents pursuing a program of education through distance learning using Post-9/11 Educational Assistance, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Steel, Michelle [Rep.-R-CA-45] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (5)

Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Action: House – 09/25/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.9857 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education, as a condition of participation in programs under title IV of such Act, to establish a policy to award posthumous degrees to certain deceased students, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Velázquez, Nydia M. [Rep.-D-NY-7] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 09/25/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R.9880 — To amend the Small Business Act to establish the Entrepreneurship Corps National Service Program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Phillips, Dean [Rep.-D-MN-3] (Introduced 09/27/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Small Business; Education and the Workforce; Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 09/27/2024 Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the…

H.R.9869 — To make dependents of members of the Armed Forces who died while serving on active duty eligible for enrollment in Department of Defense Education Activity schools on a tuition-free, space-available basis.

Sponsor: LaLota, Nick [Rep.-R-NY-1] (Introduced 09/27/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Armed Services; Education and the Workforce

Latest Action: House – 09/27/2024 Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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…

Press Release: LaLota and Panetta Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Children of Fallen Service Members

S.5185 — A bill to establish a grant program to support qualified community colleges, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Casey, Robert P., Jr. [Sen.-D-PA] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (0)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 09/25/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.5191 — A bill to award grants to States to support efforts at institutions of higher education to increase degree attainment, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Casey, Robert P., Jr. [Sen.-D-PA] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (3)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 09/25/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Press Release: Casey Introduces Suite of Bills to Expand Access to Community College

S.5234 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose an excise tax on certain investments of private colleges and universities.

Sponsor: Ricketts, Pete [Sen.-R-NE] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: Senate – Finance

Latest Action: Senate – 09/25/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.5246 — A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to expand the capacity of junior or community colleges and area career and technical education schools to conduct training services, education, and outreach activities for careers in the residential construction industry.

Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV] (Introduced 09/25/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 09/25/2024 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

NSF Grant Notice: Advanced Technological Education. Applications due on or before October 3, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) I, II and III Data Collection Form. Comments are due on or before October 28, 2024.

ED Correction: Federal Student Loan Program Deferment Request Forms

ED Comment Request: Federal Student Loan Program: Internship/Residency and Loan Debt Burden Forbearance Forms. Comments due on or before October 30, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act State Plan Guide. Comments due on or before November 12, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. Comments due on or before November 12, 2024.

ED Grant: Strengthening Program Evaluation Capacity: Building Evidence of Effectiveness of Strategies To Increase Postsecondary Student Success. Applications due on or before November 14, 2024.

ED Comment Request: District Survey on Use of Funds Under Title II, Part A. Comments due on or before November 29, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): Interest Rate Limitation Request. Comments due on or before November 29, 2024.

HHS Grant Forecast: Tribal Colleges and Universities Head Start Partnership Program Grants. Estimated due date is on or before January 6, 2025.

ED Notice: Postsecondary Student Success Grant

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

ED Notice: Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Fixed-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

ETA Notice: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Native American Employment and Training Council