RAMC WASHINGTON WRAP UP – DECEMBER 18, 2024
Below is RAMC’s weekly Washington Wrap Up. Find out more about Wrap Up and other RAMC resources here.
December 18, 2024
CONGRESS
The House Republican Steering Committee selected Tim Walberg (R-MI) to be the Chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee for the 119th Congress.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8070, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025, by a 281 to 140 margin. This bill included some education- and workforce- related provisions, including a requirement to conduct data-matching between the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to streamline eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness for servicemembers and civilian DOD employees.
The U.S. Senate passed, by unanimous consent, H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act. The bill will now be sent to President Biden for his signature.
ADMINISTRATION
President Biden signed H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act, into law.
ED submitted a final rule on Distance Education, Title IV of HEA and Federal TRIO Programs to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled “School Meal Programs: Additional Data and Outreach Could Help Charter School Participation.”
Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Brown Center scholars look ahead to education in 2025 [The Brookings Institution]
Virginia Foxx Reflects on Her Time in the Hot Seat [Inside Higher Ed]
California nixes degree requirements for 30K state jobs [Higher Ed Dive]
Idaho Board of Education Faces Vote on Anti-DEI Resolution [Inside Higher Ed]
Inside University of the District of Columbia’s plan to transform [Higher Ed Dive]
Apprenticeships are a trending alternative to college — but there’s a hitch [The Hechinger Report]
Higher ed groups ask for delayed gainful employment, financial value transparency deadline [Higher Ed Dive]
Affirmative action fight moves to military academies [The Hill]
Supporting students to and through college: What does the evidence say? [The Brookings Institution]
Nudges Work—for Students’ Most Pressing Tasks [Inside Higher Ed]
Trump Will Affect Colleges’ Finances. Just How Could Surprise You. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]
Rep. Tim Walberg to chair House education committee [Higher Ed Dive]
Uncertain Changes Loom at Accreditation Conference [Inside Higher Ed]
DEI Bans Flourished in 2024. Politicians Aren’t Finished. [Inside Higher Ed]
College operating costs rose 3.4% in fiscal 2024 [Higher Ed Dive]
Walberg Chosen to Lead House Ed Committee [Inside Higher Ed]
Soaring Application Numbers Suggest Historically Black Colleges Are Still in Vogue [The Chronicle of Higher Education]
Air Force Academy sued over race-conscious admissions [Higher Ed Dive]
The AI-Generated Textbook That’s Making Academics Nervous [Inside Higher Ed]
Will Filling Out Student Aid Form Target Undocumented Parents for Trump’s Mass Deportations? [The 74]
Republicans Host Campus Free Speech Roundtable [Inside Higher Ed]
Colleges Warn Foreign Students to Get to Campus Before Trump Takes Office [The New York Times]
Tennessee State Interim President Resigns Under Pressure [Inside Higher Ed]
Dartmouth Stakes Out a Policy of ‘Institutional Restraint’ [The Chronicle of Higher Education]
Biden signs FAFSA Deadline Act [POLITICO]
Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pension
Press Release: Ranking Member Cassidy’s Legislation to Address Hazing on College Campuses Heads to President’s Desk
Press Release: Ranking Member Cassidy on His FAFSA Deadline Legislation Being Signed Into Law
Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Chair Murray Statement on Disaster Relief Package and Continuing Resolution
Press Release: Senator Collins’ Statement on Continuing Resolution and Disaster Relief Supplemental Package
House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Press Release: Foxx, Scott Praise Inclusion of A Stronger Workforce for America Act in the House’s Continuing Resolution
Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Speaks in Support of Jenna Quinn Law
Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Supports Bill Empowering Tribal College Presidents
Press Release: SIGNED INTO LAW: Bill to Fix Biden-Harris FAFSA Failure
Press Release: Foxx Trashes Education Department Over DEI Spending Binge
Press Release: Chairwoman Foxx Congratulates Rep. Tim Walberg as Next Chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Senate Passes Bipartisan McBath Bill to Stop Hazing on College Campuses
Blog: WATCH: Foxx on Fox Talks Student Loan Bailouts, Abolishing Education Department
Press Release: Foxx Celebrates Passage of NDAA
Press Release: Foxx: Not Surprised, Just Disappointed in Leader Schumer
Press Release: Owens Holds Hearing on AmeriCorps and Its Audit Failure
Press Release: Chair Foxx on the Financial Burden Imposed on the Coal Industry
Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Applauds Signing of FAFSA Deadline Act into Law
Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing “Examining the Policies and Priorities of AmeriCorps and Its FY 2024 Audit Failure”
House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Cole Announces New Republican Committee Members for the 119th Congress
House Committee on Ways and Means
Press Release: 40 Million Families at Risk of Seeing Child Tax Credit Slashed in Half
U.S. Department of Education and the Administration
White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: Progress by Biden-Harris Good Jobs Task Force
ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Surpasses 1.5 Million 2025–26 FAFSA Submissions
ED Blog: Raising the Bar on College Affordability
ED Blog: Engaging Students in STEM Education Beyond Technology
DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor awards $99.3M in grants to support training, job services to prepare young people to succeed in high-demand careers
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 – 12/11/2024 Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
H.R.8932 — FAFSA Deadline Act
Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9] (Introduced 07/05/2024)
Cosponsors: (10)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Committee Report: H. Rept. 118-695
Latest Action: 12/11/2024 Signed by President.
H.R.10400 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify the definition of applicable educational institution for purposes of the excise tax based on the income of private colleges and universities.
Sponsor: Moore, Gwen [Rep.-D-WI-4] (Introduced 12/12/2024) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Ways and Means
Latest Action: House – 12/12/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
H.R.10404 — To amend title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide program eligibility for distance education programs offered by foreign institutions of higher education.
Sponsor: Schneider, Bradley Scott [Rep.-D-IL-10] (Introduced 12/12/2024) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 12/12/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
H.R.1765 — SNAP Benefits Fairness Act of 2023
Sponsor: Payne, Donald M., Jr. [Rep.-D-NJ-10] (Introduced 03/23/2023) Cosponsors: (22)
Committees: House – Agriculture
Latest Action: House – 12/16/2024 ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP – Mrs. McIver asked unanimous consent that she may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1765, a bill originally introduced by Representative Payne, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
H.R.10420 — 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: Ciscomani, Juan [Rep.-R-AZ-6] (Introduced 12/16/2024) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce
Latest Action: House – 12/16/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
H.R.10425 — To amend and reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Older Americans Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Foxx, Virginia [Rep.-R-NC-5] (Introduced 12/16/2024) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce; Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce
Latest Action: House – 12/16/2024 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, 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 committee concerned.
S.1147 — Jenna Quinn Law
Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX] (Introduced 03/30/2023) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: House – 12/17/2024 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Press Release: Cornyn, Colleagues’ Bill to Help Prevent Child Abuse Heads to President’s Desk
S.2714 — CREATE AI Act of 2023
Sponsor: Heinrich, Martin [Sen.-D-NM] (Introduced 07/27/2023) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Latest Action: Senate – 12/17/2024 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 72.
S.3448 — Never Again Education Reauthorization Act of 2023
Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV] (Introduced 12/07/2023) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: Senate – Energy and Natural Resources
Latest Action: House – 12/17/2024 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Press Release: Rosen-Led Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize Never Again Education Act Passes House, Heads to President’s Desk to Become Law
S.5355 — NACIE Improvement Act
Sponsor: Fischer, Deb [Sen.-R-NE] (Introduced 11/20/2024) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: House – 12/17/2024 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:
HHS Comment Request: Child Care and Development Fund Plan for Tribes for Fiscal Year 2026-2028. Comments due on or before December 19, 2024.
ED Comment Request: Comment Request; National Evaluation of the Pathways to Partnerships Program. Comments due on or before December 30, 2024.
ED Comment Request: Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act State Plan Guide. Comments due on or before January 2, 2025.
ETA Grant Notice: Program Year 2024 National Farmworker Jobs Program Youth Grant Funding. Applications due on or before January 5, 2025.
HHS Grant Forecast: Tribal Colleges and Universities Head Start Partnership Program Grants. Estimated due date is on or before January 6, 2025.
HHS Comment Request: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Annual Aggregate Report. Comments due on or before January 6, 2025.
ED Comment Request: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): Interest Rate Limitation Request. Comments are due on or before January 6, 2025.
HHS Comment Request: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Quarterly Case-Level Report. Comments due on or before January 6, 2025.
VA Comment Request: Monthly Certification of On-The-Job and Apprenticeship Training. Comments due on or before January 8, 2025.
VA Comment Request: Request for Reimbursement of Preparatory (PREP) Course for Licensing or Certification Test. Comments due on or before January 8, 2025.
DOL Comment Request: Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Implementation Evaluation. Comments due on or before January 13, 2025.
ED Comment Request: Eligibility of Students at Institutions of Higher Education for Funds Under the CARES Act. Comments are due on or before January 14, 2025.
ED Comment Request: Application for Grants Under the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act 2019 Programs. Comments due on or before January 15, 2025.
DOL Comment Request: Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant Program Round 4 (SCC4) Evaluation, New Collection. Comments due on or before January 21, 2024.
ED Grant Notice: Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences. Applications due on or before March 7, 2025.
ED Notice: Tests Determined To Be Suitable for Use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education
HHS Notice: Final Scientific Integrity Policy; Withdrawal
ED Notice: President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
ED Notice: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity