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

February 5, 2025

CONGRESS

Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) announced the membership for Senate Appropriations subcommittees in the 119^th Congress. The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee retains the same leadership from last Congress, with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) serving as Chair and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) serving as Ranking Member.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Additional Actions Needed to Strengthen Fraud Risk Management.”

GAO published a report titled “Higher Education: College Student Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care.”

ADMINISTRATION
On Monday, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo to Federal agencies ordering a freeze on activities related to certain Federal programs. This memo has since been stayed by U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan and rescinded by OMB.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism.”

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

A guide to what the U.S. Education Department does (and doesn’t) do [NPR]

Top House Lawmaker Supports Trump’s Bid to ‘Depower’ Education Department [Education Week]

Pell Grant program projected to end fiscal 2025 with $2.7B deficit [Higher Ed Dive]

‘Enough’: Campus Diversity Advocates Sue Over Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Musk: Trump ‘will succeed’ in dismantling Education Department [The Hill]

Hegseth bars ‘race-based’ admissions goals, DEI curriculum at military academies [Higher Ed Dive]

State Higher Ed Funding Up, but ‘Volatility’ Looms [Inside Higher Education]

Far Fewer Colleges Give an Edge to Legacy Applicants Anymore, New Report Says [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Trump preps order to dismantle Education Dept. as DOGE probes data [The Washington Post]

Trump’s DEI purge targets federal workers who did not work in DEI [The Washington Post]

Trump Orders Disrupt Academic Research [Inside Higher Ed]

Accreditors brace for Trump’s promised higher ed shakeup [Higher Ed Dive]

Department of Education Reverts to Trump’s Title IX Rule [Inside Higher Ed]

Florida lawmakers pass bill to roll back in-state tuition for undocumented students [Higher Ed Dive]

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

Senate Majority Leader

Press Release: Thune: Senate Republicans Are Committed to Confirming President Trump’s Cabinet as Quickly as Possible

Speaker of the House

Press Release: Speaker Johnson on President Trump’s First Two Weeks: Win After Win After Win

House Minority Leader

Press Release: Leader Jeffries: “We will not Participate in Republican Efforts to Rip Off Hardworking American Taxpayers”

Press Release: Leader Jeffries: “We’ve Got to Make Sure That On Every Issue, Republicans are Held to Account”

Press Release: Leader Jeffries on WNYC: “Who are House Republicans Working For?”

Press Release: LEADER JEFFRIES: “HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE RIPPING OFF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”

House Committee on Education and Workforce

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Requests Examination of College Sports Spending’s Impact on Student Tuition and Fees

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Applauds Education Department for Protecting Jewish Students on Campuses

Press Release: ICYMI: Ranking Member Scott Honors Black History Month

Press Release: Chair Walberg Applauds Education Department’s Move to Protect Women

February 5: Full Committee Hearing on “The State of American Education”

Witnesses:

2175 Rayburn and via webcast.

10:15 a.m. ET

House Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: Ciscomani: Our National Debt Demands Immediate Action

Press Release: DeLauro Applauds Ruling to Temporarily Halt Federal Funding Freeze

Press Release: Ciscomani: Our National Debt Demands Immediate Action

Press Release: DeLauro Applauds Ruling to Temporarily Halt Federal Funding Freeze

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Career and Technical Education Month, 2025

White House Press Release: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Launches Massive 10-to-1 Deregulation Initiative

White House Press Release: National Black History Month, 2025

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Improvements to the FAFSA® Form

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Probes Cases of Antisemitism at Five Universities

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education to Enforce 2020 Title IX Rule Protecting Women

HHS Press Release: HHS’ Civil Rights Office Acts Swiftly to Combat Anti-Semitism

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.838 — To allow a State to submit a declaration of intent to the Secretary of Education to combine certain funds to improve the academic achievement of students.

Sponsor: Moolenaar, John R. [Rep.-R-MI-2] (Introduced 01/31/2025) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/31/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.844 — To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to eligible entities to carry out educational programs that include the history of peoples of African descent in the settling and founding of America, the economic and political environments that led to the development, institutionalization, and abolition of slavery and its impact on all Americans, the exploration and expansion of America, impact on and contributions to the development and enhancement of American life, United States history, literature, the economy, politics, body of laws, and culture, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Beatty, Joyce [Rep.-D-OH-3] (Introduced 01/31/2025) Cosponsors: (57)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/31/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Press Release: Beatty Reintroduces Bill Affirming Black History in American Education

H.R.881 — To establish Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Pfluger, August [Rep.-R-TX-11] (Introduced 01/31/2025) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House – Homeland Security

Latest Action: House – 01/31/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

H.R.899 — To terminate the Department of Education.

Sponsor: Massie, Thomas [Rep.-R-KY-4] (Introduced 01/31/2025) Cosponsors: (27)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/31/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Press Release: Rep. Massie Reintroduces H.R. 899 to Abolish the Federal Department of Education

H.R.905 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the earned income tax credit to all taxpayers with dependents and to qualifying students, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12] (Introduced 01/31/2025) Cosponsors: (16)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 01/31/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Press Release: Rep. Watson Coleman Reintroduces Working Class Tax Cut Bill

H.R.927 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education from requiring ideological oaths or similar statements, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Crenshaw, Dan [Rep.-R-TX-2] (Introduced 02/04/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/04/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.Res.97 — Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning February 3, 2025, as “National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week”.

Sponsor: Davids, Sharice [Rep.-D-KS-3] (Introduced 02/04/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Action: House – 02/04/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

S.377 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965, to add a work-study program for off-campus community service at selected after-school activities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Booker, Cory [Sen.-D-NJ] (Introduced 02/03/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 02/03/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.383 — A bill to extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain short-term programs.

Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA] (Introduced 02/04/2025) Cosponsors: (35)

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

Latest Action: Senate – 02/04/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Press Release: Kaine & Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help More Americans Access High-Quality Job Training, Get Good-Paying Jobs

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Comment Request: Evaluation of Teacher Residencies: District Perspective. Comments due on or before February 6, 2025.

ED Comment Request: District Survey on Use of Funds Under Title II, Part A. Comments due on or before February 13, 2025.

ED Comment Request: National Evaluation of the Pathways to Partnerships Program. Comments due on or before February 13, 2025.

ED Grant Notice: Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences. Applications due on or before March 7, 2025.

Children and Families Administration Comment Request: Child Care Improper Payments Data Collection Instructions Comments due on or before March 7, 2025.

ED Grant: Native American Career and Technical Education Program (NACTEP). Applications due on or before March 10, 2025.

ED Comment Request: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Forms. Comments due on or before March 17, 2025.

ED Comment Request: 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Comments due on or before April 7, 2025.

ED Notice: Tests Determined To Be Suitable for Use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education

Presidential Document: Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth

Presidential Document: Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service

Presidential Document: Anti-Semitism; Additional Measures To Combat (EO 14188)

NSF Grant Notice: Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions. Applications accepted anytime.