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

February 12, 2025

CONGRESS

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced that there may be a fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget resolution markup in the U.S. House Committee on the Budget next week.

The U.S. Senate Budget Committee released text of a FY 2025 budget resolution. The Committee will hold a markup on the resolution on February 12 and 13.

The Senate Finance Committee voted in favor of advancing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by a 14 to 13 vote.

The Senate confirmed Russ Vought as Director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by a 53 to 47 vote.

A group of 30 House Democrats sent a letter to acting HHS officials, expressing their concern that Head Start providers in their districts are still facing payment troubles due to the previous funding freeze memo released by OMB.

House Committee on Education and Workforce Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting the agency examine how Division I and Division II schools’ spending on athletics impacts postsecondary tuition and fees.

Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education; and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee alongside Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education wrote a letter expressing their concern about President Trump’s aims to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

House Committee on Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott wrote the GAO, seeking a review and assessment of security and information technology systems at ED and the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Labor.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) published new supplemental projections for the Pell Grant program, predicting a $2.7 billion shortfall for the Pell program in the upcoming fiscal year.

ADMINISTRATION

President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.”

President Trump released a memorandum directing the heads of executive departments and agencies to review all funding that agencies provide to Nongovernmental Organizations.

The Trump Administration placed some ED officials who had previously attended diversity training on leave.

President Trump dismissed Rohit Chopra, the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

In its first set of antisemitism probes, ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced it was initiating investigations into Columbia University, Northwestern University, Portland State University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

ED’s OCR announced it was initiating investigations for apparent Title IX violations at San Jose State University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. OCR is also reviewing athletic participation policies at other schools.

ED announced several new appointees, including James Bergeron as Deputy Under Secretary.

COURTS

The University of California Student Association filed a lawsuit against ED, arguing that the agency violated its own regulations and Federal privacy laws by allowing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency to access federal student financial aid information.

Several groups filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Maryland in Baltimore to block President Donald Trump’s Executive Orders (EOs) aimed at dismantling Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the agency level.

POLITICO reported that the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to pause its review of the case concerning the Biden Administration’s borrower defense rule, following a request from the Trump Administration to reassess the rule on its own.

Senior District Judge George O’Toole temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from implementing its plan to offer buyouts to the Federal workforce with a hearing scheduled on the issue for Monday.

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

$900 Million in Institute of Education Sciences Contracts Axed [Inside Higher Ed]

Education pick McMahon has a record at odds with Trump’s agenda [The Washington Post]

The latest roundup of DEI cuts across the country [Higher Ed Dive]

Education Department reverses CTE policies after criticism [K-12 Dive]

Trump signs executive order barring transgender students from women’s sports [Higher Ed Dive]

As the DEI Crackdown Escalates, Faculty Choose Between Silence and Resistance [Inside Higher Ed]

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Sparks Panic, Protests, and ICE Impersonators [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Education Department staff in disarray amid ‘buyout’ offer [Politico]

Can Trump Ax the Education Department Without Congress? [Education Week]

Russ Vought confirmed as White House budget chief [Politico]

Exclusive: 12 Education Chiefs Ask McMahon for More Control over Federal Funds [The 74]

Democratic leaders demand details on DOGE access to Education Department [Higher Ed Dive]

Common App Adds First Community College Members [Inside Higher Ed]

Hill Dems Press Trump Over Plans to Dismantle Education Department [Inside Higher Ed]

NIH slashes funding for research overhead, leaving universities scrambling [Politico]

Is DOGE Digging Around in Student Data? [Inside Higher Ed]

Black educators warn of what is lost if Education Department is shuttered [The Hill]

DOGE announces $881 million in cuts for Education Department contracts [Politico]

Linda McMahon Will Make Her Case to Lead Ed. Dept. as Trump Tries to Shrink It [Education Week]

A Tenuous Moment for Minority-Serving Institutions Under Trump [Inside Higher Ed]

Unions sue to stop DOGE from accessing federal data [Politico]

Education Department Granted Stay on Gainful Employment Lawsuit [Inside Higher Ed]

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

Senate Majority Leader

Press Release: Thune Supports Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Plan to Make HHS a Collaborative and Transparent Agency

Senate Minority Leader

Press Release: Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Trump Administration’s Dangerous Project 2025 Inspired Agenda And The Nomination Of Its Chief Architect Russell Vought

Press Release: Leader Schumer Says Senate Republicans’ Partisan Budget Paves Way For Harmful Cuts To Health Care And Other Essential Programs

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Press Release: Next Week: Senate HELP Committee to Hold Confirmation Hearing on Nomination for Secretary of Education

February 13: Full Committee Hearing on “Nomination of Linda McMahon to serve as Secretary of Education”

Witnesses: Hon. Linda McMahon, Stamford, CT

562 Dirksen Senate Office Building and via webcast

10:00 a.m. ET

Senate Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: Murray, Sanders, Baldwin, DeLauro, Scott Demand Answers on Trump’s Plans to Dismantle Education Department

Press Release: Senator Murray Details Harm Caused By Trump’s Blanket Funding Freeze, Ongoing Chaos

Press Release: Senator Murray Highlights Trump’s Illegal Spending Freeze on Billions via Day One Executive Orders, Putting Economies and Jobs at Risk

Senate Committee on the Budget

Press Release: Chairman Graham: Senate Budget Committee Will Move Forward On A Budget Resolution

Press Release: Budget Committee Ranking Member Merkley: Vought Dangerously Unfit to Lead OMB

Press Release: Chairman Graham Unveils FY 2025 Budget Resolution To Secure The Border, Revitalize Our Military, Unleash American Energy Production And Begin The Process Of Restoring Fiscal Sanity

Press Release: Budget Committee Ranking Member Merkley: Proposed Budget Resolution is Bait and Switch for Working Families

February 12-13: Full Committee Markup of “Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Resolution”

Dirksen 608 and via webcast

10:00 a.m. ET on both days

Speaker of the House

Press Release: House Democrats Horrible Week

Press Release: Speaker Johnson: The Media is Grossly Overreacting to Efforts to Make Government More Efficient

House Majority Leader

Press Release: Scalise: House Republicans Will Unify Behind One Reconciliation Bill

Press Release: The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Week of February 10, 2025

Press Release: Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Preview – Week of February 10, 2025

House Committee on Education and Workforce

Press Release: Chair Walberg on ED Reversing Requirements that Would Hurt Key Education Programs that Help Fill U.S. Jobs

Press Release: @EdWorkforceCmte Will Mark Up Bills to Limit Foreign Influence in American Education and Protect Child Nutrition

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Statement on January Jobs Report

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Calls on Government Watchdog to Assess DOGE Access to Americans’ Private Information at ED, DOL & HHS

Press Release: Baumgartner, Walberg Introduce Bill to Thwart Foreign Influence in U.S. Colleges

Press Release: Scott, DeLauro, Sanders, Murray, Baldwin Demand Answers on Trump’s Plans to Dismantle Education Department

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Applauds Trump EO to Protect Women & Girls in Sports

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Delivers Opening Statement at “The State of American Education” Hearing

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Opening Remarks at Full Committee Hearing on the State of American Education

Press Release: Scott Statement on Executive Order to Ban Transgender Girls from Sports

Blog: Hearing Recap: The State of American Education

February 12: Full Committee

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Hearing on “The State of American Education”

House Committee on Appropriations

Press Release: DeLauro: Education Powers the American Dream, Trump and Musk Want to Tear it Down

Press Release: Cole Statement on Continued Appropriations Talks

Press Release: Cole Engages House Committee Chairs, Urges Coordination

Press Release: DeLauro, Scott, Murray, Sanders, Baldwin Demand Answers on Trump’s Plans to Dismantle Education Department

February 12: Subcommittee Hearing on “Career Ready Students: Innovations from Community Colleges and the Private Sector”

Witnesses: Mr. Preston Cooper, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Dr. Vicki Karolewics, President, Wallace State Community College; Mr. Dennis Parker, Consultant, Regional Talent Development, Toyota Motor North America; Dr. Mary Alice McCarthy, Senior Director, Center on Education & Labor, New America.

2358C Rayburn and via webcast

10: 00 a.m. ET

House Committee on Budget

Press Release: As Republicans Push Forward with Extreme Economic Agenda, Budget Democrats Expose How Their Plans Will Betray Middle-Class Americans

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Works to Remake America’s Federal Workforce

White House Press Release: Statement from the Press Secretary on January’s Jobs Report

White House Executive Orders: Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative

White House Executive Order: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

White House Presidential Action: Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Urges the NCAA, NFHS to Restore Female Athletics Records Wrongfully Erased by Male Competitors

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Rescinds Biden 11th Hour Guidance on NIL Compensation

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Reduces Burden on Career and Technical Education Programs

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education to Investigate Title IX Violations in Athletics

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Incoming Trump-Vance Appointees

ED Press Release: Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.980 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to the provision of on-campus educational and vocational counseling by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Van Orden, Derrick [Rep.-R-WI-3] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1002 — To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, or adult child, or another related individual, who has a serious health condition, and to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement and family wellness leave to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities or meet family care needs.

Sponsor: Hayes, Jahana [Rep.-D-CT-5] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (34)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, 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.

Press Release: On the 32nd Anniversary of FMLA, Hayes, Durbin Introduce Bicameral Caring for All Families Act to Expand Family Leave

H.R.1006 —To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the excise tax on investment income of private colleges and universities.

Sponsor: Joyce, David P. [Rep.-R-OH-14] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Press Release: Joyce, Malliotakis Introduces Bill to Hold Higher Education Institutions Accountable for Student Debt Crisis

H.R.1018 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require additional information in disclosures of foreign gifts and contracts from foreign sources.

Sponsor: Messmer, Mark [Rep.-R-IN-8] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Press Release: Joyce, Rulli Introduce Legislation to Prevent CCP Influence in America’s Classrooms

H.R.1023 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require disclosure of certain foreign investments within endowments, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Owens, Burgess [Rep.-R-UT-4] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Press Release: Owens Targets Universities’ Financial Ties to Foreign Adversaries

H.R.1033 — To require the Secretary of Education to establish a program to provide for antisemitism monitors at institutions of higher education.

Sponsor: Torres, Ritchie [Rep.-D-NY-15] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.Res.115 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “Career and Technical Education Month”.

Sponsor: Thompson, Glenn [Rep.-R-PA-15] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (36)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Press Release: Thompson, Bonamici Lead Resolution Recognizing Career and Technical Education Month

H.R.1048 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen disclosure requirements relating to foreign gifts and contracts, to prohibit contracts between institutions of higher education and certain foreign entities and countries of concern, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Baumgartner, Michael [Rep.-R-WA-5] (Introduced 02/06/2025) Cosponsors: (9)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/06/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.1055 — 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 02/06/2025) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/06/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.1067 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish the childcare provider startup credit, to increase the amount of and make refundable the expenses for household and dependent care credit, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5] (Introduced 02/06/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 02/06/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1090 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require certain institutions of higher education to provide notice of tuition levels for students.

Sponsor: Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [Rep.-D-WA-3] (Introduced 02/06/2025) Cosponsors: (5)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/06/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Press Release: Gluesenkamp Perez Introduces Bill to Bring Greater Transparency to College Tuition Costs

H.R.1151 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat certain postsecondary credentialing expenses as qualified higher education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts.

Sponsor: Wittman, Robert J. [Rep.-R-VA-1] (Introduced 02/07/2025) Cosponsors: (9)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 02/07/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Press Release: Wittman Reintroduces Bipartisan Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act

H.R.1132 — To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to award grants to community colleges for high-quality workforce development programs.

Sponsor: McBath, Lucy [Rep.-D-GA-6] (Introduced 02/07/2025) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/07/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.1128 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the rate of the excise tax based on investment income of private colleges and universities and to broaden the definition of applicable educational institution by lowering the threshold with respect to aggregate fair market value per student, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17] (Introduced 02/07/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 02/07/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Press Release: Congressman Lawler Reintroduces the Endowment Accountability Act to Ensure Wealthy Universities Invest in Students

H.R.1174 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that non-Federal revenue generated through certain distance education programs may be counted purposes of the non-Federal revenue requirements applicable to proprietary institutions of higher education (commonly known as the “90/10 rule”).

Sponsor: Owens, Burgess [Rep.-R-UT-4] (Introduced 02/07/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/10/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.1176 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to clarify the clock hour requirements for certain eligible programs under title IV of such Act.

Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11] (Introduced 02/07/2025) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/10/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.1177 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve and enhance the work opportunity tax credit, to encourage longer-service employment, and to modernize the credit to make it more effective as a hiring incentive for targeted workers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11] (Introduced 02/10/2025) Cosponsors: (15)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 02/10/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1183 — To prohibit certain discrimination against athletes on the basis of sex by State athletic associations, intercollegiate athletic associations, and covered institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12] (Introduced 02/11/2025) Cosponsors: (22)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 02/11/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

S.273 — Small Business Child Care Investment Act

Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV] (Introduced 01/28/2025) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: Senate – Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Latest Action: Senate – 02/10/2025 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 9.

S.492 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve and enhance the work opportunity tax credit, to encourage longer-service employment, and to modernize the credit to make it more effective as a hiring incentive for targeted workers, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV] (Introduced 02/10/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate – Finance

Latest Action: Senate – 02/10/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Press Release: Cassidy, Hassan Reintroduce Bill to Connect Individuals to The Workforce

S.Res.66 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of “Career and Technical Education Month”.

Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA] (Introduced 02/06/2025) Cosponsors: (50)

Latest Action: Senate – 02/06/2025 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

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.

NSF Comment Request: Request for Information on the Development of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan. Comments due on or before March 15, 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

ED Notice: Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program-Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Training and Technical Assistance; Corrections

ED Notice: Retroactive Application of the Revised Version of the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance

Presidential Document: Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias (EO 14202)

Presidential Document: Women’s Sports; Efforts To Keep Men Out (EO 14201)

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.