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

CONGRESS

President Trump signed the budget reconciliation bill into law on July 4.

By a 12 to 11 vote, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced several nominations for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and U.S. Department of Labor to the full Senate floor.

The House Committee on Education and Workforce held a markup of H.R. 3453, the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act, H.R. 2516, the Accreditation for College Excellence (ACE) Act of 2025 and H.R. 4054, the Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act. The former bill was passed by a 20 to 15 vote, and the latter two bills by a 21 to 15 vote.

ADMINISTRATION

ED held negotiated rulemaking sessions on their proposal to modify Public Service Loan Forgiveness regulations.

ED announced it will launch the first round of beta testing for the 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form in August and committed to officially launching this FAFSA by October 1.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced that ED has collected nearly $200 million in student loan payments since resuming collections on defaulted Federal loans in May according to POLITICO.

Sec. McMahon issued guidance stating that ED will now allow all states to request reimbursements for spending the remainder of COVID-relief funds to schools, returning to the liquidation process in place prior to its issuance of the March 28 letter to State Education Chiefs.

COURTS

In a lawsuit brought by 19 states and the District of Columbia, a Federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing layoffs at and restructuring of agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In a 6 to 3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that judges can only grant relief to the parties who brought a particular lawsuit and may not extend those decisions to protect other individuals without going through the process of converting a suit into a class action.

In a 6 to 3 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund, which funds the E-Rate program and subsidizes telephone and internet service for low-income and rural Americans.

In a 6 to 3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that school systems are required to provide parents with a notice that allow them to opt-out their children from class when course material conflicts with their religious beliefs.

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

Larger fights rage on, but Trump racking up wins against colleges [The Hill]

Education Department dismisses thousands of civil rights complaints at an ‘unheard of’ pace [Politico]

Florida university system’s board to vote on creation of accrediting agency [Higher Ed Dive]

To Avoid Program Closures, PASSHE Explores Course Sharing [Inside Higher Ed]

Supreme Court to Address Legality of Barring Trans Athletes From School Sports [The 74]

See How Much Federal Money Trump Is Holding Back From Your District [Education Week]

For New Grant, Ed Dept. Favors Colleges With ‘Civic’ Schools [Inside Higher Ed]

Trump’s OCR steps up pace for dismissing complaints [Higher Ed Dive]

The Wrecking of American Research [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

What You Need to Know About MSIs [Inside Higher Ed]

How Standardized Exams Can Favor Privilege Over Potential [The 74]

3 things to know about school choice in the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ [K-12 Dive]

Trump Education Department Delays Return of Laid-Off Workers Over Logistics [The 74]

How Trump Uses the DOJ as Tool of ‘Fear-Mongering’ [Inside Higher Education]

Trump Signs ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Into Law, Ushering in New Era for Higher Ed [Inside Higher Education]

Trans athletes face uncertain future after Penn strikes deal with Trump administration [The Hill]

A Lost Generation of Researchers [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Trump wants more apprenticeships. Indiana is going all in. [The Washington Post]

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

Speaker of the House
Press Release: Congress Codifies 28 of President Trump’s Executive Actions in One Big Beautiful Bill

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: UPDATED TIME: Senate HELP Committee to Consider Nomination for CDC Director

Senate Majority Leader
Press Release: In Dear Colleague Letter To Senate Democrats, Leader Schumer Warns Senate Dems To Brace for Trump-GOP Rescission Fight: “This Is Beyond A Bait-and-Switch, It’s Bait And Poison To Kill”

Postponed: Date TBA: Full Committee Hearing on “Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology”
Witnesses: Dr. Robert M. Groves, Interim President, Georgetown University; Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor, The City University of New York; and Dr. Rich Lyons, Chancellor, University of California, Berkeley
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:15 a.m. ET

House Committee on Ways and Means
Press Release: Chairman Smith Op-ed: On Fourth of July, Americans Celebrated the Largest Tax Cut in History

House Majority Leader
Press Release: Scalise Talks One Big Beautiful Bill Passage

Press Release: House Republican Leadership Statement on Final Passage of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act

House Minority Leader
Press Release: Leader Jeffries on MSNBC: “The One Big Ugly Bill Hurts Everyday Americans and Rewards Billionares”

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: ICYMI: Walberg, Stefanik Called Out Columbia Leadership for Antisemitism

Press Release: Walberg Applauds DOL Decision to Withdraw Misguided Biden-Era 14(c) Rule Change

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Delivers Remarks in Support of the One Big, Beautiful Bill

Press Release: Scott Votes Against GOP’s Big, Ugly Bill. Again.

July 9: Full Committee Hearing on “Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology”
Witnesses: Dr. Robert M. Groves, Interim President, Georgetown University; Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor, The City University of New York; and Dr. Rich Lyons, Chancellor, University of California, Berkeley
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:15 a.m. ET

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Cole Supports President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Merkley: House Republicans Stand with Billionaires, Continue the Great Betrayal of Working Families

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Chairman Arrington’s Remarks on the One Big Beautiful Bill: “Let’s Make America Safer, Stronger, and More Prosperous”

Press Release: Boyle on House Passage of Republicans’ Big Bill for Billionaires that Would Devastate American Families

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Press Release: Chairman Guthrie Announces Changes to E&C Republican Subcommittee Leadership and Assignments

House Committee on Ways and Means
Press Release: The One, Big, Beautiful Bill is an Economic Lifeline for Working Families

Press Release: Republican Tax Relief Will Fuel Trump-Era Main Street Job Creation

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

ED Press Release: U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services Notify Harvard University’s Accreditor of Harvard’s Title VI Violation

ED Press Release: Department of Education Announces Appointment of National Center for Education Statistics Acting Commissioner Dr. Matthew Soldner

White House Press Release: HISTORY MADE: The One Big Beautiful Bill Is on Its Way to President Trump’s Desk

White House Press Release: President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Is Now the Law

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Concludes Negotiated Rulemaking Session to Restore Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.Res.566 — Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.
Sponsor: Foxx, Virginia [Rep.-R-NC-5] (Introduced 07/02/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Rules
Committee Report: H. Rept. 119-179
Latest Action: House – 07/03/2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

H.R.1 — One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Sponsor: Arrington, Jodey C. [Rep.-R-TX-19] (Introduced 05/20/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Budget
Committee Reports: H. Rept. 119-106,Book 1, H. Rept. 119-106,Book 2
Latest Action: 07/04/2025 Signed by President.

S.98 — Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee Report: S. Rept. 119-14
Latest Action: House – 07/03/2025 Held at the desk.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

DOL Grant Notice: FY25 Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program. Applications Due on or before August 8, 2025.

ED Notice: Classification of Revenue Under Title IV

ED Comment Request: Impact Aid Program-Application for Section 7002 Assistance. Comments due on or before September 5, 2025.

ED Comment Request: Impact Aid Program-Application for Section 7003 Assistance. Comments due on or before September 5, 2025.

ED Notice: Income Driven Repayment Plan Request for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loan Programs; Correction

DOL Notice: Employment of Workers With Disabilities Under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act; Withdrawal

VA Notice: Increase in Maximum Tuition and Fee Amounts Payable Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill

DOD Grant Notice: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program. Applications due on or before December 12, 2025.