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

CONGRESS

This week, the Federal government remains in a shutdown period after Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund operations for fiscal year 2026.

A group of Senate Democrats wrote to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon opposing the Trump Administration’s efforts to halt the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and potentially transfer those responsibilities to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

ADMINISTRATION

ED held its final Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee negotiated rulemaking session on the student loan provisions in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful bill. The Committee reached consensus.

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

ED’s ‘Special Projects’ Grants Spark Concern Over Congressional Intent [Inside Higher Ed]

Class of 2025 says they see the effects of a tough job market [Higher Ed Dive]
National Association of Colleges and Employers Report: “2025 Student Survey Report Attitudes, preferences, and outcomes of bachelor’s degree students at four-year schools”

Democrat’s Win May Upend a Conservative Push in Virginia Universities [The New York Times]

As ED Guts Its Civil Rights Office, Could States Step Up? [Inside Higher Ed]

How HBCUs Plan to Spend MacKenzie Scott’s Money [Inside Higher Ed]

‘I Don’t Feel Safe in This Classroom’ [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Student Success Leaders Worry About Affordability, AI and Diversity [Inside Higher Ed]

The ‘Anti-Harvard’ Startup University Says It Will Never Charge Tuition or Take Government Money [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Speaker of the House
Press Release: Speaker Johnson Remarks on Day 41 of Democrat Government Shutdown

House Minority Leader
Press Release: Leader Jeffries: “House Republicans, Welcome Back From Your Taxpayer-Funded Seven-Week Vacation”

Press Release: Leader Jeffries on CNN: “House Democrats Will Strongly Oppose Any Legislation That Does Not Decisively Address the Republican Healthcare Crisis”

Senate Minority Leader
Press Release: Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Republicans’ Refusal To Address The Impending Healthcare Crisis

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Chair Cassidy, Colleagues Unveil Bills to Strengthen Workers’ Rights, Deliver President Trump’s Pro-Worker Agenda

Press Release: Chair Cassidy Delivers Remarks During Hearing on Increasing Financial Transparency in Higher Education, Lowering Cost for Families

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Chairman Walberg Announces Hearing on Innovation in Higher Education

Press Release: Chairman Walberg on Democrats’ Continued Shutdown Harming Jobs Data

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott on Second Missed Jobs Report

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott on Judiciary Committee’s Baseless Allegations Against George Mason University President

November 18: Full Committee Hearing on “The Future of College: Harnessing Innovation to Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs”
Witnesses: TBA
2175 Rayburn and via YouTube
10:15 a.m. EST

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Senate Passes Continuing Resolution to Reopen Government, Final FY 2026 Appropriations Bills

Press Release: Senator Murray Speaks on Senate Floor Ahead of Government Funding Votes

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Cole Urges Support to Reopen the Government, Resume Appropriations Work

Press Release: Ranking Member DeLauro Statement to House Rules Committee Opposing Republican Health Care Crisis

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Press Release: Chairmen Guthrie and Joyce Announce Oversight and Investigations Hearing on the Safety of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots

November 18: Subcommittee Hearing on “Innovation with Integrity: Examining the Risks and Benefits of AI Chatbots”
Witnesses: TBA
2123 Rayburn and via webcast
2:00 p.m. EST

House Committee on Rules
Press Release: Foxx Opening Remarks on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371

House Committee on Ways and Means
November 18: Subcommittee Hearing on “Leaving the Sticky Notes Behind: Harnessing Innovation and New Technology to Help America’s Foster Youth Succeed”
Witnesses: TBA
2020 Rayburn and via webcast
10:00 a.m. EST

Speaker of the House
Press Release: Speaker Johnson on Day 36 of the Democrat Shutdown: House Democrats Embrace Zohran Mamdani at Their Own Peril

House Majority Leader
Press Release: Scalise: Democrats Full of Hollow Promises

House Minority Leader
Press Release: Leader Jeffries on Fox: “Affordability Was On The Ballot, And Affordability Won Throughout America”

Press Release: Leader Jeffries to Martin: “We’re Focused on the Issues That Matter—Driving Down the High Cost of Living”

Senate Majority Leader
Press Release: Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 36

Senate Minority Leader
Press Release: Schumer, Jeffries Demand Legislative Leaders Meeting To Address The Republican Government Shutdown

Press Release: Demanding Republicans And Trump Negotiate To Reopen The Government And Address The Healthcare Crisis After Last Night’s Complete Repudiation Of GOP’s Policies

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Chair Cassidy Delivers Remarks During Hearing on Apprenticeships, Strengthening American Workforce

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Hearing on Registered Apprenticeship: Scaling the Workforce for the Future

November 6: Full Committee Hearing on “Reforming Financial Transparency in Higher Education”
Witnesses: Justin Draeger, MBA, Senior Vice President for Affordability, Strada Education Foundation, Washington, DC; Brenda Hicks, MA, Director of Financial Aid, Southwestern College, Winfield, KS; Preston Cooper, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Washington, DC; Onjila Odeneal, M.Ed., Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Promise, Detroit, MI; and Mark Huelsman, M.Ed., Director of Policy and Advocacy, The HOPE Center for Student Basic Needs, Washington, DC.
430 Dirksen and via webcast
10:00 a.m. ET

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Historic Failure: Democrats Responsible for Longest Government Shutdown Ever

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Arrington: Democrats’ Shutdown Reaches Dark Milestone as Americans Pay the Price

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Major Settlement with Cornell University

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Releases Seven Priorities Under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

IES Report: Forum Guide to College and Career Readiness (CCR) Data

IES Report: Forum Guide to Collecting and Using Data About the Educator Workforce

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor welcomes senior Trump Administration appointees

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.5371 — Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026
Sponsor: Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4] (Introduced 09/16/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget
Latest Action: Senate – 11/10/2025 Message on Senate action sent to the House.

H.R.6011 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the VA Work-Study program.
Sponsor: McClain Delaney, April [Rep.-D-MD-6] (Introduced 11/10/2025) Cosponsors: (23)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 11/10/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.Res.496 — A resolution expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2025, as “National First-Generation College Celebration Day”.
Sponsor: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS] (Introduced 11/10/2025) Cosponsors: (9)
Latest Action: Senate – 11/10/2025 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

H.R.5371 — Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026
Sponsor: Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4] (Introduced 09/16/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget
Latest Action: Senate – 11/05/2025 Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.

S.3108 — A bill to require reports regarding artificial intelligence-related job impacts, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Hawley, Josh [Sen.-R-MO] (Introduced 11/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 11/05/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Press Release: Hawley, Warner to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Revealing Number of Jobs Lost to AI

S.3111 — A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to adjust the dollar thresholds for National Labor Relations Board jurisdiction over certain labor disputes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Mullin, Markwayne [Sen.-R-OK] (Introduced 11/05/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 11/05/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.Res.484 — A resolution designating October 2025 as “School Bus Safety Month”.
Sponsor: Fischer, Deb [Sen.-R-NE] (Introduced 11/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Latest Action: Senate – 11/05/2025 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

We expect submission deadlines to remain the same, notwithstanding the government shutdown.

ED Notice: Applications for New Awards; Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education-Special Projects (FIPSE-SP). Applications due on or before December 3, 2025.

Today’s Federal Register.