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

January 16, 2025

CONGRESS

The U.S. House of Representatives passed its rules package for the 119^th Congress by a 215 to 209 margin.

House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) announced the Republican members appointed to serve on the Committee in the 119^th Congress. This list includes five new members.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced seven new Democrat members for the House Committee on Appropriations.

ADMINISTRATION

The Institute of Education Sciences published new IPEDS data on Fall 2023 postsecondary enrollment.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the first winners in its Postsecondary Success Recognition Program, which recognizes institutions that focus on enrolling underserved students, supporting successful transfers and degree completions and preparing graduates for economic mobility.

ED released a new resource titled “Investments and Reach of the U.S. Department of Education,” serving as a primer to its December report on The Impact: Fighting for Public Education.

COURTS

Eastern District of Kentucky Court Chief Judge Danny Reeves overturned the Biden Administration’s Title IX rule pertaining to sex-based discrimination.

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

Students on Media Literacy and How Colleges Can Help, in 6 Charts [Inside Higher Ed]

Why Hungary Inspired Trump’s Vision for Higher Ed [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit challenging McNair program’s race-based criteria [Higher Ed Dive]

Success Program Launch: Mentors for Students in Green Careers [Inside Higher Ed]

Education Department discharges $4.5B in loans for former Ashford University students [Higher Ed Dive]

House passes bill to restrict transgender students’ participation in women’s sports [Higher Ed Dive]

FAFSA forms to make October release after two-year struggle [The Hill]

How Did Enrollment Researchers Get It So Wrong? [Inside Higher Ed]

College freshman enrollment is up, not down. Error led to undercount. [The Washington Post]

Biden announces student debt relief for 150,000 borrowers, bringing total helped to more than 5M [The Hill]

Laken Riley Act Could Have Implications for Higher Ed [Inside Higher Ed]

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reveals error in fall first-year student count [Higher Ed Dive]

McDonald’s sued for Latino scholarships after ditching some DEI practices [The Hill]

Op-Ed: How Trump Could Devastate Our Top Colleges’ Finances [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Supreme Court takes up Biden’s proposal to expand relief for borrowers defrauded by schools [The Hill]

Are Two Disciplines Better Than One? The Push for Integrated Majors [Inside Higher Ed]

With federal gun control on ice, advocates look to other solutions for school shootings [The Hill]

Fewer New Med Students Are Black, Hispanic [Inside Higher Ed]

What’s Next for Colleges After Judge Vacates Biden’s Title IX Rule [Inside Higher Ed]

Johns Hopkins University reaches settlement to resolve complaints of antisemitism, Islamophobia [The Hill]

Painful, Pragmatic or Both? [Inside Higher Ed]

Indiana University faces call for defunding over ties to Kinsey Institute [Higher Ed Dive]

Philanthropic Partnership Aims to Expand Access to High-Quality Child Care [The 74]

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

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pension

Press Release: NEXT WEEK: Senate HELP to Hold Executive Session to Organize Committee for the 119th Congress

Press Release: Chair Cassidy on Federal Courts Ensuring Fairness for Women & Girls, Overturning Biden-Harris Title IX Rule

Speaker of the House

Press Release: House Republicans Voted Unanimously to Protect Women and Girls in Sports

Press Release: House Republicans Voted Unanimously to Protect Women and Girls in Sports

House Minority Leader

Press Release: Leader Jeffries Announces New Appointments to Committees for the 119th Congress

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Announces Subcommittee Assignments

Press Release: Chair Walberg Celebrates House Passage of Bill to Protect Women’s Sports

Press Release: WATCH: Chairman Walberg on Protecting Women’s Sports

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Delivers Remarks at Organizing Meeting for 119th Congress

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Welcomes Democratic Committee Members for the 119th Congress

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Slams Outgoing ED’s Student Loan Swan Song

Press Release: New Report: Pandemic-era COBRA Subsidies Provided Critical Health Coverage Amidst Historic Job Losses

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Statement on December Jobs Report

January 15: Full Committee Organizing Meeting for 119^th Congress

2175 Rayburn and via YouTube

10:15 a.m. EST

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Celebrates Federal Court’s Decision to Protect Title IX

Press Release: Chair Walberg Welcomes Education and Workforce Committee Members

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: The Biden-⁠Harris Administration Record

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on Approving Student Debt Cancellation for Over 5 Million Americans

White House Press Release: Executive Order on Advancing United States Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure

White House Press Release: Statement by President Biden on the Executive Order on Advancing U.S. Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure

White House Press Release: Statement by Vice President Harris on the Executive Order on Advancing U.S. Leadership in Artificial Intelligence

White House Press Release: Statement from President Joe Biden on the December 2024 Jobs Report

White House Press Release: Statement From President Biden on a Record 21 Million New Business Applications

White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: Bident-Harris Administration Announces that Americans have Filed a Record 21 Million New Business Applications Since Taking Office

White House Press Release: President Joe Biden to Deliver Farewell Address to the Nation

White House Press Release: FACT SHEET: Ensuring U.S. Security and Economic Strength in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Announces Finding of Insufficient Evidence Regarding UCLA’s Response to Alleged Antisemitic Harassment

ED Blog: Six Innovations to Strengthen the STEM Educator Workforce

ED Blog: Aligning Noncredit Workforce with Credit Programs

ED Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Surpasses 5 Million Borrowers Approved for Student Loan Forgiveness

DOL Press Release: Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su on December jobs report

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor announces $25M in available funding to support pre-release training, employment services to incarcerated people

GAO Report: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Enhanced Reporting Could Improve HHS Oversight of State Spending

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.28 — Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025

Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17] (Introduced 01/03/2025) Cosponsors: (83)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/14/2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Press Release: Steube’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act Passes U.S. House in Bipartisan Vote

H.R.266 — To modify the Federal TRIO programs.

Sponsor: Davidson, Warren [Rep.-R-OH-8] (Introduced 01/09/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/09/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.297 — To prohibit the availability of Federal funds to institutions of higher education that conduct painful biomedical research on dogs and cats.

Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11] (Introduced 01/09/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/09/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.266 — To modify the Federal TRIO programs.

Sponsor: Davidson, Warren [Rep.-R-OH-8] (Introduced 01/09/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/09/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.336 — To amend the Head Start Act to permit some teachers in Early Head Start programs to teach while earning a child development associate credential.

Sponsor: Ciscomani, Juan [Rep.-R-AZ-6] (Introduced 01/13/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/13/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.353 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to enhance the child tax credit, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Moore, Blake D. [Rep.-R-UT-1] (Introduced 01/13/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 01/13/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.369 — To provide for the elimination of the Department of Education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rouzer, David [Rep.-R-NC-7] (Introduced 01/13/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/13/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.406 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education, as a condition of participation in programs under title IV of such Act, to include a prohibition of antisemitic conduct in all documents relating to student or employee conduct.

Sponsor: Yakym, Rudy [Rep.-R-IN-2] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/15/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.422 — To establish Federal research award reimbursement limits for indirect costs for institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Cline, Ben [Rep.R-VA-6] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology; Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/15/2025 Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of…

H.R.446 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the rate of the excise tax on investment income of private colleges and universities.

Sponsor: Nehl, Troy [Rep.R-TX-22] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Ways and Means

Latest Action: House – 01/15/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.455 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the award of Federal funds to institutions of higher education that employ instructors funded by the Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.R-FL-17] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/15/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.468 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the award of Federal funds to institutions of higher education that employ instructors funded by the Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Velázquez, Nydia M. [Rep.D-NY-7] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (5)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/15/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.Res.47 — Concerning the National Collegiate Athletic Association policy for eligibility in women’s sports.

Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17] (Introduced 01/15/2025) Cosponsors: (12)

Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Latest Action: House – 01/15/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce

S.Res.22 — A resolution concerning the National Collegiate Athletic Association policy for eligibility in women’s sports.

Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN] (Introduced 01/13/2025) Cosponsors: (11)

Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Latest Action: Senate – 01/13/2025 Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

DOL Comment Request: Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant Program Round 4 (SCC4) Evaluation, New Collection. Comments due on or before January 21, 2024.

DOL Comment Request: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Common Performance Reporting. Comments due on or before February 5, 2025.

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.

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

ED Grant Notice: Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs

ED Notice: Direct Grant Programs, State-Administered Formula Grant Programs; Withdrawal

ED Notice: Sex-Related Eligibility Criteria for Male and Female Athletic Teams; Withdrawal

ED Notice: Program Integrity and Institutional Quality: State Authorization, Cash Management, Accreditation and Related Issues

ED Notice: Student Debt Relief Based on Hardship for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans), the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins) Program, and the Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program; Withdrawal

ED Final Rule: Program Integrity and Institutional Quality: Distance Education and Return of Title IV, HEA Funds

ED Notice: Improving Income Driven Repayment for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program; Correction

ED Notice: Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment: Earnings Thresholds for Calculation Year 2024

HHS Notice: Final Scientific Integrity Policy; Withdrawal

ED Final Rule: Income-Contingent Repayment Plan Options

HHS Notice: Strengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as a Safety Net and Work Program; Withdrawal.

NSF Notice: 2025 National Survey of College Graduates