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

CONGRESS

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) fiscal year (FY) 2026 Appropriations bill. The bill was passed by a roll call vote of 26-3.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) filed cloture on the nomination of Nicolas Kent for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Under Secretary.

ADMINISTRATION

ED announced it would be releasing the remaining $5 billion of education funding for the five formula programs that the agency was withholding for review. Politico reported that the Administration has installed “guardrails” requiring programs to use the money in compliance with President Trump’s Executive Orders.

ED notified chief State school officers inviting them to implement existing statutory flexibilities and seek waivers from statutory and regulatory provisions by using the authority outlined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued guidance that further defined the Administration’s position on what practices and programs the DOJ has determined as discriminatory, including diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

ED Secretary Linda McMahon, at the National Governor’s Association Summer meeting, stated that implementation of Workforce Pell Grants will be jointly administered with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

The Administration reversed its decision to withhold the distribution of funds for the National Institutes of Health, ultimately releasing the money to the agency for research grants, training awards, and research and development contracts.

ED Secretary McMahon announced that President Trump’s Deputy Education Secretary nominee, Penny Schwinn, is withdrawing her nomination and will be taking on an advisory role at the Department of Education.

COURTS

Brown University announced a settlement with the Trump Administration to restore over $500 million in Federal research funding that had previously been frozen.

A Federal judge in New York blocked the Trump Administration’s cancellation of $175 million in National Endowment for the Humanities grants allegedly related to diversity, equity and inclusion; gender ideology; or environmental justice.

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

Higher ed groups ask Supreme Court to preserve lower court order to restore NIH grants [Higher Ed Dive]

Georgetown researcher targeted for deportation settles with Trump admin [Politico]

The College That’s Thriving Under Trump [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Western Accreditor Launches New ROI Tool [Inside Higher Ed]
Under Secretary Nicholas Kent Sets Priorities for Higher Ed [Inside Higher Ed]

How the Economic Case for International Students Lost Steam [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

With Grant Cuts, DOJ and Trump Are Pressuring UCLA to Make Deal [Inside Higher Ed]

U-Va. selects interim leader following former president’s resignation [The Washington Post]

States Create Trust Funds to Bolster Child Care and Early Childhood Education [The 74]

Trump administration cuts UCLA research funds [POLITICO]

George Mason board votes to end some DEI efforts, approve raise for president [The Washington Post]

Bleak Job Landscape for Today’s Degree Holders [Inside Higher Ed]

Federal cuts threaten a major career path for young adults [The Hechinger Report]

Senate Appropriators Reject Trump’s Deep Education Cuts [Inside Higher Ed]

Today is the last day for many Education Department workers. Here’s what they did [NPR]

Penny Schwinn Drops Bid to Serve as No. 2 in Education Department [Education Week]

Report: 150K fewer international students this fall? That’s what one analysis predicts. [Higher Ed Dive]

NAFSA Report: “Fall 2025 International Student Enrollment Outlook and Economic Impact”

Justice Department Declares DEI Unlawful [Inside Higher Ed]

‘Everything, everywhere, all at once’: How Trump has upended higher ed finance in 2025 [Higher Ed Dive]

Brown U.’s Deal With Trump Restores Research Funding Without Paying a Government Fine [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Trump administration freezes more than $100M in federal funding for Duke [The Hill]

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

Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Sanders, 12 Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Ensure Americans Can Access Safety Net and Public Assistance Programs Without Unnecessary Red Tape

House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Blog: ICYMI: Cornell University Discriminated Against Me

House Minority Leader
Press Release: Leader Jeffries Statement on Donald Trump Driving the Country Toward a Recession

Press Release: Leader Schumer And Leader Jeffries Demand Big Four Meeting To Discuss Bipartisan Appropriations Plan Ahead Of September Deadline

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: President Trump, Republicans Deliver Historic Wins in One Big Beautiful Bill, Reforming America’s Broken Higher Education System

House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Press Release: Chairman Walberg Statement on July Jobs Report

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Statement on July Jobs Report

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Introduces Bill to Lower Cost of College

House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Press Release: Walberg, Moolenaar, Stefanik Unveil New Harvard-CCP Ties

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Bill to Fund Key Health, Workforce, and Education Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee

Press Release: Government Watchdog Finds Trump Has Illegally Impounded Funding for 4th Time in Recent Weeks

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Markup of “Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Acts.”

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Non-Partisan Watchdog: President Trump and Russ Vought Continue to Steal from America’s Students and Schools

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Merkley Statement on Additional GAO Determination That Trump Administration Again Violated the Impoundment Control Act

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: GAO Once Again Finds Trump is Breaking the Law

House Minority Leader
Press Release: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON HISTORIC LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: New CBO Analysis Shows Trump Cuts to R&D Programs Will Harm the U.S. Economy

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Remarks by Director Kratsios at the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting

ED Press Release: Nicholas Kent Sworn in as 15th Under Secretary of Education

ED Press Release: Under Secretary Kent: Restoring American Greatness in Postsecondary Education

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Wagner College Has Entered into a Resolution Agreement to Resolve its Title IX Concerns

DOL Press Release: Secretary Chavez-DeRemer statement on July jobs report

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

White House Press Release: Nominations Sent to the Senate

ED Press Release: Secretary McMahon Statement on Brown University Deal

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.4893 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure that members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces receive appropriate credit toward public service loan forgiveness, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Magaziner, Seth [Rep.-D-RI-2] (Introduced 08/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 08/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.4902 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education from receiving gifts from or entering into contracts with foreign countries of concern.
Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17] (Introduced 08/05/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 08/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.4831 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to enhance enforcement with respect to material depicting obscene child sexual abuse or constituting child pornography, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Wagner, Ann [Rep.-R-MO-2] (Introduced 08/01/2025) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action: House – 08/01/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.4862 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to double the Pell Grant award amount, improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and reduce interest rates, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Scott, Robert C. “Bobby” [Rep.-D-VA-3] (Introduced 08/01/2025) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Budget
Latest Action: House – 08/01/2025 Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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…
Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Introduces Bill to Lower Cost of College

H.R.4867 — To provide lawful permanent resident status and authorized dual intent for certain doctoral degree holders.
Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13] (Introduced 08/01/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Judiciary
Latest Action: House – 08/01/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.4868 — To establish name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3] (Introduced 08/01/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary
Latest Action: House – 08/01/2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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…

S.2664 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish the qualifying workforce training project credit.
Sponsor: Ossoff, Jon [Sen.-D-GA] (Introduced 08/01/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Finance
Latest Action: Senate – 08/01/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.2296 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS] (Introduced 07/15/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Armed Services
Committee Reports: S. Rept. 119-39
Latest Action: Senate – 08/02/2025 Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate.

S.2587 — An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV] (Introduced 07/31/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Appropriations
Latest Action: Senate – 07/31/2025 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 140.

S.972 — Fairness in Veterans’ Education Act of 2025
Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN] (Introduced 03/11/2025) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: Senate – 07/30/2025 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

S.2555 — A bill to improve student and exchange visitor visa programs.
Sponsor: Tuberville, Tommy [Sen.-R-AL] (Introduced 07/30/2025) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Judiciary
Latest Action: Senate – 07/30/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Press Release: Tuberville Introduces Bill to Ban Chinese and Iranian Nationals from Studying in the United States

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Notice: Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Foreign Graduate Medical School Consumer Information Reporting Form

ED Notice: Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program Regs

ED Notice: Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

ED Notice: Annual Updates to the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan Formula for 2025-William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

ED Comment Request: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2026 Amendment #1. Comments due on or before September 3, 2025.

DOL Comment Request: Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program Round 4 (SCC4) Evaluation. Comments due on or before September 2, 2025.