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

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) shared new data showing that over 1800 institutions of higher education (IHEs) have nonpayment rates (defined as 90 days delinquent) at or exceeding 25 percent and issued guidance to IHEs on improving their institutional default management and prevention plans.

ED’s Office for Civil Rights announced that it has reached 31 resolution agreements with IHEs to end their partnerships with The Ph.D. Project.

An ED spokesperson announced that the agency would not implement current aspects of how the agency defines “underrepresented” in the McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program after plaintiffs dropped a lawsuit on the matter. The spokesperson also stated that ED would change corresponding regulations

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

Congress Gave MSIs Funding, but Uncertainty Looms [Inside Higher Ed]

Why the Education Department Wants to Sell Off the Student-Loan Portfolio [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Congress green-lights education interagency agreements — with reservations [Higher Ed Dive]

Survey: How High Schoolers Are Using AI in College Search [Inside Higher Ed]
EAB Report: “How Students View and Use AI in College Search Insights from a Survey of 5,000+ High School Students”

ED Warns Colleges With High Student Loan Nonrepayment Rates [Inside Higher Ed]

Trump administration expands efforts to dismantle the Education Department [POLITICO]

Why so many high schoolers take college courses — and their warnings for others [The Washington Post]

Education Department puts pressure on colleges ahead of upcoming student loan changes [The Hill]

Health Care Groups Form Coalition to Fight Loan Caps [Inside Higher Ed]

New education loan limits favor RFK Jr.’s enemies [POLITICO]

U.S. Plans to Stop Funding Low-Earning Degrees. Indiana May Just End Them. [Inside Higher Ed]

The National Campaign to Change America’s Mind About Higher Ed [Inside Higher Ed]

Trump administration drops appeal over its $1.2B demand from UC system [Higher Ed Dive]

31 Colleges Agree to End Partnerships With PhD Project [Inside Higher Ed]

University of Texas System adopts new teaching limits despite faculty concerns [Higher Ed Dive]

Trump Administration Agrees to End Race-Based Criteria for McNair Grant [Inside Higher Ed]

College fundraising faces scrutiny after latest batch of Epstein files [The Hill]

University of Texas System considers restrictions on ‘controversial’ teaching [Higher Ed Dive]

What Trump’s Top Higher-Ed Official Has in Mind for College Accreditation [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
February 26: Full Committee Mark Up of S. 1602, S. 1558, S. 3747, S. 1782, S. 1552, S. 3315
430 Dirksen and via webcast
10:00 a.m. ET

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Chair Walberg Statement on President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union

Press Release: Kiley Holds Hearing on Teaching in the AI Age

Press Release: Mackenzie Holds Hearing on Paid Leave

Press Release: Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on AI in Teacher Preparation

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Opening Remarks at Hearing on Paid Leave

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on “Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age”

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on “Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Innovative Approaches to Paid Leave”

Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
February 25: Committee Hearing on “From Fraud to Recovery: Restoring Integrity in Small Business Programs”
Witnesses: Mr. William “Bill” Kirk, Inspector General, U.S. Small Business Administration; and Mr. Kenneth Dieffenbach, Executive Director, Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).
428A Russell Senate Office Building
2:30 p.m. EST

House Committee on Small Business
Press Release: Committee on Small Business Holds Hearing to Highlight Career and Technical Education Programs

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Hearing on “Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success”

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Kiley to Hold Hearing on Teaching in the AI Age — Tomorrow 2:00 PM

February 24: Subcommittee Hearing on “Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age”
Witnesses to be announced.
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
2:00 p.m. EST

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Senator Murray Statement on Secretary McMahon’s Newest Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education and Jeopardize Support for Students

House Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Committee Announces LHHS Public Witness Testimony Submission Instructions

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
February 24: Subcommittee Hearing on “Powering America’s AI Future: Assessing Policy Options to Increase Data Center Infrastructure”
Witnesses: Ms. Paige Lambermont, Research Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute; Mr. Marsden Hanna, Head of Energy and Sustainability Policy, Global Affairs Team, Google, LLC; and Dr. Eric Masanet, Professor and Mellichamp Chair in Sustainability Science for Emerging Technologies, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara.
2318 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:00 a.m. EST

Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
February 25: Committee Hearing on “ From Fraud to Recovery: Restoring Integrity in Small Business Programs”
Witnesses: Mr. William “Bill” Kirk, Inspector General, U.S. Small Business Administration; and Mr. Kenneth Dieffenbach, Executive Director, Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).
428A Russell Senate Office Building
2:30 p.m. EST

House Committee on Small Business
Press Release: Committee on Small Business Activity: The Week of February 23rd

February 24: Full Committee Hearing on “Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success”
Witnesses to be announced.
2360 Rayburn or via webcast.
10:00 a.m. EST

House Majority Leader
Press Release: Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Preview – Week of February 23, 2026

Senate Majority Leader
Press Release: After a Sharp Reversal of Democrat Policies, Inflation Is Subsiding and Americans Have More Money in Their Pockets

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Statement on Universities Capitulating to the Trump Administration’s Illegal Demands

Press Release: NEW: Government Watchdog Agency Reveals that Disabled Job Seekers Still Face Challenges Accessing Federal Workforce Programs

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: NEXT WEEK: Senate HELP Committee to Vote on Bills Improving Americans’ Access to Quality Education, Health Care

House Committee on Education and Workforce
February 24: Subcommittee Hearing on “Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Innovative Approaches to Paid Leave”
Witnesses to be announced.
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:15 a.m. EST

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: House Democrats Press ED on Negative Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Students

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Wall Street Journal Editorial Board on CBO Baseline: ‘A Warning to Congress’

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Press Release: SST Leaders Request GAO Review of Federal and State AI Regulations

Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: First Lady Melania Trump’s State of the Union Guests Reflect Her Impact on Education, Tech, and the Foster Community

ED Press Release: Secretary McMahon Celebrates Golden Age of Education

GAO Report: Federal Agency Workforce Changes: Update for January to June 2025

IES Press Release: New Toolkit Supports Educators in Implementing the Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades Practice Guide

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Partnerships to Break Up the Federal Education Bureaucracy

DOL Report: US Department of Labor report to Congress shows continued growth of employee ownership, details initiative to promote worker-owned businesses

IES Blog: Exploring Writing Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments

ED Blog: Employer-Educator Partnerships and Industry Credentials Can Transform America’s Workforce

GAO Report: Workforce Innovation And Opportunity Act: Actions Needed to Ensure People with Disabilities Can Access DOL Job Programs

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Secures 31 Agreements with Colleges and Universities to End Partnerships with The Ph.D. Project

White House Press Release: President Trump Celebrates Black History Month: Advancing Opportunity and Prosperity for Every American

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Urges Institutions of Higher Education to Implement Best Practices to Reduce Default Rates

DOL Press Release: US Department of Labor launches open data portal to enhance access to labor data

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.982 — Warriors to Workforce Act
Sponsor: Van Orden, Derrick [Rep.-R-WI-3] (Introduced 02/05/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 02/24/2026 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.1965 — Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act
Sponsor: Vasquez, Gabe [Rep.-D-NM-2] (Introduced 03/06/2025) Cosponsors: (27)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 02/24/2026 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.3679 — Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act
Sponsor: Collins, Mike [Rep.-R-GA-10] (Introduced 06/03/2025) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology | Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee Report: H. Rept. 119-503
Latest Action: Senate – 02/24/2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

H.R.5436 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit an educational institution from withholding a transcript from an individual who pursued a course or program of education at such institution using Post-9/11 educational assistance.
Sponsor: Mannion, John W. [Rep.-D-NY-22] (Introduced 09/17/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 02/24/2026 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.7103 — Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act
Sponsor: Hamadeh, Abraham J. [Rep.-R-AZ-8] (Introduced 01/15/2026) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services
Latest Action: House – 02/24/2026 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.7660 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand the definition of a historically Black college or university to include schools established prior to November 8, 1965, so long as such schools meet all other required criteria, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: McCormick, Richard [Rep.-R-GA-7] (Introduced 02/24/2026) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 02/24/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.3679 — Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act
Sponsor: Collins, Mike [Rep.-R-GA-10] (Introduced 06/03/2025) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology
Committee Report: H. Rept. 119-503
Latest Action: House – 02/23/2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

H.R.5235 — Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act
Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1] (Introduced 09/09/2025) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Action: House – 02/23/2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Notice: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.

ACL Grant Notice: University Centers for Developmental Disabilities in Education, Research, and Service.

ED Comment Request: Cash Management Contract URL Collection. Comments due on or before April 24, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Federal Perkins Loan Program Regulations. Comments due on or before April 24, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Report of the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program. Comments due on or before April 24, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Student Assistance General Provisions-Subpart J-Approval of Independently Administered Tests. Comments due on or before April 24, 2026.

DOL Comment Request: Job Corps Application Data. Comments due on or before March 25, 2026.

OPM Notice: Hiring Authority for Post-Secondary Students

Today’s Federal Register.