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

ADMINISTRATION

This week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) held its second session of the Accreditation, Innovation and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking sessions and reached consensus. ED said that it will publish a final rule on the accreditation regulations before November 1, 2026, and the rule will be applicable by July 1, 2027.

ED released the final Workforce Pell Grant rule, developed through the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated rulemaking committee.

ED announced they were reallocating fiscal year 2026 funds that Congress appropriated for certain Minority-Serving Institutions to the Strengthening Institutions program.

ED announced the initial round of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for recent regulations pertaining to student loans and Pell Grants stemming from H.R. 1 (often referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act or the Working Families Tax Cuts Act); an email tool for submitting questions on the changes made by H.R. 1 and its regulations; and a series of webinars and virtual office hours on related topics.

CONGRESS

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) lost his primary election.

Republican leaders in the House and Senate launched investigations into nine universities over concerns related to research security and institutional financial ties to China.

The Senate failed to advance S.J. Res 182 by voice vote. The Congressional Review Act resolution would have overturned the Administration’s final rule modifying the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

The House passed H.R. 2616, the Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their Kids (PROTECT Kids) Act, by a 217 to 198 vote.

The House Committee on Education and Workforce held a markup of H.R. 8736, the Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act, and H.R. 8705, the Civics and History Advancement to Restore Learning, Integrity, and Education (CHARLIE) Act, as well as other bills. The former bill was passed by the Committee by an 18 to 15 vote, while the latter was passed by a 19 to 15 vote.

COURTS

A coalition of 25 States filed a lawsuit against ED, challenging new Federal student loan caps for graduate and professional programs.

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

Warren requests GAO investigation into Education Department layoffs [Higher Ed Dive]

Teachers’ Union’s AI Plan Calls for ‘Big Tech Tax,’ Screen Bans in Elementary Schools [Education Week]

Before Deploying AI in Admissions, Ask Why [Inside Higher Ed]

How Diverse Are Student Populations on College Campuses in the U.S.? [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Earnings Test Gets Mixed Reviews in Public Comments [Inside Higher Ed]

Student Loan Repayments Are Being Overhauled. What Borrowers Should Know [The New York Times]

Why Advocates Want a $200 Increase to the Pell Grant [Inside Higher Ed]

This big university system is embracing AI. Students and faculty aren’t all on board [NPR]

Trump’s Accreditation Overhaul Advances [Inside Higher Ed]

Education Department proposal would erode student protections, critics warn [Higher Ed Dive]

Education Department Reallocates Minority-Serving Institution Funds Again [Inside Higher Ed]

UT System makes it easier to shutter programs, fire faculty [Higher Ed Dive]

Oregon Considers Ending Free College [Inside Higher Ed]

States sue over Education Department’s professional student definition [Higher Ed Dive]

AAAS Calls for Confirmation Hearing for NSF Director [Inside Higher Ed]

GOP-Backed Civics Schools Have Proliferated. Now This One Wants to ‘Expand Its Impact.’ [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

House Committee on Appropriations
June 5: Subcommittee Markup on “Fiscal Year 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill and Fiscal Year 2027 Homeland Security Bill”
H-140 Capitol Complex and via webcast.
8:00 a.m. ET

House Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Chairman Arrington on Squawk Box: Republicans are prepared for Reconciliation 3.0

House Committee on Ways and Means
Press Release: Ways and Means-Approved Policies Fight Fraud In Critical Safety Net Programs

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: @EdWorkforceCmte Passes Five Bills on Disability Employment, Civics Education, Health Care, and Retirement Security

Press Release: Chairman Walberg Delivers Remarks at Markup of Bills on Disability Employment, Civics Education, Health Care, and Retirement Security

Press Release: Ranking Member Scott Condemns Republicans’ Decision to Advance Divisive Legislation

Press Release: House Democrats Urge ED to Protect Student Borrowers from Fraudulent, Predatory Programs

Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Full Committee Markup on H.R. 8736, H.R. 8705, H.R. 7362, H.R. 7895, & H.R. 8684

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health”

House Majority Leader
Press Release: The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: @EdWorkforceCmte to Mark Up Bills Spanning Civics Education and Health Care — Tomorrow at 10:15

May 21: Full Committee Markup on H.R. 8736, H.R. 8705, H.R. 7362, H.R. 7895, & H.R. 8684
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:15 a.m. ET

Senate Committee on Appropriations
May 21: Subcommittee Hearing on “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health”
Witness: The Honorable Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., Director, National Institutes of Health

House Committee on Ways and Means
Statements and Webcast from Yesterday’s Subcommittee Hearing on How the Working Families Tax Cuts Delivered for Americans.

Department of Education and the Administration

White House Press Release: Trump Administration’s Full-Scale War on Fraud

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Reaches Consensus to Reform and Strengthen America’s Higher Education Accreditation System

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Make Historic Grant Investments in Programs that Bolster Postsecondary Outcomes

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.7891 — Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026
Sponsor: Thompson, Glenn [Rep.-R-PA-15] (Introduced 03/12/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/26/2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 582.

H.R.7892 — No Aid for Ghost Students Act of 2026
Sponsor: Owens, Burgess [Rep.-R-UT-4] (Introduced 03/12/2026) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/26/2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 583.

H.R.8684 — Transparency in Billing Act of 2026
Sponsor: Foxx, Virginia [Rep.-R-NC-5] (Introduced 05/07/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/21/2026 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 34 – 0.

H.R.8736 — Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act
Sponsor: Grothman, Glenn [Rep.-R-WI-6] (Introduced 05/12/2026) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/21/2026 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 – 15.

H.R.8978 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Mannion, John W. [Rep.-D-NY-22] (Introduced 05/21/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/21/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.J.Res.189 — Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to “Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations”.
Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1] (Introduced 05/21/2026) Cosponsors: (47)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/21/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R.1391 — Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act of 2025
Sponsor: Ramirez, Delia C. [Rep.-D-IL-3] (Introduced 02/14/2025) Cosponsors: (10)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Committee Hearings Held

H.R.2616 — PROTECT Kids Act
Sponsor: Walberg, Tim [Rep.-R-MI-5] (Introduced 04/03/2025) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Committee Report: H. Rept. 119-441
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

H.R.2722 — VA Funding and Workforce Protection Act
Sponsor: Kennedy, Timothy M. [Rep.-D-NY-26] (Introduced 04/08/2025) Cosponsors: (26)
Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Committee Hearings Held

H.R.2804 — Protecting Small Business Competitions Act of 2025
Sponsor: Velázquez, Nydia M. [Rep.-D-NY-7] (Introduced 04/09/2025) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House – Small Business
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 – 0.

H.R.6162 — Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025
Sponsor: Stansbury, Melanie A. [Rep.-D-NM-1] (Introduced 11/19/2025) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Natural Resources
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 577.

H.R.8881 — SBA Artificial Intelligence Utilization Act of 2026
Sponsor: Finstad, Brad [Rep.-R-MN-1] (Introduced 05/19/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Small Business
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 – 0.
Press Release: Finstad Applauds Committee Passage of the SBA Artificial Intelligence Utilization Act of 2026

H.R.8882 — Main Street Competes Act
Sponsor: Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3] (Introduced 05/19/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Small Business
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 – 0.

H.R.8925 — To require the Secretary of Defense to align the Job Corps program with the defense industrial base, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Courtney, Joe [Rep.-D-CT-2] (Introduced 05/20/2026) Cosponsors: (14)
Committees: House – Armed Services; Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, 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 the committee concerned.

H.R.8937 — To direct the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award competitive grants to eligible partnerships to establish, expand, or support career and technical education programs of study in early childhood education.
Sponsor: McBath, Lucy [Rep.-D-GA-6] (Introduced 05/20/2026) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce
Latest Action: House – 05/20/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

S.4578 — A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a career pathways grant program.
Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH] (Introduced 05/20/2026) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 05/20/2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Senators Hassan, Young, Collins, and Kaine Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Workforce Training and Business Partnerships

S.4597 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award competitive grants to eligible partnerships to establish, expand, or support career and technical education programs of study in early childhood education.
Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR] (Introduced 05/20/2026) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 05/20/2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Merkley, McBath Lead Bipartisan Bill to Tackle Child Care Workforce Shortage

S.4611 — A bill to provide for alignment of the Job Corps with the defense industrial base, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Reed, Jack [Sen.-D-RI] (Introduced 05/20/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 05/20/2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.J.Res.182 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to “William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program”.
Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA] (Introduced 04/13/2026) Cosponsors: (33)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 05/20/2026 Motion to proceed to consideration of measure rejected in Senate by Voice Vote.
Press Release: Kaine, Gillibrand & Booker Slam Vote Allowing Politicization of Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

ED Comment Request: Federal Perkins Loan Program Regulations. Comments due on or before June 26, 2026.

ACF NPRM: Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden for Family Assistance Programs. Comments due on or before June 25, 2026.

ED Comment Request: 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Comments due on or before June 25, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Consolidated State Performance Report. Comments due on or before July 27, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult Education. Comments due on or before July 27, 2026.

NSF Comment Request: Agency Information Collection Activities. Comments are due on or before May 22. 2026.

NSF Notice: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) Program. Comments are due on or before May 22, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program. Applications are due on or before June 23, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Open Textbook Pilot Program. Applications are due on or before June 23, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program. Applications are due on or before June 23, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Strengthening Institutions Program FY 2026 Competition. Applications are due on or before June 23, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs. Applications are due on or before July 6, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCU) Research and Development Infrastructure Grants Program. Applications are due on or before June 23, 2026.

ED Grant Notice: Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program. Applications are due on or before June 23, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Case Service Report (RSA-911). Comments due on or before July 20, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Measuring Educational Gain in the National Reporting System for Adult Education. Comments due on or before June 22, 2026.

Today’s Federal Register.