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) announced four new interagency agreements regarding the transfer of the Office for Civil Rights, ED’s student privacy office and training and advisory services functions to the U.S. Department of Justice and the transfer of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

ED announced that Federal student loan borrowers enrolled in auto pay will be eligible for a 1 percent interest rate reduction beginning July 1.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Implementing Schedule Policy/Career in the Excepted Service.” The related fact sheet can be found here.

CONGRESS

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a markup of S. 4668, the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 and favorably reported the bill to the full Senate by a 19 to 9 vote.

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

Inspector General Details ED Cuts From Early Days of Trump’s Second Term [Inside Higher Ed]

Senators brace for another government shutdown after spending talks stall [The Hill]

Private Lenders Expected to Fill Loan Limit Gap—for Some [Inside Higher Ed]

What Today’s College Students Need That Previous Generations Didn’t [The 74]

Duration-of-Status Rule Change Clears White House Review [Inside Higher Ed]

A new site tracks foreign gifts to colleges. Is it misleading? [Higher Ed Dive]

The Medical School Boom [Inside Higher Ed]

Colleges are accepting transfer credits from online platforms that aren’t schools [The Washington Post]

Education Department cuts student loan interest rate [Associated Press]

What Is FAFSA Fraud, and Why Is Congress Working to Stamp It Out? [Inside Higher Ed]

Professors Can Teach About Race in Kansas — If They Follow These Rules [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Proposed Massachusetts High School Grad Requirements Push FAFSA Filing [Inside Higher Ed]

House Democrat Seeks to Impeach McMahon [Inside Higher Ed]

Colleges know public trust has plummeted, and leaders are seeking a fix [The Washington Post]

ED Backs Out of Some Sessions at NASFAA Conference [Inside Higher Ed]

Iowa state board to review university gen eds for ‘substantial DEI’ and CRT [Higher Ed Dive]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Postponed: Senate HELP Committee to Consider Trump Nominees

June 25: Full Committee Executive Session to consider the nominations of Brett Matsumoto, of Maryland, to be Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor; James Macy, of Wisconsin, and David M. Prouty, of Maryland, each to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board; and Michael McDonald, of the District of Columbia, to be Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
430 Dirksen or via webcast.
9:45 a.m. ET

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Owens Announces Hearing on Apprenticeships – Tomorrow at 10:15

Press Release: @EdWorkforceCmte to Mark Up Bills to Combat Antisemitism, Protect Student Freedoms, Support Workers, and Increase Health Care Transparency

Press Release: Scott, Pocan, Hirono, Murray, Reed, Whitehouse Introduce Bill to Make College More Affordable, Double Pell Grant

June 24: Subcommittee Hearing on “Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
Witnesses: Ms. Jamie Angell; Mr. Joe Ross; Mr. John Ladd; and Ms. Natasha Sherwood.
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:15 a.m. ET

June 25: Full Committee Markup of H.R. 8476, H.R. 4795, H.R. 9203, H.R. 2555, H.R. 5505, H.R. 2332, H.R. 4122, H.R. 8822, H.R. 8823, H.R. 9381, & H.R. 9228
2175 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:15 a.m. ET

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Press Release: Ranking Member Lofgren Pushes for Public Hearing on Jim O’Neill as Next NSF Director

June 24: Subcommittee Hearing on “Safeguarding Federal Research Funds: The False Claims Act’s Role in Combating Grant Fraud”
Witnesses: Mr. Robert Steinau; Ms. Jennifer Springmann; and Ms. Brenna Jenny.
2318 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:00 a.m. ET

June 25: Full Committee Markup of H.R. 9341, H.R. 9363, H.R. 2385, H.R. 5351, H.R. 5584, H.R. 6461, H.R. 8893, H.R. 9333, H.R. 9334, and H.R. 9372
2318 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:00 a.m. ET

House Committee on Small Business
Press Release: Committee on Small Business Celebrates Seven Committee Bills Passed on the House Floor

June 25: Full Committee Hearing on “From Startup to Scale: The Role of the SBA Office of Investment and Innovation in Powering America’s Small Businesses”
Witnesses: TBD
2360 Rayburn and via webcast.
10:00 a.m. ET

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Chairman Walberg Leads Bill to Modernize Workforce Data for Age of AI

House Energy and Commerce
Press Release: E&C Democratic Leaders Raise Serious Concerns Over Scientific Integrity at NIH After New OMB Rule Politicizes Grantmaking

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Labor Leaders Demand EEOC Leadership Testify and Turn Over Important Documents Related to Workplace Demographic Reporting

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: Next Week: Senate HELP Committee to Consider Trump Nominees

House Committee on Education and Workforce
Press Release: Owens Announces Hearing on Apprenticeships

Department of Education and the Administration

ED Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Announces Student Loan Interest Rate Reduction

GAO Report: Federal Agency Workforce Changes: Update for July 2025 to January 2026

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.7401 — Small Business Lending Fraud Prevention Act
Sponsor: Meuser, Daniel [Rep.-R-PA-9] (Introduced 02/05/2026) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House – Small Business
Committee Report: H. Rept. 119-500
Latest Action: House – 06/23/2026 At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Williams (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.

H.R.9414 — To improve the structure of the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2] (Introduced 06/23/2026) Cosponsors: (40)
Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Budget
Latest Action: House – 06/23/2026 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 concerned.
Press Release: Pocan, Scott, Hirono, Murray, Reed, Whitehouse Introduce Bill to Make College More Affordable, Double Pell Grant

S.4859 — A bill to improve the structure of the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Hirono, Mazie K. [Sen.-D-HI] (Introduced 06/23/2026) Cosponsors: (25)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 06/23/2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Hirono, Murray, Reed, Whitehouse, Pocan, Scott Introduce Bill to Make College More Affordable, Double Pell Grant

S.Res.785 —A resolution celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of educational opportunities for all women and girls.
Sponsor: Hirono, Mazie K. [Sen.-D-HI] (Introduced 06/23/2026) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action: Senate – 06/23/2026 Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

H.R.9381 – A bill to direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics to report on the usage of artificial intelligence in the workplace
Sponsor: Walberg, Tim [Rep.-R-MI-05] (Introduced 06/22/2026) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Committee on Education and Workforce

S.4834 – A bill to limit expenditures for foreign student work authorizations, and for other purposes
Sponsors: Scott, Rick [Sen.-R-FL] (Introduced 06/18/2026) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Committee on the Judiciary
Press Release: Sen. Rick Scott Introduces Legislation to Defund Optional Practical Training Program, Prioritize American Workers

S.4834 – A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, and for other purposes
Sponsors: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT] (Introduced 06/18/2026) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate – Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Press Release: Blumenthal & Scott Lead Reintroduction of Bipartisan College Mental Health Legislation

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

NSF Comment Request: National Science Foundation Proposal/Award Information-NSF Guidance on Financial Assistance. Comments due on or before August 24, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Consolidation Loan Rebate Fee Report. Comments due on or before July 23, 2026.

ED Notice: Federal Direct Loan Program Regulations for Forbearance and Loan Rehabilitation Correction.

ED Comment Request: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, Federal Direct PLUS Loan Request for Supplemental Information. Comments due on or before August 23, 2026.

DOL Rule: Rescission of Affirmative Outreach Requirements for Recipients of WIOA Title I Financial Assistance.

ED Notice: 2026-2027 Award Year Deadline Dates for Reports and Other Records Associated with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG) Program, the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program, the Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant) Program, the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, and the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program.

ED Grant Notice: Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Program Competition. Applications due on or before July 15, 2026.

ED Comment Request: Federal Direct Loan Program Regulations for Forbearance and Loan Rehabilitation. Comments due on or before July 20, 2026.

ED Notice: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) & Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification and Application.

ED Notice: State Workforce Pell Program Certification; Correction.

Today’s Federal Register.