A quick look back at the news from last week. Compiled by Penn Hill Group.

HOUSE and SENATE

Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) were sworn into the Senate on Wednesday providing Democrats, due to the swearing in of Vice President Harris, to be recognized as of the majority party in the Senate.

ADMINISTRATION

The Trump Administration’s 1776 Commission released a report summarizing its findings. President Biden subsequently issued an Executive Order to rescind President Trump’s 1776 Commission.

President Joe Biden was sworn into office Wednesday as the 46^th President of the United States.

President Biden issued a directive to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to continue the period of no interest, no payments and no collections for Federal student loans through September of this year.

President Biden signed an Executive Order on racial equity that also rescinded the Trump Administration’s “Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping” Executive Order.

President Biden issued a memorandum stating his support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and an Executive Order rescinding the travel ban President Trump had placed on certain Muslim-majority countries.

President Biden issued an Executive Order to implement the June 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision which established that protections against employment discrimination based on sex, as prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, apply to issues of discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

President Biden signed an Executive Order on Federal food benefits that will increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Pandemic EBT benefits.

President Biden nominated Cindy Marten, current Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, to be U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education.

President Biden issued a national strategy to deal with COVID-19, which involves steps to reopen K-12 schools and institutions of higher education (IHEs) to in-person learning.

ED announced a group of political appointees for several offices at the agency.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Penn Hill Group provides a list of grant opportunities and summaries for select grants. Please visit our website for more information.