CONGRESS

The Senate Appropriations Committee held a Full Committee markup of its fiscal year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health, Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill. The Committee passed the bill on a 25 to 3 vote, sending it to the Senate floor. The bill text can be found here. The Committee report can be found here.

ADMINISTRATION      

The Departments of Education (ED), Justice and Homeland Security held a virtual convening to support campuses as they prepare for the return of students this Fall in dealing with antisemitic and other hate-based incidents.

ED released several Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)-related updates, including on Social Security Number flexibilities, batch corrections and processing paper forms.

ED announced that it will begin emailing all borrowers with at least one outstanding Federally held student loan to provide updates on potential student debt relief, and to inform them they have until August 30 to call their servicer and opt out if they do not want this relief.

ED released a new resource guide titled “Free To Learn: Leading Inclusive Learning Environments in Higher Education,” which aims to “foster safe and inclusive campuses through the Israel-Hamas conflict and beyond.”

ED’s Office for Civil Rights held a briefing in which it shared resources regarding Title IX implementation and highlighted that the Department’s 2020 Title IX Final Rule will remain in effect in States and schools currently being impacted by 2024 Title IX preliminary injunctions.

The Administration announced new Artificial Intelligence (AI) actions and additional sign-on of Apple to voluntary commitments on AI.

The Administration released an implementation roadmap for the U.S. Government’s May 2023 National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology.

COURTS

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) proposed a settlement to U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken regarding three antitrust lawsuits that enforce restrictions on pay and benefits for college athletes.

An Alabama District Court Judge decided against issuing a preliminary injunction on the Biden Administration’s Title IX rule in the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The following day, this decision was reversed by an appellate court order, meaning that these States are now 4 of 26 in which the Title IX rule is blocked from being implemented.