Compiled By Dina Paul

CONGRESS

House GOP leadership released a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the government through March 28. This bill includes a GOP proposal to require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) postponed the vote on this bill until next week.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) published a Dear Colleague Letter, sharing that the Senate aims to avoid a government shutdown by passing a CR free from “poison pills or Republican extremism.” The letter also urged the House to take up the Senate passed Kids Online Safety Act and Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act legislation.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee marked up several education-related bills. The Committee passed H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, on a 28 to 2 vote; H.R. 7233, the Jenna Quinn Law of 2024, on a 33 to 0 vote; and H.R. 736, the PROTECT Kids Act, on a 22 to 12 vote, advancing the bills to the House floor for consideration.

A bipartisan group of twenty Senators sent a letter to the Department of Education (ED) asking for an extension on the deadline for reporting under the agency’s new gainful employment regulations.

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology marked up several artificial intelligence-related education and workforce bills. The Committee passed H.R. 9402, the NSF AI Education Act of 2024; H.R.9403, the Expanding AI Voices Act; H.R.9197, the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act; H.R.9215, the Workforce for AI Trust Act; H.R.5077, the CREATE AI Act of 2023; H.R.9497, the AI Advancement and Reliability Act;  H.R.9466, the AI Development Practices Act of 2024; and H.R.9211, the LIFT AI Act, all on voice votes, advancing the bills to the House floor for consideration.

ADMINISTRATION

ED released additional information about the forthcoming beta testing phases for the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, which ED has stated will be accessible to all students and contributors by December 1 or earlier.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardano sent a letter to principals nationwide emphasizing the importance of proper gun storage.

COURTS

Navient agreed to a $120 million settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding allegations that it illegally serviced federal student loans.

EVENTS

September 17: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee Hearing on “Back to School: Shedding Light on Risks and Harm in the Private Student Lending and Servicing Market.”

September 18: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee Hearing on “Keeping Kids Learning in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.”