CONGRESS

Earlier this week, Congressional leadership released bill text for a package that included a continuing resolution (CR) through March 14, 2025, disaster relief, additional farm aid (including an extension of the Farm bill through September 2025), Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Older Americans Act (OAA) reauthorization measures, $500 million for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and a provision that would permit Federal Student Aid (FSA) to spend at a rate necessary to ensure continuity in servicing and other matters. This measure was ultimately not voted upon by the House. Subsequently House Republicans released a new package that included a CR through March 14, 2025, disaster aid relief (including aid for farmers), an extension of the nation’s debt ceiling, and the Farm bill, CCDBG and FSA provisions described above. This measure was voted on by the House yesterday (Thursday) under the suspension of the rules procedure where it failed to get the 2/3rds vote necessary for passage. Notably, this package did not include legislation reauthorizing WIOA or OAA. As of the time this Wrap Up was published, the House has yet to take further action on a CR, but additional votes in the House were expected today (Friday).

POLITICO reported that Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) was reelected as Ranking Member for the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), House Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and several House Committee Chairs issued a report on antisemitism on college campuses.

The House cleared S.1147, the Jenna Quinn Law, and S. 3448, the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act, under suspension of the rules. The two bills now await President Biden’s signature to become law.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) reopened the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Federal student loan repayment plans for borrower enrollment.

ED announced that an additional $4.28 billion in loan forgiveness has been issued under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. ED stated that, with this action, $180 billion in total loan forgiveness has been issued by the Biden Administration, including $78 billion for over one million borrowers through the PSLF program.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget concluded the review of an ED final rule pertaining to distance education, return of Title IV funds and Federal TRIO programs. This final rule could be published in the coming days in the Federal Register.

ED issued several notices announcing its intent to withdraw and terminate proceedings regarding different regulations. These include: (1) two proposed regulations pertaining to loan forgiveness due to borrower hardship and the ability of ED to waive loan repayment in certain circumstances; (2) three proposed regulations related to state authorization, cash management, and accreditation; the proposed regulation pertaining to Title IX and athletics; and the proposed regulation that would have rescinded regulations issued in 2020 regarding religious student organizations at institutions of higher education. These notices are scheduled to be formally published in the Federal Register on Thursday, December 26.