CONGRESS

On February 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination of Linda McMahon to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education.

The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services on a 52 to 48 vote.

The Senate Budget Committee passed its fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget resolution by an 11 to 10 vote.

The House Budget Committee released its text of an FY 2025 budget resolution and subsequently passed it by a 21 to 16 vote.

The House Education and Workforce Committee held a markup of several education-related bills. The House passed H.R. 1048, the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, on a 20 to 14 vote; H.R. 649, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, on a 24 to 10 vote; H.R. 1069, the Promoting Responsible Oversight to Eliminate Communist Teachings (PROTECT) Our Kids Act, on a 21 to 13 vote; H.R. 1005, the Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems (CLASS) Act, on a 20 to 14 vote; and H.R. 1049, the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education (TRACE) Act, on a 20 to 13 vote. These bills will now proceed to the House floor.

ADMINISTRATION

President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Implementing The President’s “’Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.”

President Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission.”

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it canceled numerous Institute of Education Sciences (IES) contracts. Subsequently, ED also canceled additional contracts for Regional Educational Laboratories and Equity Assistance Centers.

ED announced that numerous discretionary grants have been canceled, stating that there were conflicts with Administration positions on diversity, equity and inclusion and other priorities.

ED announced several new nominations, including Nicholas Kent as Under Secretary, Jennifer Mascott as General Counsel, Kirsten Baesler as Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Kevin O’Farrell as Assistant Secretary for Career and Technical Education and Mary Christina Riley as Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs.

ED sent a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), encouraging them to “restore to female athletes the records, titles, awards, and recognitions misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories.”

ED agreed to block the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing student loan data through the National Student Loan Data System and related systems and databases until February 17.

ED rescinded the Title IX guidance issued by the Biden Administration on payments made by institutions for Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) to college athletes.

ED’s Office for Civil Rights launched investigations into the Minnesota State High School League and the California Interscholastic Federation, regarding sports participation and potential Title IX violations.

ED reversed reporting and compliance requirements under the Biden-Harris Administration regarding Career and Technical Education.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released guidance lowering the maximum indirect cost rate research institutions can charge the Federal government to 15 percent.

The Trump Administration has initiated layoffs at several Federal agencies, including ED.

COURTS

A Federal judge in Washington, DC dismissed a case regarding DOGE’s access to U.S. Department of Labor data.

A Federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the Trump Administration is not in full compliance with his court order on ending the Federal funding freeze and subsequently ordered the Trump Administration to “immediately restore frozen funding” and “immediately end any federal funding pause.”

A Federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily blocked the NIH indirect cost policy change.

A Federal judge in Massachusetts lifted the temporary block on the Trump Administration’s plan to offer buyouts to the Federal workforce.

A Federal judge in Washington, DC temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s action to suspend, pause or prevent obligation through contracts, grants and cooperative agreements of U.S. foreign development assistance.

EVENTS

Penn Hill Group plans on providing clients with a summary of the following events next week:

February 19: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Full Committee Hearing titled “Nomination of Lori M. Chavez-DeRemer to serve as Secretary of Labor.”

February 19: Senate Judiciary Full Committee Hearing titled “Children’s Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps.”

February 20: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Full Committee Executive Session on the Nomination of Linda McMahon to serve as Secretary of Education.