HOUSE and SENATE House Democrats introduced a $3.4 billion Puerto Rico disaster relief bill, which includes $100 million to support education-related relief, in response to the recent earthquakes on the island. ADMINISTRATION The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the creation of a new civil rights enforcement unit aimed at helping schools “proactively” comply with […]

HOUSE and SENATE The House passed a Congressional Review Act resolution (H.J.Res.76) that would repeal the Administration’s recently finalized Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR) rule, leaving the Obama-era BDR rule in place, by a 231 to 180 vote. House Education and Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott (D-VA) invited U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to […]

HOUSE and SENATE Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) was sworn into office, replacing retired Senator Johnny Isakson. Senator Loeffler will also take over Senator Isakson’s seat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) announced that he will retire after his current term, which ends this year. Rep. Roe is […]

HOUSE and SENATE The House and Senate were in recess this week and will return next week. ADMINISTRATION The President signed the final Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations package (H.R.1865), which included Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations, into law. The President signed the Building Blocks of STEM Act (S.737) into law. […]

HOUSE and SENATE The House passed a modified version of the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act (H.R.5363) by a 319 to 96 vote, which the Senate subsequently passed by unanimous consent. The bill would permanently extend mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and require […]

HOUSE and SENATE The Senate passed, by unanimous consent, an amended version of the FUTURE Act that would permanently extend mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and require the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to automatically share tax information with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for the […]

HOUSE and SENATE The House and Senate were in recess this week and will return next week. House and Senate appropriators have reportedly reached an agreement on the final Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 302(b) appropriations allocations. However, the funding levels agreed upon have not yet been made public. ADMINISTRATION The U.S. Department of Education (ED) […]

HOUSE and SENATE The House and Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the Federal government through December 20 by a 231 to 192 vote and a 74 to 20 vote, respectively, which the President signed into law. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN) endorsed the bipartisan Protect […]

HOUSE and SENATE House and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairs Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) have agreed upon another continuing resolution (CR) to fund the Federal government through December 20. The House and Senate are expected to pass the CR next week before the current CR runs out after November 21. The House passed […]

HOUSE and SENATE Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced the FAFSA Simplification Act. House Education and Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott (D-VA) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) threatening to subpoena documents related to its handling of the closure […]