E-Update for June 5, 2023

The information covered below is from May 18, 2023 to June 3, 2023.
 Highlights:

On June 3, President Joe Biden signed H.R. 3746, the “Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023,” to address the nation’s debt ceiling – the cap on the total amount of money that the federal government is able to borrow.
On June 1, the Senate passed H.J. Res 45 by a vote of 52-46, a Congressional Review Act resolution that would prohibit the implementation of President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan to cancel up to $20,000 in outstanding student loan debt. In a Statement of Administration Policy issued on May 22, the White House opposed the CRA and indicated that, should it pass both houses of Congress, President Biden would veto it.
On May 23, the White House and U.S. Department of Education (USED) separately released publications to promote responsible use of AI and push for guardrails for its use.

Administration:
White House:
President Biden signs legislation to address the nation’s “debt ceiling”: On June 3, President Joe Biden signed H.R. 3746, the “Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023,” to address the nation’s debt […]

E-Update for May 25, 2023

The information covered below is from May 4, 2023, to May 18, 2023. While we have included select updates related to events this week, information for the week of May 22, 2023 will be primarily included in our next publication during the week of June 5, 2023.
Highlights:

On May 17, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to accountability issues, including Gainful Employment, financial responsibility, standards of administrative capability, and institutional certification procedures.
On May 11, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing to review the FY2024 President’s budget request for USED, at which USED Secretary Miguel Cardona testified. Additionally, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing with Secretary Cardona to review the FY2024 President’s budget request for USED on May 16.
On May 24, the House passed by a vote of 218 to 203, H.J. Res. 45, a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution which would prohibit the implementation of President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and any further extension of a student […]

E-Update for May 10, 2023

The information covered below is from April 21, 2023, to May 4, 2023.
Highlights:

On May 4, the White House announced new actions to further promote responsible American innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and protect individual’s rights and safety.
On April 26, the House voted to advance H.R. 2811, titled the, “Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023,” on a 217-215 party line vote. Specific to education, the Republican plan to address the debt ceiling prohibits the implementation of President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and the Biden Administration’s income-driven repayment plan. Additionally, the Republican plan includes a rescission of unobligated COVID relief funding.
On May 3, the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) released results from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for U.S. history and civics assessments, which are administered to eighth-graders and showed U.S. history scores decreased by five points since 2018 and civics scores decreased by two points since 2018.

Administration:
White House:
White House announces new actions to promote responsible AI innovation and hosts meeting with CEOs: On May 4, the White House announced new actions to further promote responsible American […]

E-Update for April 25, 2023

The information covered below is from April 7, 2023, to April 20, 2023.
Highlights:

On April 18, President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) to expand access to affordable, high-quality care, including child care and early learning, and provide support for care workers and family caregivers.
On April 18, U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Miguel Cardona testified before the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee on the fiscal year (FY) 2024 President’s budget request for the Department.
On April 20, the House of Representatives, in a party-line vote with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposed, passed H.R. 734, the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023.”

Administration:
White House:
White House issues an EO on increasing access to high-quality care and supporting caregivers: On April 18, President Biden issued an EO, which includes more than 50 directives across the federal government aimed at expanding access to affordable, high-quality care, and providing support for care workers and family caregivers. The EO, which includes directives to USED and the U.S.  Department of Health and […]

E-Update for April 10, 2023

The information covered below is from March 30, 2023, to April 6, 2023.
Highlights:

On April 6, the U.S. Department of Education released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on athletic eligibility under Title IX for transgender students.
On April 5, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) released a letter to the education community seeking a request for input on policies that the Committee should consider during the reauthorization of the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA).
On April 4, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY), and Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) sent a letter to USED Secretary Miguel Cardona requesting information regarding “the misuse of pandemic-era education funds intended to address students’ historic learning losses.”

Administration:
White House:
President Biden remarks on potential opportunities and challenges with Artificial Intelligence (AI): On April 4, President Biden met with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to discuss the “opportunities and risks” of AI. President Biden shared, “AI can […]

E-Update for April 3, 2023

The information covered below is from March 24, 2023, to March 30, 2023.
Highlights:

On March 28, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to review the fiscal year (FY) 2024 President’s budget request for HHS.
On March 29, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled, “Diversity of Thought: Protecting Free Speech on College Campuses.”
On March 28, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing to examine the consequences of COVID-19 school closures on student development.

Administration:
U.S. Department of Education (USED):
USED issues request for information regarding the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority: On March 31, USED issued a notice requesting information on successful approaches to innovative assessment implementation that can encourage state educational agencies (SEAs) to pursue the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) and improve statewide assessments. As background, the IADA allows SEAs or consortium of SEAs that meet certain application requirements to establish, operate, and evaluate an innovative assessment system, including […]

E-Update for March 27, 2023

The information covered below is from March 17, 2023 to March 23, 2023.
Highlights:

On March 23, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and the Workforce held a hearing examining the Biden Administration’s student loan policies, which covered a range of student loan policies, including the student loan forgiveness proposal and proposed updates to the Income-Driven Repayment program.
On March 23, the House of Representatives began consideration of the “Parents Bill of Rights” legislation.
On March 21, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in the case of Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, which involved the denial of services to a deaf child and involves two federal laws protecting students with disabilities – the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Administration:
White House:
White House issues 2023 Economic Report of the President highlighting investments in early childhood and postsecondary education: On March 21, the Council of Economic Advisers issued its Annual Report, titled the “Economic Report of the President.” The report features information on the Administration’s work to invest in young children’s care and education, as […]

E-Update for March 20, 2023

The information covered below is from March 10, 2023, to March 16, 2023.
Highlights:

On March 14, President Biden issued an executive order addressing gun violence, which includes reporting on implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
On March 10, the two-year anniversary of passage of the American Rescue Plan, the White House published a statement with the “Top 15 Highlights” of the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding, which included $163 billion for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education.
On March 10, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the Jobs to Compete Act, legislation to expand Pell Grant eligibility to adults in short-term training programs.

Administration:
White House:
President Biden issues executive order on reducing gun violence, requiring U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to report on implementation of Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: On March 14, President Biden issued an executive order on reducing gun violence and increasing community safety. The executive order requires that USED Secretary Miguel Cardona and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, among other cabinet officials, “submit a report […]

E-Update for March 13, 2023

The information covered below is from March 3, 2023 to March 9, 2023.
Highlights:

On March 9, President Biden released his fiscal year (FY2024) budget request, which puts forth the administration’s priorities and goals for the coming fiscal year, and includes a nearly 14% increase for education programs.
On March 8, the House Education and the Workforce Committee debated and advanced the Parents Bill of Rights Act on a party-line vote. The full House is expected to take up the bill in the coming weeks.
On March 9, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders introduced the Pay Teachers Act, which would ensure that public school teachers earn at least $60,000 annually.

Budget & Appropriations:
President Biden releases his Fiscal Year 2024 budget request: On March 9, President Biden released his fiscal year (FY2024) budget request, which puts forth the administration’s priorities and goals for the coming fiscal year, including for USED. Specifically, President Biden requests $90 billion for USED in FY2024, which is an increase of $10.8 billion or 13.6% above the FY2023 level. Aligned to USED Secretary Miguel Cardona’s […]

E-Update for March 7, 2023

The information covered below is from February 24, 2023, to March 2, 2023.
Highlights:

On February 28, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two separate cases challenging the Biden Administration’s federal student loan relief
On March 1, House Republicans, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), and Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA), introduced R. 5, the “Parents Bill of Rights Act,” which will be marked up by the House Education and the Workforce Committee on March 8.
On March 2, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Secretary of the House Republican Conference Lisa McClain (R-MI) reintroduced H.R. 1311, the “College Cost Transparency and Student Protection Act,” which aims to increase transparency about college cost during students’ application process.

Administration:
White House:
President Biden to release his fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget request: On March 9, President Biden is expected to release a summary of his FY2024 budget request, including the request for federal spending for the U.S. Department of Education (USED). In the 2023 State of the Union address – which can […]