Government Relations Committee Update from Tom Netting

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The final countdown for publication of the proposed Borrower Defenses and Gainful Employment regulations has begun. We anticipate that in the next several weeks we will be busy rigorously analyzing, summarizing, and developing AACS’ response for Department consideration. Similarly, we will be asking you to submit responses on behalf of your students and institutions!

Unfortunately, much of the momentum from AACS’ highly successful Hill Day and the high level of expectations that 2018 might be the third in a series of ten-year incremental actions by Congress to reauthorize the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) are waning.

Last Wednesday the Higher Education and Workforce Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hosted a hearing entitled “Occupational Licensing: Reducing Barriers to Economic Mobility and Growth.” The exploratory hearing touched multiple times on issues related to beauty and wellness programs, with specific commentary from Subcommittee Chairman Guthrie, invited panelists: Robert McNamara, Senior Attorney with the Institute for Justice and Mr. Bryan A. Schneider, Secretary, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and many Subcommittee Members.

Last Thursday, June 21, 2018, the Trump Administration unveiled a far-reaching plan to reform and reorganize government. Entitled “Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century: Reform Plan and Reorganization Recommendations,” the plan, among many, many other revisions propose to merge the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor into a single Cabinet agency, consolidate and streamline a myriad of agency programs on financial literacy, and focus heavily on revisions within the new merged agency.

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