Federal Legislative Weekly Update

Congress

July 27, 2020 – Senate Republicans released the Health, Economic, Assistance, Liability protection, and Schools (“HEALS”) Act that includes $105 billion for education: $70 billion for K-12 schools; nearly $30 billion for colleges; and another $5 billion for governors to spend on education. Under the distribution formula, funding for proprietary institutions would be limited to funds distributed through an application process. The bill includes Chairman Alexander’s plan to consolidate and streamline the government’s existing income-based repayment options. Borrowers would choose either a standard 10-year repayment plan or an income-based repayment plan that limits payments to 10 percent of a borrower's discretionary income. The proposed plan would extend temporary liability protection to institutions for a period covering December 1, 2019 to October 1, 2024.

July 24, 2020 – The House passed the first mini-bus, H.R. 7608. The bill provides funding for the departments of State, Interior- Environment, Agriculture, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. The four-bill minibus is the first of two fiscal 2021 funding bundles that House Democrats plan to pass by the end of the week. The House will next take up a seven-bill, $1.4 trillion package, H.R. 7617, that would fund the Pentagon and the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Homeland Security, Justice, Transportation, Energy. As previously reported, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) Appropriations provides a total of $73.5 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Education Department, an increase of $716 million above the FY 2020 enacted level and $6.9 billion above the President’s budget request. Of this amount, the bill includes:

$6,495 for the maximum Pell Grant, an increase of $150 above the FY 2020 enacted level.
$880 million for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program, an increase of $15 million above the FY 2020 enacted level.
$1.2 billion for Federal Work Study, an increase of $30 million above the FY 2020 enacted level.
$2.6 billion for higher education programs, an increase of $81 million above the FY 2020 enacted level.

The bill also includes a number of policy riders:

A provision prohibiting funds from implementing the final Title IX regulation regarding how schools respond to sexual assault and harassment and that disproportionately burdens complainants.
Second Chance Pell—The bill includes new language allowing incarcerated individuals to be eligible for Pell Grants.
90/10—The bill includes language requiring for-profit colleges to derive more of their revenue from non-Federal sources and includes all Federal education assistance in the calculation.

July 23, 2020 – The Senate passed its version of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, S. 4049, by a vote of 86-14. The bill includes provisions that support renaming military bases named after Confederate leaders and to fight workplace racial discrimination for military personnel. The two bills now head to conference to reconcile differences.

July 21, 2020 – The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2021, H.R. 6395. The $740 billion national defense authorization bill passed by a vote of 295 to 125 and includes a 3% pay raise for troops. The bill includes an amendment from Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA) that makes military education benefits such as Department of Defense Tuition Assistance count as federal educational assistance funds and limits the availability of federal funds for proprietary for-profit institutions unless the institution derives at least 10% of funds from sources other than federal funds.

U.S. Department of Education

July 24, 2020 – The Department has announced the availability of Volume 5 – Withdrawals and the Return of Title IV Funds of the 2020-2021 Federal Student Aid Handbook.

The Federal Student Aid Handbook consists of the Application and Verification Guide, six numbered volumes, and appendices. To access Volume 5 – Withdrawals and the Return of Title IV Funds of the 2020-2021 Federal Student Aid Handbook, click here.

The Department is proposing an extension of an existing information collection, “Waiver Requests Related to the Adult Education and Family of Literacy Act and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.” This information collection solicits from State educational agencies requests for waivers of section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (to extend the period of availability for obligation of State formula grant funds authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 and the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.

Recently Introduced Federal Legislation

S.4322 – Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act
a. Status: Referred to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, 7/27/20
b. Sponsor: Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 0 Cosponsors

S.4320 – Coronavirus Response Additional Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020
a. Status: Referred to Senate Committee on Appropriations, 7/27/20
b. Sponsor: Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) 0 Cosponsors

H.R.7788 – To temporarily enable qualified training providers to provide online and virtual training services, and for other purposes.
a. Status: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor, 7/24/20
b. Sponsor: Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) 0 Cosponsors

H.R.7761 – To provide for student loan forgiveness for public service workers whose employment may have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
a. Status: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor, 7/24/20
b. Sponsor: Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) 17 Cosponsors

H.R.7737 – To amend the Federal Pell Grant Program to support career training opportunities for young Americans.
a. Status: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor, 7/23/20
b. Sponsor: Rep. John Carter (R-TX) 0 Cosponsors

S.4310 – A bill to prohibit in-person instructional requirements during the COVID-19 emergency.
a. Status: Referred to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, 7/23/20
b. Sponsor: Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) 0 Cosponsors

H.R.7710 – To provide liability protection for elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education during the COVID-19 public health emergency, and for other purposes.
a. Status: Introduced in House, 7/21/20
b. Sponsor: Rep. Gregory Murphy (R-NC) 28 Cosponsors

H.R.7706 – To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to encourage voting by students and to establish emergency procedures for institutions of higher education to assist students in exercising their right to vote.
a. Status: Referred to Committee on Education and Labor, 7/21/20
b. Sponsor: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) 0 Cosponsors

S.4254 – A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to encourage voting by students and to establish emergency procedures for institutions of higher education to assist students in exercising their right to vote.
a. Status: Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 7/21/20
b. Sponsor: Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) 3 Cosponsors

S.4247 – A bill to simplify loan repayment for Federal student loans under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, to make it easier to apply for Federal aid and making that aid predictable, and for other purposes.
a. Status: Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 7/21/20
b. Sponsor: Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 0 Cosponsors

S.4237 – A bill to extend zero interest rate benefits and payment suspension to all Federal student loan borrowers, and for other purposes.
a. Status: Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 7/21/20
b. Sponsor: Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) 3 Cosponsors

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