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Category: Higher Education

After Approval of Process, COVID Package Getting Put Together

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With both chambers of Congress having approved last week the processes by which the Biden Administration COVID relief package will move, House committees with jurisdiction over different pieces of the legislation will begin to craft their portions starting Tuesday.

The House Education and Labor Committee is scheduled to move first tomorrow with its bill.  The committee staff has produced a summary of the legislation.

The Democrats’ proposal would provide $39.6 billion for higher education; 91 percent of the funds would be allocated to institutions based on the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund formula.  Institutions would have to spend at least 50 percent of the funds it receives on student grants but they would have the flexibility on determining which students receive aid.

In addition, the legislation would provide $100 million for Institute for Education Science to conduct research on learning loss as well as $135 million each to the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Following the Education and Labor Committee’s markup tomorrow, a slew of other House committees are scheduled to follow suit throughout the rest of this week and next week.

Please continue to check back for additional updates on the relief package.

Texts of Biden Executive Actions Now Available

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As noted earlier yesterday, President Biden was expected to take a number of executive actions on a host of issues on his first day, including COVID-19, DACA, and student loan repayments, among others.  He did take those executive actions after being sworn in and the  texts of those executive actions are now available.

  • The text of the Presidential Memorandum on “Preserving and Fortifying DACA” is available here.
  • The text of the Presidential Proclamation ending the “Muslim ban” is available here.
  • The text of the Executive Order on a review of regulations that negatively impact the climate issued during the Trump Administration is available here.
  • The text of a memo from the White House Chief of Staff to agency heads halting “midnight regulations” is available here.
  • A statement regarding student loan repayments is available here.  The Education Department has already updated its website to reflect an extension on the repayment pause through September 30.

Texts of other executive actions taken by the new President are available here.

SEVP Increases Oversight of OPT

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The Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) has announced the creation of a new unit dedicated to oversight of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. The unit will have a full-time mandate to review compliance matters involving wage, hours, and compensation within OPT, the OPT extension, and Curricular Practical Training (CPT). The unit will publish reports annually, with the first report scheduled on 07/31/21, and interface with Homeland Security Investigations to recommend investigations of employers and students.

Read more.

DeVos, Chao Resign

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US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has reportedly resigned following yesterday’s violence at the US Capitol. An Acting Secretary has not been named. Information here.

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has also resigned effective Monday, for the same reason. Steven Bradbury will serve as Acting Secretary of Transportation until the end of President Trump’s term.  See here.

Check back for updates.