-->

Monday, January 9, 2017

This Week in Legislation - Week of January 9, 2017

Week of January 9, 2017
·         This week, both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are in session for legislative business, though neither chamber is expected to consider student financial aid-related legislation. Of interest to NCHER members, the House is expected to consider two pieces of legislation regarding the development of federal regulations, including:
 
o   H.R. 5, the Regulatory Accountability Act, which would reform the process by which federal agencies analyze and formulate new regulations and guidance documents, clarify the nature of judicial review of agency interpretations, and ensure that agency analysis include the potential impact of the rule on small businesses. In particular, the legislation requires federal agencies, before issuing any major  to conduct
 
o   H.R. 78, the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act, which would require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), before issuing a regulation, to clearly identify the nature and source of the problem that the proposed regulation is designed to address, assess the costs and benefits of the intended regulation, identify alternatives to the regulation that were considered, and ensure that the regulation is accessible, consistent, written in plain language, and is easy to understand.
·         Today beginning at 10:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m., the Brookings Institution’s Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy is hosting a seminar titled, “From Bridges to Education: Best Bets for Public Investment,” which will investigate questions about public investment in both physical infrastructure and human capital. The event will begin with keynote remarks from Lawrence Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus, Harvard University, and Ed Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics, Harvard University. The day will also include a discussion of practical and political challenges to directing investment spending to areas where the returns are likely to be greatest, as well as two new papers: one examining the evidence – or lack thereof – on the long-run benefits of investing in education and the other asking similar questions about income transfers, such as Medicaid and housing assistance, for children. The program will conclude with a moderated discussion between The Honorable Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and The Honorable Tom Reed (R-NY), where they will expand upon the challenges of translating evidence into policy in their respective districts.
·         Today at 3:00 p.m., the Federal Reserve releases its “Consumer Credit – G.19” report, which includes the amount of outstanding federal and private student loans.
·         On Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., MeasureOne holds a webinar to release its semiannual Private Student Loan Report. The webinar will provide data and analytics on private student lending, including repayment and delinquency trends, as well as loan performance activity among borrowers and lenders. After the discussion of the report, Diane Jones, President, AJsquared Consulting, and former Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education, will speak on the impact of the 2016 election results on higher education policy and private student lending. To register, visit the MeasureOne website.
 
·         On Tuesday at 12:00 p.m., the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) gathers to discuss such topics as whether an investment in a college education has a positive return for students at some colleges and a negative return at others, and how productivity of a college should be measured. Participants include: David Deming, Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Faculty Research Fellow, NBER; Judy Scott-Clayton, Associate Professor of Economics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University; and Sarah Turner, Professor of Economics and Education, University of Virginia.
·         On Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee holds a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. An executive session for senators to vote on Ms. DeVos’ nomination may be held following the hearing. The hearing will be shown live on the Committee’s website.
·         On Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. the American Education Research Association (AERA) hosts a lecture on, “Supporting College Student Access and Success: Making Sure Hard Work Pays Off,” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center in Los Angeles, CA. The featured speaker will be Bridget Terry Long, Academic Dean and the Saris Professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. To RSVP for the livestream, visit the AERA website.
·         On Thursday at 12:00 p.m., New America hosts an event titled, Where Are They Now: A Look at America’s Next Generation Universities,” which includes a discussion updating a 2013 report on how universities continue to redefine public higher education and are collaborating with their peers. Participants include: Hilary Pennington, Vice President of Education, Creativity, and Free Expression, Ford Foundation; Tina Gridiron, Strategy Director, Lumina Foundation; Alison Griffin, Senior Vice President of External and Government Relations, USA Funds; Kevin Carey, Director, Education Policy Program, New America; David Leonhardt, Columnist, The New York Times (moderator); Bridget Burns, Executive Director, University Innovation Alliance (moderator); Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University; Mark Becker, President, Georgia State University; John Hitt, President, University of Central Florida; Steven Leath, President, Iowa State University; and Tim Renick, Vice Provost and Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, Georgia State University. For details and to register, visit the New America website.
·         On Thursday at 7:00 p.m., Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen addresses educators via webcast in an event titled, “Conversation with the Chair: A Teacher Town Hall Meeting,” where she will discuss the mission and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve System.
·         On Thursday at 9:00 p.m., CNN holds a town hall discussion with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to discuss the House Republican’s “Better Way” agenda.
 
 
This information is shared by SASFAA's Legislative Affairs' Committee and NCHER.
 

No comments: