This Week in Legislation - Weeks of January 30 and February 6

 

Week of January 30, 2017

·         This week, both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are in session for legislative business. However, neither chamber is expected to consider student financial aid-related legislation.

·         Today through Wednesday, all day, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) holds its annual conference titled, “Quality Assurance and Accreditation: Moving Into the Future.” On Tuesday, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee will deliver remarks at 7:45 a.m. while Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) will provide remarks at 11:30 a.m. Attendees will participate in sessions on “The 2016 Presidential Election: What Does it Mean for Accreditation and Higher Education?”, “Accreditation from the Perspective of Students,” “Perceptions of Higher Education,” and “Looking Back and Looking Forward: The Future Role of Accreditation.” For details and to register, visit the event website.

·         Today through Wednesday, all day, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) holds its Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day. During the three-day program, attendees will hear from Charlie Cook, Editor and Publisher of The Cook Political Report, and attend sessions on “Tax Reform: The Future of Higher Education Benefits an Endowments,” “The Budget Progress and Student Aid Funding,” “Deregulation: Pathways Available to Congress and the Administration,” “Student Loans: Changes Ahead in the New Congress, ” “The Trump Administration: Opportunities and Risks for Higher Education.”

 

·         Today through Wednesday, all day, the Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organizations (COHEAO) holds its Annual Conference. The event includes insights from key players on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and other legislation affecting the student financial services industry as well as updates and perspectives on the U.S. Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

 

·         On Tuesday and Wednesday, all day, the Federal Reserve holds a two-day meeting of its Federal Open Market Committee. The minutes for each regularly scheduled meeting of the committee, which include a description of economic and financial conditions, are made available three weeks after its policy decisions are posted in the Federal Reserve Board’s Annual Report.

·         On Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee meets to consider the nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as the next Secretary of Education, and to organize for the 115^th Congress. The meeting will be livestreamed on the Committee’s website.

·         Wednesday is the deadline to submit public comments on the petition filed by the Title IV Additional Servicers and Student Loan Servicing Alliance requesting that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reconsider the order and rule released August 11, 2016, that established rules applicable to calls to collect debt owed to or guaranteed by the federal government under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

·         On Wednesday at 9:40 a.m., the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meets to consider the nomination of Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) as the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, and to organize for the 115^th Congress.

 

·         On Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., the Brookings Institution hosts an event titled, “Agenda Setting at the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission under the New Administration.” The event includes a roundtable discussion with FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Terrell McSweeny to discuss how the agencies will function and what issues will be prioritized under the new Trump Administration. Each commissioner will speak to her particular agenda, including Commissioner Clyburn’s recent release of the #Solutions2020 Call to Action Plan which presents a comprehensive plan and approach to communications policies, and Commissioner McSweeny’s portfolio to advance intellectual property, competition, and innovation. For details and to register, visit the Brookings website.

·         On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., the Senate Budget Committee holds a hearing titled, “Congressional Budget Office’s Budget and Economic Outlook for Fiscal Years 2017-2027.” The sole witness will be: The Honorable Keith Hall, Director, Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The committee is also expected to consider the nomination of Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) as the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

 

·         On Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) hosts an event titled, “The Man who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan.” Panelists will discuss Chairman Greenspan’s legacy, including his impact on U.S. and foreign central bank monetary policies and our understanding of financial cycles. Participants include: Sebastian Mallaby, Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations; J. Alfred Broaddus, former President, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond; and Paul Kupiec, Resident Scholar, AEI.

 

·         On Thursday at 9:30 a.m., the D.C. Court of Appeals hears oral arguments in a case examining whether the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has the power to investigate accreditation at for-profit colleges.

·         On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the House Budget Committee holds a hearing titled, “The Congressional Budget Office’s Budget and Economic Outlook.” The sole witness will be: The Honorable Keith Hall, Director, CBO.

 

Week of February 6, 2017

The NCHER Daily Briefing will be on a publishing break next Monday, February 6, through Wednesday, February 8, due to the 2017 Legislative Conference.

·         On Monday at 4:00 p.m., the Heritage Foundation hosts an event titled, “Tax Reform in the New Congress,” where Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy, will discuss the pillars of pro-growth tax reform: growth, simplicity, and service. He will speak on the urgent need to end the “Made in America” tax, lower tax rates for job creators of all sizes, and allow companies to fully write off the costs of new capital investments.

·         On Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., the National College Access Network (NCAN) hosts a briefing to learn about the barriers students face in trying to apply for financial aid, and share the Streamlined Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with members of Congress. Participants in the event include: Carrie Warick, Director of Policy and Advocacy, NCAN; Stacy Lightfoot, Vice President, College and Career Success, Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga; Yolanda Watson Spiva, President and Chief Executive Officer, College Success Foundation; Annie Wells, College Access Advisor, Davidson College Advising Corps; and Bonnie Sutton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Access College Foundation. For details, visit the event website.

 

·         On Tuesday 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 Wednesday through Friday, all day, House Democrats hold a retreat to discuss their priorities for the 115^th Congress in Baltimore, MD.

 

 

This information is shared by SASFAA's Legislative Affairs' Committee and NCHER.