Washington Update
July 14, 2014
·House Education Committee Approves Three Higher Education Bills
· TROL Act Update: Subcommittee Passage and APLU Weighs in with the Committee
·APLU Designates 14 Institutions as Innovation & Economic Prosperity Universities
· House Interior and Environment Subcommittee Approves FY15 Appropriations bill
· Senate Confirms Bro Adams as Next Chair of NEH
· APLU Joins Higher Education and Library Groups in Releasing Net Neutrality Principles
·STEM Education Legislation Introduced in the House
·House Education Committee Approves Three Higher Education Bills
This morning, the full House Education and the Workforce Committee advanced three higher education
bills, which are the first bills in an expected series of Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization bills
the Committee intends to move. The first bill, Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration
Project Act (H.R. 3136) was agreed to and reported to the House with the Amendment in the nature of a
substitute (HR 3136). A student loan refinancing amendment offered by Rep. John Tierney (D-MA)
failed along party lines. The next bill, Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act (H.R. 4983)
was agreed to and reported to the House with the Amendment in the nature of a substitute (HR 4983). An
amendment to include repayment rates on the College Dashboard, was offered by Ranking Member
George Miller (D-CA), but it also failed along party lines. Lastly, the Empowering Students Through
Enhanced Financial Counseling Act (H.R. 4984) was agreed to and reported to the House with the
Amendment in the nature of a substitute (HR 4984). An amendment, offered by Susan Davis (D-CA) and
Mark Takano (D-CA), to include veteran tuition assistance and GI bill benefits within the federal funds
definition for the 90-10 revenue rule for proprietary institutions also failed.
APLU joined American Council on Education (ACE) and several other associations in a letter to the
House Education Committee on the markup and our intent to work with them to improve the legislation.
· TROL Act Update: Subcommittee Passage and APLU Weighs in with the Committee
On July 9, APLU, along with the Association of American Universities (AAU), the American Council on
Education (ACE) and the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) sent the attached letter to
Chairman Lee Terry (R-NE) and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. The letter expresses
support for the July 7 draft of the Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters (TROL) Act of 2014.
Earlier today, the Subcommittee approved the TROL Act by a vote of 13 to 6, with 11 Republicans and 2
Democrats voting for the bill, and 6 Democrats voting against it. During the markup, Chairman Terry
withdrew an amendment to the affirmative defense section and indicated his commitment to working with
the Ranking Member to reach an agreement on this amendment. Ranking Member Shakowsky, who voted
against the bill, said she hopes to be able to support the bill at the full Committee markup after the
Committee continues to work on an agreement. A full Committee markup will be scheduled after these
discussions.
·APLU Designates 14 Institutions as Innovation & Economic Prosperity Universities
Today, APLU announced the designation of 14 institutions as Innovation and Economic Prosperity
Universities. The designation seeks to recognize universities who work to support economic development
through a number of different activities. In order to apply, each institution conducted an institutional selfreview, identified three areas of institutional strength in economic engagement and described programs in
these areas. They also were required to look for areas for growth and develop an improvement plan. The
applications for this distinction were scored through a rigorous independent review process. To read more
about this designation, including a list of the 14 institutions, please click here.
·House Interior and Environment Subcommittee Approves FY15 Appropriations bill
On July 9, the House Appropriations Committee, Interior and Environment Subcommittee approved by
voice vote the FY15 Interior Appropriations bill. A full Committee markup is scheduled for Tuesday, July
15 at 9 a.m. in 2359 Rayburn. Included in this legislation is $138 million for the National Endowment for
the Humanities, which is $8 million below the FY14 funding level and also the President’s FY15 budget
request. Also included is $717 million for the Office of Science and Technology at the Environmental
Protection Agency, which is $42 million below the FY14 funding level and $46 million below the
President’s FY15 budget request
·Senate Confirms Bro Adams as Next Chair of NEH
Dr. William “Bro” Adams, President of Colby College, was confirmed yesterday by the Senate to be the
next Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The Chairman appointment is for a
four year term. Dr. Adams has been President of Colby College since 2000. Previously, he was President
of Bucknell University from 1995 to 2000. Dr. Adams was Vice President and Secretary of Wesleyan
University from 1993 to 1995, and was Program Coordinator of the Great Works in Western Culture
program at Stanford University from 1986 to 1988. Earlier in his career, he held various teaching
positions at Stanford University, Santa Clara University, and the University of North Carolina. Dr.
Adams served in the Vietnam War as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. In 1977, he became a
Fulbright Scholar and conducted research at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes and the Ecole Normale
Superieure in Paris, France. Dr. Adams is a member of the Board of Directors of the Maine Film Center
and the Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation. Dr. Adams received a B.A. from the Colorado College
and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
·APLU Joins Higher Education and Library Groups in Releasing Net Neutrality Principles
Earlier today, APLU joined a group of higher education and library organizations in releasing a set of Net
Neutrality Principles aimed at preserving an open Internet and ensuring equitable access. APLU President
Peter McPherson said, “APLU opposes efforts to degrade Internet service, which could create a slow lane
for some while prioritizing Internet access to others. Certainly Internet service providers should continue
to deliver innovative services, but those services must come in the form of optional upgrades, not
automatic downgrades.” To read a copy of the press release from the endorsing organizations and the set
of Net Neutrality Principles, please click here.
· STEM Education Legislation Introduced in the House
On July 8, Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) introduced the STEM Education Act of 2014 (H.R.5031). This
legislation, which is co-sponsored by 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans, is taken from sections of the
Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) Act of 2014 (H.R.4186) and the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R.4159).
This legislation defines STEM education to include computer science as a discipline. The STEM
Education Act also includes a section on Informal STEM Education, which gives authority to the National
Science Foundation (NSF) Director to award grants to entities that research and develop innovative outof-school STEM learning. This legislation also includes a section which would amend the NSF Noyce
Master Teaching Fellowship Program to allow students with a bachelor’s degree working towards a
Master’s degree the opportunity to participate.
Congressional Activity Week July 14- July 18, 2014
Floor Activities
The Senate reconvenes at 2 p.m. and is in a period of morning business until 6:00 p.m. No votes
are expected.
The House will reconvene at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business and will consider a number of
measures under suspension of the rules. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.
They are expected to consider a number of proposals under suspension of the rules. Of note:
H.R.5031 – The STEM Education Act
H.R.5035 – To Reauthorize the National Institutes of Standards and Technology
H.R.5056 – The Research and Development Efficiency Act
H.R.5029 – The International Science and Technology Cooperation Act
Committee Activities
Tuesday, July 15
House Appropriations Committee
Full Committee Markup: FY15 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill
9 a.m., 2359 Rayburn
Senate Appropriations Committee
Defense Subcommittee Markup: FY15 Department of Defense Appropriations bill
10 a.m., 192 Dirksen; audio webcast only
Wednesday, July 16
House Budget Committee
Full Committee Hearing: The Long-Term Budget Outlook
Witness: Douglas Elmendorf, Director, Congressional Budget Office
10 a.m., 210 Cannon
Thursday, July 17
Senate Appropriations Committee
Full Committee Markup: FY15 Department of Defense Appropriations bill
10:30 a.m., 106 Dirksen; audio webcast only
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
Subcommittee on Research and Technology Hearing: “Policies to Spur Innovative Medical
Breakthroughs from Laboratories to Patients”
Witnesses: Dr. Craig Venter, Founder, Chairman & CEO, J. Craig Venter Institute, Synthetic
Genomics, Inc., and Human Longevity, Inc.; Marc Tessier-Lavinge, President and Professor,
Laboratory of Brain Development and Repair, The Rockefeller University; Jay Keasling,
Professor of Biochemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley; Harold Varmus,
Director, National Cancer Institute
9 a.m., 2318 Rayburn
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Full Committee Hearing: "The Federal Research Portfolio: Capitalizing on Investments in R&D”
2:00 p.m., 253 Russell