Please see this excerpt from the NEC Weekly Washington Report, with FAFSA updates below.  CAUTION: EXTERNAL SENDER Latest Updates from Capitol Hill & the Administration [https://lyi4jwdab.cc.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=5bd117cc-6ce4-40a1-a82e-df490a89f2ba&a=1103481512715&c=9c8285dc-7d89-11ee-b2f7-fa163e4ddc15&ch=9c83854a-7d89-11ee-b2f7-fa163e4ddc15] View as Webpage<https://lyi4jwdab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Q9AFtyvVIAPoIht7CMVvt64KY2tE4RTqrIqhPksNDww5A04pSaGE4dCAkxh2lCih11Kjo7wGYmkXSyiM2oIOPrK4ja8dW3pQ10s5-S1murLgbrWdsVszttBBwdVsutZSGqnsPU9oIwS2PlJYdqwRwQ==&c=dAySScOK-mQ3pq4srGCe--VBX2VPJ-6y5tWpAbsN7NzMvtAMA_T2cQ==&ch=l4Cle6yWvGSGxeuDzX_aL3pComl_oQNbDV9Tb8L0u_xGya7SviqYYQ==> [https://files.constantcontact.com/b03af9ce001/6f647e9d-56d2-42e0-a854-0c85f5e16d2b.png]   Weekly Washington Report [https://files.constantcontact.com/b03af9ce001/93015654-d62e-4726-bfce-42471230aa82.png]   May 13, 2024   Welcome to the May 13, 2024, edition of The New England Council's Weekly Washington Report. Upcoming in Congress The U.S. Senate and House are both scheduled to be in session for the week. When the Senate convenes on Tuesday, the order of business will include a cloture vote at 5:30 p.m. on the nomination of Courtney Diesel O'Donnell to be United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, with the rank of Ambassador. Should cloture be invoked, the Senate may be expected to remain on the nomination until completed. Afterwards, the Senate may consider the nominations of Sanket Jayshukh Bulsara to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, and Seth Robert Aframe, of New Hampshire, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit. The Senate also could turn to other nominations or legislation that is cleared for action. When the House convenes<https://lyi4jwdab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Q9AFtyvVIAPoIht7CMVvt64KY2tE4RTqrIqhPksNDww5A04pSaGE4Zl80rmKo2MJjSmzR0lFYhpyieqF-ynLand4OtlJ_rYpPjQn0MNK-sCiVQVdzFgXuPpxy9FNmWB8n5F9LY9i8HKg6vqsWElcWJze9cnDYGpVYfzR-9UDgx9FYsds7PKVB023fMBM7pUki11dUsJDnN0=&c=dAySScOK-mQ3pq4srGCe--VBX2VPJ-6y5tWpAbsN7NzMvtAMA_T2cQ==&ch=l4Cle6yWvGSGxeuDzX_aL3pComl_oQNbDV9Tb8L0u_xGya7SviqYYQ==> on Tuesday, they will have seventeen bills up for consideration from the suspension calendar, of which thirteen are from the Energy and Commerce Committee including the Youth Poisoning Protection Act (H.R. 4310) which was introduced by Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA). Also on the suspension calendar is the Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R. 7659) and the Senate amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3935). On Wednesday and for the rest of the week, the House will consider the LEOSA Reform Act (H.R. 354), the Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act (H.R. 7343), the Police Our Border Act (H.R. 8146), a resolution regarding violence against law enforcement officers (H.Res. 1213), a resolution “condemning the Biden border crisis and the tremendous burdens law enforcement officers face as a result” (H.Res. 1210), the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act (H.R. 7581), the DC CRIMES Act of 2024 (H.R. 7530), and the Israel Security Assistance Support Act. Higher Education Department of Education announces more funding for FAFSA Student Support Strategy- On Monday, May 6, the Department of Education announced that it would be launching a new $50 million dollar program as part of the Department’s FAFSA Student Support Strategy to help increase Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion. According to a press release from the department, the funding for the program will “help grow capacity for organizations to expand the availability of advisers, counselors, and coaches to support students and contributors through the FAFSA applications, including during extended hours through evenings, weekends, and the summer weeks. It will also facilitate FAFSA submission clinics, including through partnerships with schools and districts, and provide transportation support as needed. Additionally, these funds will provide communication supports to help organizations communicate with parents and students via text, phone calls, and videoconferences, in multiple languages as needed, to help them complete their forms”. The press release stated that the department has send approximately 70 million emails to students over the last few months encouraging them to complete the FAFSA and has engaged with hundreds of high school principals and superintendents to boost submission efforts. Last week, the department launched a national media engagement campaign to raise awareness about FAFSA submission. Due to various glitches and delays that plagued the FAFSA this year, completion of the form by students is far lower than usual. The department hopes that these efforts will increase these numbers, especially among low-income students and students of color who were most significantly affected by the FAFSA errors. “We are determined to close the FAFSA completion gap,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten. “The funding we’re announcing today will support states, districts, and community-based groups build capacity and leverage their power to ensure that every student who needs help paying for college turns in their FAFSA form.” Additional information can be found here<https://lyi4jwdab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Q9AFtyvVIAPoIht7CMVvt64KY2tE4RTqrIqhPksNDww5A04pSaGE4dCAkxh2lCihyDLEAcQpCI0wQmRZ5IReSUg4dylTUkmGaIISJV_59OqBf_G4KXmmrXn9z1wzxQp6w00hsVIK-dXRmY2urGRCS4HSz3bP_BQyJVeW4gwnNEVY7q3-sUMX2ba7u67JKQVLoEuktr0VzokivRLmbN9gMbrpz5_qoNZhgvnD0EtwbFfG3tpNufmaz7g85vqcv6M2TVmUX1ovKXsRKTxiDi2zQjG7uIZRvPay4Ner-0JIK4Be2gjiaBavEF4mlk1OpBrhViuxLCOmphM=&c=dAySScOK-mQ3pq4srGCe--VBX2VPJ-6y5tWpAbsN7NzMvtAMA_T2cQ==&ch=l4Cle6yWvGSGxeuDzX_aL3pComl_oQNbDV9Tb8L0u_xGya7SviqYYQ==>. Senators push for funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid- On Wednesday, May 8, a group of 25 Senators, including Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), and Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), sent a letter to Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, urging them to grant the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) $2.7 billion in funding in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Over the course of several hearings focusing on the problems of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), several Department of Education officials stated that a lack of funding was one of the most significant problems facing FSA. These officials claimed that with sufficient funds, many of the issues that accompanied the major updates to the FAFSA could have been avoided. In addition to the FAFSA, FSA is also overseeing the return to repayment for student loan borrowers whose payments were paused during the pandemic and is undergoing a project to significantly reform the student loan system. “FSA’s responsibilities have increased to protect students and borrowers, but its federal funding has remained stagnant. The lack of adequate resources creates more barriers for students to start and continue their education,” wrote the senators. “We believe this funding request is needed to provide FSA with the resources it needs to fulfill its goal of ensuring that all eligible students and families can access federal student grants, loans, and work-study funds to pursue education and training beyond high school. 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