The Weekly Update

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Department of Education Update 

On June 16, the Department of Education announced “four new interagency agreements (IAAs) designed to reduce federal bureaucracy and improve the efficient delivery of federally funded programs and activities to better support students and families.” 

As included in the linked release, you can read more at the following links: 

• View the partnership fact sheet for special education and rehabilitative services here.    

• View the partnership fact sheet for civil rights enforcement here.     

• View the partnership fact sheet for student privacy rights here.   

• View the partnership fact sheet for training and advisory services here.   

Department of Education Student Loan Interest Rate Announcement  

On June 18, the Department of Education announced “that federal student loan borrowers enrolled in auto pay will be eligible for a 1 percent interest rate reduction beginning July 1.” 

At the time of the announcement, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said, “The Trump Administration is making student loan repayment easier than ever, and borrowers should not wait to take advantage of this temporary interest rate reduction to stay on track for key student loan benefits. No matter your age or college credential, we want to make sure that borrowers can understand their options and choose a repayment option that works best for them. This interest rate reduction will help borrowers as they consider new, affordable repayment plans and work to repay their loans on time. We expect this temporary incentive to drive up repayment rates and significantly improve the overall health of the federal student loan portfolio.”   

For more, you can read the Department’s press release.  

House Committee on Science Space and Technology Hearing 

The Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science Space and Technology will hold a hearing titled, “Safeguarding Federal Research Funds: The False Claims Act's Role in Combating Grant Fraud” on June 24 beginning at 9:00AM Central Time.  

Announced witnesses include:  

• Robert Steinau, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of the Inspector General 

• Jennifer Springmann, Special Agent in Charge, National Science Foundation Office of the Inspector General 

• Brenna Jenny, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Commercial Litigation Branch, Department of Justice 

You can watch live on the committee website.  

Full House and Senate Hearing Schedule 

If interested, you can see a full list of upcoming hearings on the Senate Hearings & Meetings Page. A review of the committee hearings in the House of Representatives is available via the Committee Schedule  within the House of Representatives Legislative Activity section on the Chamber’s main page.   

House and Senate Floor Schedules 

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are scheduled to be in session and voting this week. As they are announced, the expected schedule of votes for the House of Representatives and the Senate can be found on the preceding websites.