Last Week in Congress (10/5–10/9/26)
An update will be shared every week that Congress is in session. This will include a short summary of the past week in Congress, as well as a listing of all education-related bills introduced in the House and Senate, relevant Committee and Floor activity, and education-related hearings.
Congress was out of session last week as members continued their pre-midterm recess, but education remained on the legislative radar. First things first – the Senate has still not released its FY2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations proposal, leaving States, school districts, institutions of higher education, and other federal grantees without a clear picture of the Senate’s funding priorities.
Although there was little legislative activity, the House introduced several education-related bills addressing campus sexual assault, school autonomy, college athletics, and institutional autonomy. Even during the recess, the bills being introduced reflect familiar policy divisions over institutional autonomy, civil rights enforcement, student safety, and the federal government’s role in education.
Meanwhile, the unresolved appropriations process (including whether and how it will address proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance and shifting Department of Education programs and responsibilities to other federal agencies) remains the most consequential immediate issue for federal education fund recipients.
· H.R. 10722 (Carter, D-LA), to amend the Public Health Service Act to expand behavioral health workforce training programs (Energy and Commerce).
· H.R. 10734 (Dingell, D-MI), to amend title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to establish standards of liability for harassment on the basis of sex (Education and Workforce).
· H.R. 10760 (Kean, R-NJ), to establish a multiagency Middle School Mental Health Task Force at the Department of Education at the Department of Health and Human Services (Education and Workforce; Energy and Commerce).
· H.R. 10761 (Khanna, D-CA), to amend the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act to combat campus sexual assault (Education and Workforce; Judiciary).
· H.R. 10767 (Smith, R-NE), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose an excise tax on colleges and universities allowing specified individuals to participate in intercollegiate athletics (Ways and Means).
· H.R. 10771 (Carter, D-LA), to establish an emergency preparedness grant program for higher education institutions (Transportation and Infrastructure).
· H.R. 10773 (Crank, R-CO), to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent governmental interference in the operation of private and religious schools (Ways and Means).
· H.R. 10780 (Golden, D-ME), to modify and enhance the Federal budgeting and appropriations process (Rules; Budget; House Administration; Appropriations; Oversight and Government Reform).
· H.R. 10782 (Hayes, D-CT), to authorize the Clean School Bus Program (Energy and Commerce).
· H.R. 10786 (Miller, R-OH), to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require certain institutions to require students who are United States citizens to pass the United States naturalization test in order to graduate (Education and Workforce).
· On October 5, the Chair announced the Speaker of the House’s Continued appointment of Robert Shireman, of California, and new appointment of Dominique Baker, of Delaware, to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity for a term of six years upon recommendation of the Minority Leader.