Rep. Jack Bergman

Maddy summary# Summary of Proposed Higher Education Act Amendments This document outlines significant proposed amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, primarily as part of the "College Cost Reduction Act." The key elements include: ## Accreditation Reform - Major overhaul of accreditation standards, requiring accrediting agencies to demonstrate independence from trade associations - New requirements for accrediting agencies to assess student achievement outcomes, including median value-added earnings relative to median total price charged - Introduction of an "Alternative Quality Assurance Experimental Site Initiative" to test non-accredited institutions - Protections for religious institutions, including a new process for appealing accreditation decisions related to religious mission - Removal of "litmus tests" that would require institutions to support specific political viewpoints ## Student Success Initiatives - Establishment of "Postsecondary Student Success Grants" to increase participation, retention, and completion rates for high-need students - Focus on evidence-based practices, with tiered requirements (tier 1, 2, and 3 reforms) - Mandatory inclusion of high-need student populations (low-income, first-generation, military-connected, etc.) - Requirements for institutions to report on completion rates, retention rates, and student demographics ## Regulatory Changes - Repeal of numerous existing regulations including: * Closed school discharges * Borrower defense to repayment * Pre-dispute arbitration * False certification requirements * Ability-to-benefit rules * Financial responsibility regulations - New restrictions on incentive compensation for recruiters - Changes to third-party servicer definitions and regulations ## Transfer and Credit Policies - New requirement that institutions cannot deny transfer credit based solely on the source of accreditation - Requirements for transparent transfer policies - Changes to reverse transfer policies ## Other Key Provisions - Modifications to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) - New definitions for "total price" and "value-added earnings" - Changes to the process for institutions to change accrediting agencies - New requirements for institutions to report on student outcomes The overall focus of these proposed amendments is to reduce regulatory burden on institutions, promote transparency, improve student outcomes (particularly for high-need students), modernize accreditation processes, and protect religious institutions' rights in accreditation decisions.

Maddy summaryHRES 1566 is a symbolic House resolution honoring all U.S. veterans on Veterans Day 2024. It recognizes the service and sacrifice of the estimated 15.8 million veterans living in the U.S. as of 2023, including those who served in conflicts from World War II to post-9/11. The resolution calls on the American public to observe Veterans Day to acknowledge veterans' role in preserving national freedom. As a non-binding resolution, it has no direct policy impact but formally expresses congressional recognition of veterans' contributions.

Maddy summaryHR 9950, the "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act," authorizes three gold medals to be awarded to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team for their historic victory over the Soviet Union during the Winter Olympics. The medals, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be presented by Congress to honor the team's achievement, which revitalized American morale during the Cold War. One medal will be displayed at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, one at the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, and one at the U.S. Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs. This is a ceremonial honor, not a policy change, directly recognizing the team members and their legacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Department of Defense contractors to disclose detailed sourcing information for rare earth elements and strategic materials used in permanent magnets and advanced batteries. It expands existing disclosure rules to cover battery components, mandating contractors report where materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite are mined, refined, and manufactured. The changes apply specifically to Defense contracts involving these critical materials, aiming to increase transparency in supply chains. This modifies Section 857 of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Maddy summaryHR 7032, the Congressional Budget Office Data Sharing Act, amends the 1974 Congressional Budget Act to give the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) clearer authority to quickly obtain data from executive branch agencies. The bill removes barriers to CBO requests by allowing data sharing "with or without written agreement," while requiring the CBO to maintain required confidentiality levels. It also prevents future laws from limiting this authority unless specifically referenced. The law directly affects the CBO and federal agencies that provide budget-related data, aiming to improve the CBO's ability to analyze government spending.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the budget baseline calculation method under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act. It adds a specific exclusion for emergency funding and supplemental appropriations when determining the baseline deficit figure. This change directly affects how federal budget deficits are measured and reported under current law. The key provision prevents emergency and supplemental funds from being counted toward the baseline, altering the calculation used for deficit targets. The bill makes a technical adjustment to budget scoring rules without creating new spending or policy requirements.

Maddy summaryHJRES 136 is a resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have set new emissions standards for light and medium-duty vehicles sold in 2027 and later model years. The EPA rule, published in April 2024, aimed to require vehicle manufacturers to meet stricter pollution limits for these vehicles. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, preventing the EPA from enforcing the new standards. It uses a congressional process that allows Congress to reject agency rules with a simple majority vote.

Maddy summaryHRES 1491 is a ceremonial resolution designating October 23, 2024, as "Public Radio Music Day" to honor public radio music stations. It expresses the House's appreciation for these stations' role in serving listeners, musicians, and communities across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The resolution highlights how these noncommercial stations provide unique access to diverse music genres, support local artists, and foster community cultural engagement. As a symbolic gesture with no legal or financial impact, it does not change any policies or directly affect specific groups beyond recognizing the stations' contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state education agencies to maintain their previous year's funding level for school resource officer (SRO) programs in public elementary and secondary schools to continue receiving federal education funds. It directly affects states that receive federal education funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. States must annually report SRO funding amounts and officer counts, and may request a waiver only for extraordinary financial circumstances. Failure to maintain funding without a waiver results in proportional reductions to their next year's federal education funding.

Maddy summaryHR 5794, the Veterans Affairs Peer Review Neutrality Act of 2023, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to eliminate conflicts of interest in medical quality reviews. It mandates that VA health care providers and peer review committee members recuse themselves if they provided care under review or lack impartiality, and ensures reviews involving committee members are reassigned to neutral committees at other VA facilities. The bill also prohibits individuals with confidential quality information or personal biases from serving on administrative investigation boards or fact-finding panels related to VA care quality. These changes directly affect VA medical staff, peer review committees, and administrative investigators conducting quality management reviews.