Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 4 - Issue 30

Congress returned from August recess this week. There are a number of legislative priorities awaiting them this fall, including another COVID-19 relief bill and the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations bill.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced the Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act, a slimmed down COVID-19 relief bill. This bill would have, among other things, provided $105 billion for the CARES Act’s Education Stabilization Fund, $29 billion of which would be slated for higher education. However, the bill failed to advance on Thursday, dimming hopes for another COVID relief package this year.  

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have tentatively agreed to the terms of a short-term continuing resolution (CR), which would provide federal funding beyond September 30, thereby avoiding a government shutdown. No details are available yet regarding how long the CR will extend federal funding.

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals rules that certain private student loans are dischargeable in bankruptcy without a showing of undue hardship. 

How the outcome of the election could shape student debt relief.

No relevant student aid bills were introduced this week for consideration by the 116th Congress (2019-2020).