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Volume 3, No. 5, June 27, 2023
House Fails to Override Biden’s Veto on Resolution to Stop the Cancellation of Student Debt

 

The U.S. House of Representatives failed to override President Biden’s veto of , Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of the Rule Submitted by the Department of Education Relating to ‘‘Waivers and Modifications of Federal Student Loans.’’ In May, the House passed the resolution by a vote of 218 to 203. All House Republicans and two Democrats, U.S. Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), voted in favor of the resolution. In the Senate, the resolution passed 52 to 46. All Senate Republicans, two Democrats, U.S. Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and one Independent, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), voted in favor of the resolution. The resolution was subsequently vetoed by President Biden.

 

Overriding the veto would have required two-thirds of support in both the House and Senate.

 

The resolution would have overturned the Department of Education’s (ED) rule that extended the pause for student loan payments, interest accrual, and collection until Dec. 31, 2022 and outlined the Biden administration’s plan to cancel up to $10,000 for borrowers or up to $20,000 for borrowers who were Pell Grant recipients whose income is under $125,000 or couples whose joint income is less than $250,000. Additionally, it would have also required both current borrowers and former borrowers, who have had their loans either forgiven under one of the student loan forgiveness plans or paid off during the student loan payment pause, pay back a certain amount of accrued interest and payments. It would have also stopped ED’s implementation of a revised income-drive repayment plan.

Sen. Rubio and Rep. Banks Introduce DEI Bills Impacting Higher Ed Accreditation

 

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and , the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act. These bills would do the following:

 

  • Prohibit accrediting agencies from considering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and racial composition of institutions in the accreditation process.
  • Ensure institutions maintain “free inquiry,” which is defined in the bill as adhering to First Amendments protections, such as freedom of speech, association, press, religion, assembly, petition and academic freedom.
  • Require that institutions adhere to the institution’s own written policies concerning freedom of speech, association, press, religion, assembly, petition and academic freedom.
  • Violations of this law would be punishable by civil action against the accreditation agency by the institution impacted.

Both bills have been referred to their respective chambers’ Education committees.

Vermont Will Allow Public Health Dental Hygienists to Use Silver-modified, Atraumatic Restorative Technique

 

Soon, Vermont will allow public health dental hygienists who have completed approved training to use silver-modified, atraumatic restorative technique (SMART) to treat patients. Public health dental hygienists will not be permitted to use SMART until the Vermont Board of Dental Examiners has adopted rules governing the procedure.

 

Permission to use the technique was granted under a provision included in a that addressed a number of licensing issues for other professions. The bill was by Gov. Phil Scott (R) over concern that the bill raises licensing fees for many of the state’s licensed professionals, including oral health professionals. However, the veto was overridden by the General Assembly on June 20.

Delaware Legislature Votes for Bill That Would Make Dentists Eligible for Loan Repayment Program

 

Both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly voted in favor of that would make dentists eligible to participate in the state’s . The program awards education loan repayment grants to new primary care providers up to $50,000 annually for a maximum of four years. Under the program, eligible sites may apply for the program on behalf of their affiliated, qualifying clinicians. The bill also extends the time in which providers may apply for a Health Care Provider Loan Repayment grant from six months to two years, following completion of their graduate education.

 

Although both chambers of the General Assembly voted in favor of the bill, the House version removed licensed clinical social workers from the proposed list of eligible health care workers. Both chambers will need to pass the same version of the bill before it can be sent to Gov. John Carney (D).

ADEA Advocacy in Action

This appears weekly in the ADEA Advocate to summarize and provide direct links to recent advocacy actions taken by ADEA. Please let us know what you think and how we might improve its usefulness.

 

Issues and Resources

  • ADEA on teledentistry
  • ADEA on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Dental Schools
  • ADEA policy regarding overprescription of antibiotics
  • For a full list of ADEA memos, briefs and letters click .

The is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.

 

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American Dental Education Association

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B. Timothy Leeth, CPA

ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer

 

Bridgette DeHart, J.D.

ADEA Director of Federal Relations and Advocacy

 

Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.

ADEA Director of State Relations and Advocacy

 

Zachary Fessler

ADEA Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations

 

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