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American Dental Education Association


Volume 3, No. 17, October 24, 2023

House Education and Workforce Committee Introduces First in a Series of Bills to Reauthorize the Higher Education Act
 
U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chairwoman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Education and Workforce Committee, and U.S. Rep. Michelle Steele (R-CA) introduced the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act [ [link removed] ] . This bill strikes and replaces the existing Section 117, which requires biannual reports for gifts or contracts above $250,000. The new Section 117 created by the bill requires institutions to file reports annually on July 1 for gifts or contracts above $50,000. The amount of information now required in the reports has also significantly increased. The Department of Education (ED) will also be required to establish and maintain a searchable, public database on its website of the reports submitted. Additionally, the bill establishes harsher punishments for violations of Section 117, including the imposition of fines—some of which can range from 5% to 10% of the total amount of federal funds received by the institution. The fines are in addition to paying for all costs associated with the investigation and enforcement of Section 117, which was previously included in the statute.
 
The Education and Workforce Committee (the Committee) has noted that this bill is the first in a series of bills to reform the Higher Education Act (HEA).
 
Throughout the current Congress, the Committee has held several oversight hearings focusing on Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. Section 117 [ [link removed] ] of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) requires institutions of higher education that receive federal financial assistance to disclose semiannually to ED any gifts received from and contracts with a foreign source that, alone or combined, are valued at $250,000 or more in a calendar year. The statute also requires institutions to report information regarding gifts or contracts received from organizations that are owned or controlled by a foreign source.
 
Committee Republicans expressed their concern that ED has not properly enforced adherence to Section 117. A press statement [ [link removed] ] released by the lawmakers stated, “Postsecondary education in America has been compromised. Malignant foreign entities, like the Chinese Communist Party, have taken root at colleges and universities by simply flashing their checkbooks and opening the floodgates to an endless stream of cash – every dollar comes with strings attached. The DETERRENT Act is our prescription to unleash accountability, transparency, and much-needed clarity into a system that has allowed foreign actors to entice well-meaning institutions and boldly partner with other shameless institutions to work against the interests of the American people. By erecting this xxxxxx, we are bringing bad actors directly into blinding sunlight while holding colleges and universities accountable. Covert attempts to influence postsecondary education in America will no longer be obscured by the shadows.”
 
There is concern in the higher education community that the DETERRENT Act will impose significant additional administrative burdens, specifically copious reporting requirements, on universities—without providing additional funding to pay for the increase in costs.

ADEA’s Summary of State and Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs Updated
 
ADEA updated for the new year the Annual Summary of State and Federal Student Loan Repayment and Forgiveness Programs [ [link removed] ] for oral health professionals. It is now available on the ADEA website.
 
The summary includes information on state-sponsored loan forgiveness programs, states participating in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) state loan repayment program and states participating in the HRSA National Health Service Corps loan repayment program and other federal programs.
 
A complete list of HRSA loan repayment and scholarship programs available to dental and dental hygiene students and faculty may be found on the HRSA website [ [link removed] ] .

Georgia’s Partial Medicaid Plan Enrolls Just Over 1,300 Patients in First Three Months, Despite Projections of 100,000 Eligible
 
Although the Georgia Department of Community Health has projected the state’s partial Medicaid expansion plan, Georgia Pathways to Coverage [ [link removed] ] , could provide coverage to 100,000 people, the program has so far only enrolled approximately 1,300 people [ [link removed] ] after launching in July.
 
Ten states [ [link removed] ] have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to provide coverage to individuals who earn up 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Georgia is one of those states. In lieu of full expansion, the state launched Georgia Pathways to Coverage to provide coverage to individuals who earn up to 100% FPL. Those eligible under the expansion will also have to meet a work requirement to maintain eligibility.
 
Under full Medicaid expansion, the federal government pays 90% of the costs associated with expansion populations. Because Georgia has only expanded coverage to 100% FPL, the state will forego additional federal funding and will only receive the traditional Medicaid match of 66% [ [link removed] ] . An analysis conducted by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute found that the decision to leave additional federal funds on the table by implementing a partial expansion will result in the state spending more money to provide care to fewer people [ [link removed] ] .

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

Key Federal Issues [ [link removed] ]

ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ]

Key State Issues [ [link removed] ]

The ADEA Advocate [ [link removed] ] 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.
 
©2023
American Dental Education Association
655 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-289-7201
Website: www.adea.org [ [link removed] ]

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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
 
Varsha Menon
ADEA Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations
 
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