Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017

Oppose Ken Marcuss nomination to Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Oppose any cuts to the Pell program, support an increase in the maximum Pell Grant by at least the amount that would be provided with the expiring automatic inflation adjustment. Oppose Discriminatory High Stakes Educational Testing Oppose publically funded private school vouchers Support maintaining the federal role in ensuring a decent public education / civil rights protections for all students Support allowing students convicted of minor drug offenses to receive federal financial aid Support an increase in aid and other resources for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (support HR 1080) Support expanding Pell Grant funding and availability (support HR 2451 / S 1135) Support helping college graduates burdened by private student loan debt (support HR 2527 / S1262) Support, Preserve and Protect Equal Opportunity Programs including Affirmative Action Support a moratorium on the expansion of the charter schools until such time as: (1) Charter schools are subject to the same transparency and accountability standards as public schools; (2) Public funds are not diverted to charter schools at the expense of the public school system; (3) Charter schools cease expelling students that public schools have a duty to educate; and (4) Charter schools cease to perpetuate de facto segregation of the highest performing children from those whose aspirations may be high but whose talents are not yet as obvious. Oppose the D.C. Voucher Program and support zeroing out funding for the program in 2019 Support the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issuing regulations to close the loophole that would allow donors to receive state tax credit voucher programs (tuition tax credits) from taking both federal and state tax benefits Oppose the proposed borrowers Defense rule update as proposed by the Trump Administration; support the existing rule Oppose the repeal of the Gainful Employment rule. Under this rule, a career education program loses access to federal funds if the program repeatedly leaves its graduates with unaffordable debts, relative to their earnings.Oppose any new regulations or changes in existing regulation which may weaken accountability and consumer protection Oppose using Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants from the Every Student Succeeds Act to provide firearms for teachers or other school administrators Support S. 3435, Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act. The bill would provide guidance, training, and technical assistance for colleges and universities to remove criminal history questions from their admissions processes. Support H. R. 6623, the Working on Rewarding and Keeping Employees Resilient Act, otherwise known as the WORKER Act. This legislation boost relevant education at an early age (via engineering and engineering technology and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM grants); apprenticeships via private-public partnerships; training vouchers to ensure every American can attend a short-term training program; reemployment incentives so that unemployed Americans are among the first who are looked at when a job opens up; wage insurance for workers over 50 or over 45 in distressed areas. Support HR 1635 / S. 2081, the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act wich requires Institutes of Higher Education to provide required annual counseling. Also, it expands the required recipients of such annual counseling to include, in addition to student borrowers, Federal Pell Grant recipients and parent PLUS Loan borrowers.

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bureau of the Census, Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Federal Reserve System, Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office

Support helping college graduates burdened by private student loan debt (support HR 2527 / S1262)

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bureau of the Census, Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Federal Reserve System, Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office

Oppose Ken Marcuss nomination to Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Oppose any cuts to the Pell program, support an increase in the maximum Pell Grant by at least the amount that would be provided with the expiring automatic inflation adjustment. Oppose Discriminatory High Stakes Educational Testing Oppose publically funded private school vouchers Support maintaining the federal role in ensuring a decent public education / civil rights protections for all students Support allowing students convicted of minor drug offenses to receive federal financial aid Support an increase in aid and other resources for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (support HR 1080) Support expanding Pell Grant funding and availability (support HR 2451 / S 1135) Support helping college graduates burdened by private student loan debt (support HR 2527 / S1262) Support, Preserve and Protect Equal Opportunity Programs including Affirmative Action Support a moratorium on the expansion of the charter schools until such time as: (1) Charter schools are subject to the same transparency and accountability standards as public schools; (2) Public funds are not diverted to charter schools at the expense of the public school system; (3) Charter schools cease expelling students that public schools have a duty to educate; and (4) Charter schools cease to perpetuate de facto segregation of the highest performing children from those whose aspirations may be high but whose talents are not yet as obvious. Support the Department of Education fulfilling its role in the implementation of the 214 Every Student Succeeds Act and correcting the Departments flawed approval of state plans that do not comply with core equity provisions of the law Support the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 meet the following principles: Ensure robust implementation and enforcement of civil rights laws; Remove barriers to enrollment; Increase student persistence in and completion of a quality, racially equitable postsecondary education; Make college affordable; Provide for the collection and reporting of higher education data that is disaggregated, cross-tabulated, and broadly available; Design accountability systems to ensure students receive value from their higher education; Exclude for-profit colleges, including covert for-profit colleges masquerading as non-profit, from federal financial aid programs; Protect student loan borrowers from abusive and fraudulent practices and exploitation in the federal and private student loan servicing and debt collection markets and provide access to accurate and complete information about their loans, access to affordable repayment options, access to administrative loan discharges, and access to legal remedies if they need further relief; Ensure safe and inclusive campus climates free of harassment and violence; and Invest in and support institutions that serve high populations of traditionally underrepresented students Oppose any amendments to the Defense Authorization bill for FY 2019 that turns any portion of the Impact Aid program into a voucher program Oppose the Department of Educations 2015 guidance in evaluating undue hardship claims in Advisory Actions. Support the Department of Education developing a new guidance. Support the Supreme Courts landmark case of Plyler v. Doe and subsequent caselaw, as well as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Support that schools must ensure that they do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and that students are not barred from enrolling in public schools at the elementary and secondary level on the basis of their own citizenship or immigration status or that of their parents or guardians. Support that schools may not do anything to deny or chill access to that constitutional right, including by reporting, or threatening to report, children to ICE. Support that Congress continue making the same key investments provided in the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus that retained all current Pell Grant funds in the Pell Grant program and increased the maximum grant Support the enforcement of the law on behalf of marginalized communities, the preservation (and reinstatement of recently rescinded) policy and enforcement guidance, and the maintenance of the scope, frequency and public accessibility of the Civil Rights Data Collection

Support helping college graduates burdened by private student loan debt (support HR 2527 / S1262)

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bureau of the Census, Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Federal Reserve System, Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

Issues related to the discharge of private student loan debt, including: HR 2366 - Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2017 HR 137 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 HR 2527 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017 HR 2477; S 1162 - Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act of 2017 HR 2366 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 S 749 - Transparency in Student Lending Act of 2017 S 1066 - Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act S 1262 - Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2017

Client expense: $270,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Oppose Ken Marcuss nomination to Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Support Congressional hearing into the on-going health and education crisis in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands as a result of the hurricanes in 2017 Support the same data that has been collected in previous years regarding the D.C. Voucher program, as well as additional data in order to properly perform the statutorily-required evaluation and increase the accountability and transparency of the program Oppose HR 4508, the PROSPER Act, which is the House version of legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. It exacerbates the increasing burden of student debt and continued inequity in higher education access and outcomes. It would make higher education less affordable, saddle students with greater debt, and push more students into loan default Support the Supporting the Teaching Profession Through Revitalizing Investments in Valuable Educators Act (STRIVE) Act, which would work to strengthen the federal financial support and preparation that teachers and early childhood educators receive to ensure that teachers are better supported. Oppose any cuts to the Pell program, support an increase in the maximum Pell Grant by at least the amount that would be provided with the expiring automatic inflation adjustment. Oppose H.R. 4508, the PROSPER Act, which is the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, because it rolls back or eliminates existing provisions that organizations representing students, consumers, veterans and servicemembers, faculty and staff, civil rights, and college access have supported for years, including but not limited to: the gainful employment rule, the borrower defense rule, the ban on incentive compensation, and the 90-10 rule Strong concerns about HR 4909, the STOP (Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing) School Violence Act which is misguided, duplicative, and may be harmful to all students. Oppose the legislation unless these concerns are met. Support the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative (CSSI), a research-focused initiative created in response to school violence Support amendment by Senators Durbin, Reed, Warren, Brown, Duckworth, Baldwin, Hassan, VanHollen, Murry, and Blumenthal to S. 2155. The Durbin, et.al. amendment would improve consumer protections for federal and private student loans Oppose the Military Education Savings Account Act of 2018 (H.R. 5199 / S.2517) because it would transform Impact Aid into Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). In effect, ESAs are no different than traditional private school vouchers Support 2013 school discipline guidance, issued jointly by the Department of Education and the Department of Justice which clarifies schools responsibilities under civil rights laws to administer discipline in a nondiscriminatory manner and also provide educators information about alternatives to suspensions and ways to build positive school climates Support Public School Construction, Repair and Renovation Oppose Discriminatory High Stakes Educational Testing Oppose publically funded private school vouchers Support maintaining the federal role in ensuring a decent public education / civil rights protections for all students Support allowing students convicted of minor drug offenses to receive federal financial aid Support an increase in aid and other resources for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (support HR 1080) Support expanding Pell Grant funding and availability (support HR 2451 / S 1135) Support helping college graduates burdened by private student loan debt (support HR 2527 / S1262) Support, Preserve and Protect Equal Opportunity Programs including Affirmative Action Support a moratorium on the expansion of the charter schools until such time as: (1) Charter schools are subject to the same transparency and accountability standards as public schools; (2) Public funds are not diverted to charter schools at the expense of the public school system; (3) Charter schools cease expelling students that public schools have a duty to educate; and (4) Charter schools cease to perpetuate de facto segregation of the highest performing children from those whose aspirations may be high but whose talents are not yet as obvious.

Oppose HR 4550, which would exempt attorneys engaged in a lawsuits from the Fair Debt Collection Act. Support helping college graduates burdened by private student loan debt (support HR 2527 / S1262)

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Bureau of the Census, Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Education, Dept of, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Postal Regulatory Commission, SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS), Treasury, Dept of, White House Office

Issues related to the discharge of private student loan debt, including: HR 2366 - Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2017 HR 137 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 HR 2527 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017 HR 2477; S 1162 - Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act of 2017 HR 2366 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 S 749 - Transparency in Student Lending Act of 2017 S 1066 - Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act S 1262 - Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2017

Client expense: $770,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Oppose Floridas proposed ESSA plan Oppose Education Secretary DeVos Proposed Priority 1 to maximize access to private school vouchers and other so-called educational choice schemes Oppose current tax proposals based on cuts to education they contain, including: ending state and local tax deductions; changes to the college 529 savings plan; and repealing the deduction for educators who use their own money for supplies Support the robust enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provision regarding significant disproportionality in the identification, placement, and discipline of students with disabilities with regard to race and ethnicity Oppose New Yorks request for waivers in its proposed ESSA plan. Support S. 1690, THE CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOLS (CCAMPIS) REAUTHORIZATION ACT; which would provide low-cost child care for student - parents. Support HR 4254, legislation to encourage women and minorities in STEM careers Support Public School Construction, Repair and Renovation Oppose High Stakes Educational Testing Oppose publically funded private school vouchers; oppose changes to the tax code which provide tax breaks for giving to or enrollment in private or parochial schools Maintain the federal role in ensuring a decent public education / civil rights protections Support allowing students convicted of minor drug offenses to receive federal financial aid Support increased support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Support HR 1080 Support expanding Pell grant availability and funding. Support S 1135 / HR 2451 Support helping college students burdened by private student loan debt. Support S 1262 / HR 2527 Support, Preserve and Protect Equal Opportunity Programs such as Affirmative Action programs Oppose potential discrimination in Faith Based initiatives Support a moratorium on new charter schools until assurances can be provided that they all comply with civil rights, transparency, teacher quality and other requirements that must be met by traditional public schools.

Issues related to the discharge of private student loan debt, including: HR 2366 - Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2017 HR 137 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 HR 2527 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017 HR 2477; S 1162 - Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act of 2017 HR 2366 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 S 749 - Transparency in Student Lending Act of 2017 S 1066 - Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act S 1262 - Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2017

Client expense: $700,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Oppose school vouchers Oppose rescission of Title IX guidance clarifying protections for transgender students Oppose HR 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 Support the important role of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, the responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, and the need to ensure robust oversight and enforcement of federal nondiscrimination law. Oppose any change to limit the scope, frequency, or public accessibility of civil rights data collection. Oppose the Reauthorization of the DC School Voucher Program Support protecting current student loan programs. Support strengthening Pell grant Program. Oppose SOAR Act; Oppose DC Vouchers Support H.R. 1262 / HR 2527, the Student Loan Fairness Act of 2017 Support a thorough and robust review of every state ESSA plan submitted, and approval should be only after it has met strict criteria. Support CFPB's proposed data collection on student loan servicers Oppose Candice Jackson for Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education Support the CFPB to protect student loan borrowers Oppose the proposed elimination of a question in the 2017 National Survey of Childrens Health regarding whether a child between ages 3-5 was suspended or expelled in preschool. Oppose proposed cuts in the proposed budget by President Trump for FY2018 to the teacher training ($2.4 billion in grants to states for preparing and training teachers and school leaders and $43 million in grants to colleges for teacher preparation); $1.2 billion for after-school and summer programs (the budget would eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, which currently provides $1.2 billion in grants for after-school and summer programs. Grant recipients include school districts, churches, and nonprofit groups which serve more than 1.6 million children nation-wide); $66 million in impact aid to offset tax revenue losses that communities face when they have federal properties in their bounds; and the scaling back or complete elimination of the federal TRIO and GEAR UP programs that help low-income students prepare and prepare for college; and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, a $732 million program that provided aid to 1.6 million students in the 2014-15 academic year, is also on the chopping block. Oppose the Proposal in President Trump's budget for FY2018 to increase by $168 million for charter schools - 50% above the current level, as well as a new $250 million private school choice program (vouchers). Support H.R. 2452 / S. 1135, the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act Support the HBCU Investment Expansion Act / Support H.R. 1080 Support S. 1262, the Fairness for Struggling Students Act, which repeals the 2005 change to the bankruptcy code and restores the availability of bankruptcy relief for private student loans and treating those loans like other forms of private debt such as credit card debt Oppose the delay, dismantling, or weakening of the gainful employment regulations finalized in October 2014 and the borrower defense to repayment and college accountability regulations finalized in November 2016.Support the Title IX Campus Sexual Assault Guidance Oppose the move to no longer raise the maximum amount of Pell Grants with inflation Oppose the proposed $3.3 billion recission from Pell grants in the FY 18 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill; Support sequester relief with parity between defense and non-defense programs; support providing adequate resources to all important programs in the FY 18 Labor-HHS-Education bill Support S. 1795, the The Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act, which removes barriers and makes college more affordable for homeless and foster youth; and supports college retention, success, and completion of homeless and foster youth Support plans submitted to the Ed. Department under ESSA meeting the letter and purpose of the law to provide, all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and close educational achievement gaps." Oppose HR 620, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Education and Reform Act of 2017, which would create significant obstacles for people with disabilities to enforce their rights under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to access public accommodations, and would impede their ability to engage in daily activities and participate in the mainstream of society Support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program Support overall funding levels that are adequate to support all of the important programs in Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, to protect Pell Grants by opposing additional cuts to the program, and to instead use existing Pell resources to increase the maximum Pell Grant by at least the amount the inflation adjustment would provide were it not expiring. Oppose any to repeal, replace, or modify any of the regulations or significant guidance documents which may result in fewer civil rights protections for all students Oppose changes to or rescission of the Gainful Employment Rule, the borrowers defense rule, the Higher Eds. Act ban on incentive compensation; and the 90 / 10 rule barring for-profit colleges from being funded solely by taxpayers. Oppose the April 11, 2017 Dpt. Of Education rescission of three memos that sought to reform the student loan servicing market and ensure the interests of borrowers were central to government contracts. Oppose the revised federal loan servicing requirements issued by the Department of Education on May 19, 2017. Support the Department of Education ensuring that debt collection agencies contracted to interact with student loan borrowers experiencing severe financial hardship are held accountable and that strong consumer protections ensure borrowers are given accurate and timely information. Support discharging debt held by students who were defrauded by their institution Support S. 1690, the Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act Support HR 2451 / S 11135, legislation to expand the Pell Grant program in terms of who is eligible and the maximum amount available Support HR 2611, legislation making Little Rock Central High School a National Monument

Issues related to the discharge of private student loan debt, including: HR 2366 - Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2017 HR 137 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 HR 2527 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017 HR 2477; S 1162 - Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act of 2017 HR 2366 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 S 749 - Transparency in Student Lending Act of 2017 S 1066 - Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act S 1262 - Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2017

Client expense: $440,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Issues related to the discharge of private student loan debt, including: Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2015 (to be reintroduced) HR 137 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 HR 2527 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017 HR 2477; S 1162 - Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act of 2017 HR 2366 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2017 S 749 - Transparency in Student Lending Act of 2017 S 1066 - Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act S 1262 - Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2017

Client expense: $280,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE