NACUBO On Your Side: November 14–20, 2023
11/20/2023
As things move quickly in Washington, DC, NACUBO is your constant advocate in action. NACUBO On Your Side covers important legislative and agency activity NACUBO staff are tracking, what we’re currently advocating for, and how you can take action with us.
Here are the issues we are tracking and advocating for this week.
On the Hill
Government Shutdown Averted Through Split-Funding Solution
Last week, President Joe Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, a two-step continuing resolution (CR) preventing a government shutdown before the previous CR expired on November 17. Some federal agencies will be funded until January 19 and others until February 2, creating two additional shutdown deadlines in early 2024 and adding to a legislative backlog.
In the weeks ahead, lawmakers must agree on a full FY24 appropriations bill, pass an additional stopgap measure to maintain FY23 funding levels, or face the threat of a government shutdown in early 2024.
House Tax-Writing Committee Holds Hearing on Campus Antisemitism
Last week, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing to discuss the recent increase in antisemitism stemming from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The hearing, “From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing” discussed potential federal interventions, including oversight through the FBI and IRS, to ensure that administrators are offering adequate protections to Jewish students.
Agency Action
IRS Releases Proposed Guidance on Donor-Advised Funds
Published by the IRS on November 14, new proposed rules define donor-advised funds (DAFs) and what constitutes a taxable distribution from a DAF. The proposal would place a 20 percent excise tax on each taxable distribution from a DAF, which must be paid by the fund’s sponsoring organization. Further, a fund manager who knowingly agrees to the making of a taxable distribution would be liable for an excise tax equal to 5 percent of the amount of that distribution, up to a maximum of $10,000 per distribution. Comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking are due by January 16, 2024.
FSA Announces FAFSA Availability and Updates Implementation Timeline
The Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) has confirmed that the 2024-25 FAFSA will be available to students and families no later than December 31. In the announcement, and in updates to its FAFSA Roadmap, the FSA also shared that they will begin processing applications in January and will begin sharing Institutional Student Information Records with schools by the end of that month.
White House Shares Updated Complaint Form in Resources to Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has released an updated complaint form specifying that protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act extend to students who “are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh, or based on other shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.” The updated form is among the Biden administration efforts to address on-campus antisemitism.
Take Action
Register for NACUBO’s Next Washington Update
NACUBO’s next quarterly Washington Update will take place on Thursday, November 30, from 2:30–3 pm ET. The webinar is free for NACUBO members, and you can send questions in advance to advocacy@nacubo.org.
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