Welcome to the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs (OLCA)
OLCA serves as the liaison between ED and Congress, coordinating all Department matters relevant to Congress.
OLCA's organizational structure consists of political leadership who work to effectively communicate the Administration's position on education issues, career staff for policy that advise on legislation, and Congressional affairs staff that aid in resolving constituent concerns.
OLCA Internships
OLCA hires interns for the spring, summer, fall and winter. Our office seeks to enlist and engage students with broad and diverse backgrounds to join our team. We are especially interested in students who are pursuing education related or government policy related fields. We have a great, fast-paced office and every day is a learning experience. Our interns do substantive work, learn a tremendous amount about how our government works, and are valued members of our team. We emphasize personal growth and opportunity to experience a wide range of activities. See below for a summary of intern responsibilities.
Perhaps the most important job of an intern at OLCA is attending congressional hearings on education-related issues, which are typically conducted during the traditional business hours of the United States Congress. These hearings are not only a tremendous opportunity for interns to see their government in action, but the summaries interns are tasked with creating as a result of attending the hearings are dispersed throughout the Department, including the Office of the Secretary.
Due to the importance of these responsibilities, as well as the overall benefit for students who are fully immersed in the work of the office, we seek interns who are generally available to work full-time, 3-5 days per week during traditional office hours (9am – 5pm).
While ED cannot provide compensation or housing for the internship program, all interns are eligible for Metro Transit benefits to cover transportation to and from work. Students receiving outside funding (such as a grant) or school credit for the internship are encouraged to apply. We also provide performance reviews for those institutions requiring them.
OLCA’s internship program is intended to be a positive learning experience for the student.
OLCA interns will:
- attend Congressional hearings, markups, meetings, briefings and events both within and outside the Department on matters of federal education policy interest and write reports to summarize those events.
- have an opportunity to meet with each OLCA staff member for an informative session to discuss each staff member’s background and career path.
- assist staff with preparation for hearings, briefings and meetings.
- update staff on current events in various education policy areas.
- assist staff with ongoing Congressional outreach.
- assist with the updating of Congressional databases, Congressional biographies and Hill education legislative assistants.
- occasionally perform various administrative tasks and other duties as assigned, including Hill runs and helping with phones when necessary.
For more information on our internship program, please email OLCAInternprogram@ed.gov.
General Contact Information
The Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs serves as the liaison between the U.S. Department of Education and Congressional offices. Please contact this office with any questions, and we will be pleased to respond or connect you with the appropriate office.
Office of Legislation & Congressional Affairs
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-3100
Phone: 202-401-0020
Fax: 202-401-1438
Business Hours: 9:00am—5:30pm EST, Monday through Friday
Office Leadership
Gwen Graham
Assistant Secretary
Rachel Niebling
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS)
Vacant
Chief of Staff
Barbara Hoblitzell
Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) - Higher Education
Ramón Carranza
Director of Legislative Affairs - Higher Education
Melissa Bellin
Director of Legislative Affairs - K12
JoAnn Martinez-Shriver
Senior Advisor for Oversight
Molly Petersen
Principal Advisor, Legislative Affairs
Legislative and Outreach Staff
| Person | Portfolios |
| Ian Smolka | Higher Education |
| Jacob Blaut | Oversight, OCTAE |
| James Forester | K-12, FERPA |
| Kim Zarish-Becknell | K-12, OSERS |
| Katherine Mash | K-12/Assistant Secretary Executive Assistant |
| Annette Barile | Special Projects/PDAS support |
| Vera Richards | Casework Team Lead |
| Takea Vickers | Constituent Casework, OCR |
| Taron Henton | Constituent Casework |
| Waquesha Canty | Constituent Casework and Grants |
| Tiffany Lowder | Constituent Casework |
| Jessica Cady | Constituent Casework |
| Sara Connelly | Correspondence |
| Marco Sanchez | Secretary and Surrogate Events and Engagement |
Executive and Administrative Staff
Liza Araujo, Executive Officer
Resources
The following are links to various datasets and websites to find area specific information and resources. Click on the title to be directed to the platforms.
Data Collections and State Tables
Data.gov. This website provides information on some of the U.S. Department of Education's (Department) new discretionary grant programs. It also provides links to various Department of Education data tools and includes a catalogue of raw data sets.
Civil Rights Data Collection. Here you will find a data tool for exploring the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), which collects data on key education and civil rights issues in our nation's public schools for use by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), other Department of Education offices, and other policymakers and researchers. This data collection provides information about students in public elementary and secondary schools on a variety of indicators, including enrollment, access to educational programs or services, and academic proficiency results, "disaggregated" or broken out, by factors including race, ethnicity, sex, and disability.
Common Core of Data. The Common Core of Data (CCD) is an annual collection of fiscal and non-fiscal data about all public elementary and secondary schools, public school districts and state education agencies in the United States collected by the National Center for Education Statistics. The data include information that describes schools and school districts including name, address, and phone number; descriptive information about students and staff, including demographics; and fiscal data, including revenues and current expenditures. From this website, users can also link to the Build a Table tool, which allows users to explore CCD data. This site also provides links to the complete documentation of the data set.
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The primary source for data on colleges, universities, and technical and vocational postsecondary institutions in the United States.
State by State Budget Tables. The below link will give you access to the Department's Congressional Budget Justifications, and state by state budget tables.
PK-Higher ED
StudentAid.ed.gov. New streamlined Federal Student Aid website is making it easier for students and families to navigate the financial aid process and make informed decisions about paying for college and is the initial step in a multi-phase project to offer a "one-stop shop" where consumers can access federal student aid information, apply for federal aid, repay student loans, and navigate the college decision-making process. Also includes the FSA data center where individuals can obtain information on Title IV loans and grants, broken down by state and Institution of Higher Education default rates.
College Scorecard. Search and compare colleges: their fields of study, costs, admissions, results, and more.
Federal Student Aid Estimator. This tool provides an estimate of how much federal student aid a student may be eligible to receive.
College Financing Plan. This webpage provides students, families, and institutions with a consumer tool that participating institutions use to notify students about their financial aid package.
Raise the Bar: Lead the World. "Raise the Bar: Lead the World" is the U.S. Department of Education's call to action to transform education and unite around what truly works—based on decades of experience and research—to advance educational equity and excellence. This includes fact sheets for all 50 states outlining how each state has benefited from historic investments made by the Biden-Harris Administration.
Raise the Bar Policy Brief: Eliminating Educator Shortages through Increasing Educator Diversity and Addressing High-need Shortage Areas. The Department is committed to a comprehensive policy agenda to recruit, prepare, and retain a racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse and well-prepared educator workforce. This includes promoting educator diversity while recruiting, preparing, retaining, and supporting teachers, administrators, and other educators and ensuring that education is a profession that people from all backgrounds can pursue.
Grants
ED offers three kinds of grants:
- Discretionary grants: awarded using a competitive process.
- Student loans or grants: to help students attend college.
- Formula grants: uses formulas determined by Congress and has no application process.
Frequently Requested Resources:
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
Education Stabilization Fund Dashboard
Budget
News
Statements of Administration Policy
H.R. 3724 – End Woke Higher Education Act (September 17, 2024)
H.R. 1398 – Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024 (September 10, 2024)
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to S. 2073 -Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act (July 25, 2024)
H.R. 6914 – Pregnant Students’ Rights Act (January 16, 2024)
H.R. 5894 — Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 (November 13, 2023)
H.R. 3941 – Schools Not Shelters Act of 2023 (July 19, 2023))
H.R. 734 – Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 (April 17, 2023)
H. R. 5 – Parents Bill of Rights Act (March 20, 2023)
Department Officials' Testimonies Before Congress
2021
1. Nomination of Miguel Cardona to serve as Secretary of Education
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Full Senate Committee) Wednesday, February 3, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
2. Nomination of Cynthia Marten to serve as Deputy Secretary of Education
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Full Senate Committee) Wednesday, March 24, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Cynthia Marten, Deputy Secretary. Witness Statement.
3. Nomination of James Kvaal to serve as Undersecretary of Education
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Full Senate Committee) Thursday, April 15, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: James Kvaal, Undersecretary. Witness Statement.
4. FY 2022 Budget Request for the Department of Education
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House Committee on Appropriations) Wednesday, May 5, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Senate Committee on Appropriations) Wednesday, June 16, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
6. Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Education
Committee on Education and the Workforce (Full House Committee) Thursday, June 24, 2021 (10:15 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Full Senate Committee) Tuesday, July 13, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Catherine Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Witness Statement.
Witness: Elizabeth Brown, General Counsel. Witness Statement.
Witness: Roberto Rodriguez, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development. Witness Statement.
8. School Reopening During COVID-19: Supporting Students, Educators, and Families
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Full Senate Committee) Thursday, September 30, 2021 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
9. Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Office of Federal Student Aid
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development (House Committee Education and the Workforce) Wednesday, October 27, 2021 (10:15 AM)
Witness: Richard Cordray, Chief Operation Officer of Federal Student Aid. Witness Statement.
10. Examining the Implementation of COVID-10 Education Funds
Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Educaton & Higher Education and Workforce Investment (House Committee Education and the Workforce) Wednesday, November 17, 2021 (10:15 AM)
Witness: Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary. Witness Statement.
James Kvaal, Under Secretary.
2022
11. HBCUs at Risk: Examining Federal Support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Committee on Oversight and Accountability (Full House Committee) Thursday, March 17, 2022 (9:00 AM)
Witness: Michelle Asha Cooper, Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. Witness Statement.
12. FY 2023 Budget Request for the Department of Education
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House Committee on Appropriations) Thursday, April 28, 2022 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
13. Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Education
House Committee on Education and the Workforce (Full Committee Hearing) Thursday, May 26, 2022 (12:00 PM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Senate Committee on Appropriations) Tuesday, June 7, 2022 (10:30 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
15. FITARA 15.0
Committee on Oversight and Accountability (Full House Committee) Thursday, December 15, 2022 (11:00 AM)
Witness: Jason Gray, Chief Information Officer. Witness Statement.
2023
16. Impacts of the Pandemic on Youth Mental Health and Learning Loss - CANCELLED
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House Committee on Appropriations), Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Witness: Ruth Ryder, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
17. Why Are So Many American Youth in a Mental Health Crisis? Exploring Causes and Solutions
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Full Committee Hearing) Thursday, June 8, 2023 (10:00 am)
Witness: Katherine Neas, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitate Services. Witness Statement.
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development (House Committee on Education & the Workforce) Wednesday, May 24, 2023 (10:15 AM)
Witness: James Kvaal, Under Secretary of Education. Witness Statement.
Witness: Richard Cordray, Chief Operating Officer, Office of Federal Student Aid. Witness Statement.
19. Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education
Committee on Education and the Workforce (Full House Committee) Tuesday, May 16, 2023 (10:15 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Senate Committee on Appropriations) Thursday, May 11, 2023 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
21. FY 2023 Budget Request for the Department of Education
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House Committee on Appropriations) Thursday, April 28, 2022 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
22. Budget Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the United States Department of Education
House Committee on Appropriations (Full House Committee) Tuesday, April 18, 2022 (10:00 am)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
Witness: Larry Kean, Budget Director.
23. Oversight Hearing – Addressing the Challenges of Rural America
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House Committee on Appropriations) Wednesday, March 29, 2023 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Ruth Ryder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Witness Statement.
24. Compliance with Committee Oversight
Subcommittee on Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight (House Judiciary Committee) Wednesday, March 29, 2023 (2:00 PM)
Witness: Gwen Graham, Assistant Secretary, Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs.
25. Compliance with Committee Oversight
Subcommittee on Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight (House Judiciary Committee) Thursday, March 09, 2023 (2:00 PM)
Witness: Gwen Graham, Assistant Secretary, Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs. Witness Statement.
2024
26. Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the Department of Education
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House Committee on Appropriations) Wednesday, April 10, 2024. (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
27. A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the Department of Education
Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Senate Committee on Appropriations) Tuesday, April 30, 2024 (10:00 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
28. Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education
Committee on Education and the Workforce (Full House Committee) Tuesday, May 7, 2024 (10:15 AM)
Witness: Miguel Cardona, Secretary. Witness Statement.
Congressional Affairs
Casework
OLCA is available to assist Congressional offices with constituent casework inquiries related to Federal Student Aid Civil Rights Complaints and Grant inquires. Please send all casework, questions, and other requests to OLCAInquiries@ed.gov
Federal Student Aid
OLCA works with FSA to provide responses to Congressional FSA casework inquiries. The typical time frame for response is 6 weeks. The Department also provides information on a number of frequently asked questions. It may be helpful to reference this website prior to forwarding inquiries to ED as a number of FSA casework inquiries can be answered by information already available on our website. We recommend that Congressional staff view www.studentaid.gov for information. The website includes information on loan forgiveness and cancellation, total and permanent disability, loan servicers, and FAFSA, among other things.
If however, this website does not answer your specific question, OLCA will need the following information from Congressional offices:
- constituent's name, full SSN, DOB on a signed privacy release form;
- a brief description of the constituent's concerns with supporting documents, including any difficulty with the handling of their student loans/loans process; and
- an explanation of the constituent's specific request that includes by name the U.S. Department of Education as the "Name of Agency" for the Congressional office to contact.
Civil Rights Complaints
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for serving student populations facing discrimination and the advocates and institutions promoting systemic solutions to civil rights problems. The Office for Civil Rights enforces several Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education. For more information about the statutes they enforce visit OCR's Overview of the Agency.
An important responsibility of OCR is resolving complaints of discrimination. A number of OCR casework inquiries can be answered by information already available on OCR's website. We recommend that Congressional staff view OCR's Complaint Process for more information.
If however, this website does not answer your specific question, OLCA will need the following information from Congressional offices:
- constituent's name and DOB on a signed privacy release form;
- a brief description of the constituent's concerns, including their case number;
- an explanation of the constituent's specific request that includes by name the
U.S. Department of Education as the "Name of Agency" for the Congressional office to contact.
Grants
OLCA works with Congressional offices on grants casework inquiries. This would include information about grant opportunities and meeting requests. For more specific information regarding grants and the Congressional notification process please see our "Grants" link above for more information.
Congressional Correspondence
Congress sends hundreds of letters to ED annually regarding policy or oversight matters, such as regulations, Administration policies, ED operations, budget or spending, or other topics. Such letters are frequently signed by multiple Members of Congress. The best way to send a letter to ED, is to email a member of OLCA staff--please see our "Contact Information for OLCA" link above for that listing. If you do not have a direct contact, you may email the OLCA Inbox at OLCAInquiries@ed.gov. If you send the letter by U.S. mail, there may be a delay in the letter reaching OLCA, which will affect processing time. Do not send the letter directly to ED program offices or other non-OLCA staff otherwise you will likely experience processing delays.
Please attach your signed letter, in PDF format, to your email.
Public Comments to Regulations
At times, Congressional offices send ED correspondence with official comment to regulatory activity, such as Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) and Notices of Proposed Priorities (NPPs). If your office wishes to send a letter regarding regulations, please submit the letter to regulations.gov by the deadline specified in the NPRM or NPP. To ensure your comments will be considered in the development of the final regulations or final Notice Inviting Applications (NIAs), the Administrative Procedures Act requires that your office submit such letters through the official comment process by posting the letter to regulations.gov. Also, please send a courtesy copy to OLCA for proper handling.
Grant Support Letters (Letters of Support)
Grant support letters express support for an applicant to an ED grant or other publicly available opportunity. Please email such letters to the OLCA Inbox at OLCAInquiries@ed.gov.
Secretary Meeting Request Process for Hill Offices
If your office would like to request a meeting with the Secretary, please follow the process outlined in this link here. We kindly ask that you submit your request at least five weeks prior to your event to ensure timely preparation.
For more urgent requests, please email Marco.Sanchez@ed.gov.
Our Locations
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202
