“Off The Cuff” is back and excited to bring listeners new aspects to the podcast. In this week’s “Inside the Beltway'' episode, Justin is joined by the association’s new Vice President of Public Policy and Federal Relations Karen McCarthy and the American Council on Education’s Assistant Vice President for Government Relations Jon Fansmith. The group breaks down the state of play of the budget reconciliation package and where things stand on Capitol Hill. Jon gives an update on the reconciliation process and discusses hangups between Democrats over the $3.5 trillion price tag and what, if any, higher education policies could get cut from the legislation. Also in this episode: what President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate could mean for higher ed and aid offices, ED's recent announcement regarding PSLF, and the latest on the negotiated rulemaking sessions currently underway. As a reminder, our website will be undergoing system maintenance starting this afternoon, but you can listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple podcasts.