Last week, the primary focus on the Hill was the Senate impeachment trial of former President Trump, which ultimately ended on Saturday with 57 Senators voting to convict the president, not enough for the two-thirds majority required. In the House, most of the activity was related to the next COVID-19 relief package, and several committees moved pieces of the legislation forward. We are also busy preparing for ACTE’s virtual 2021 National Policy Seminar (NPS), taking place the week of February 22, which will provide a timely opportunity to engage with Members of Congress. Check it out on ACTE’s website. Here are some other notes from last week:
- House Education Subcommittee Rosters Announced: Leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee announced subcommittee rosters on February 8. Democratic and Republican rosters are now available. Notably, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) and Rep. Murphy (R-NC) will serve as the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, which has jurisdiction over most CTE-related issues.
- Secretary of Education and Labor Nominees Move Forward: On Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 17-5 to approve the nomination of Miguel Cardona to be Secretary of Education and 18-4 to approve Martin Walsh as Secretary of Labor. Both nominations now move to the full Senate.
- New COVID-19 Guidance Released for Schools: On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released updated guidance related to the reopening of K-12 schools that is much more detailed and based on community infection rates. The Department of Education followed with Volume 1 of a new COVID-19 Handbook. The handbook provides strategies, guidance and considerations for safely reopening K-12 school for in-person learning, including masking practices, physical distancing and a roadmap for stakeholder engagement. The second volume of the handbook will be released in the coming weeks.
- New COVID-19 Guidance: On Friday, the CDC released updated guidance on safely reopening schools for in-person learning, which is intended to act as a companion guide to the Department of Education’s COVID-19 Handbook. The updated guidance builds on previous recommendations, and includes new mitigation strategies to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, as well as an updated, color-coded chart that divides school reopening options into four zones, based on the level of community transmission.
- Senate Appropriations Committee Announced Leadership and Subcommittee Rosters for 117th Congress: On Friday, the Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AK) announced the majority and minority chairs, ranking members and the subcommittee rosters for the 117th Congress. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) will continue to lead the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee in this Congress, but with their roles reversed. Sen. Murray will be chair of the Subcommittee and Sen. Blunt the ranking member.
- House Education and Labor Committee Approves Additional COVID-19 Relief Bill: On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee voted 27-21 to approve a $357.9 billion draft proposal for inclusion in the COVID-19 relief package that's slated to move through Congress under the FY21 budget reconciliation process. A full summary is available in this blog post.
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