In Washington this week, Congress remained in session to continue appropriations bill markups, consider pending nominees and hold committee hearings. Negotiations continue on a bipartisan infrastructure package, although no deal has been reached. The remainder of the summer promises to be a busy time for CTE-related policy, but in the meantime, here are the biggest headlines of the week.
- ACTE Supports Letter to Congressional Leaders on Workforce Investments: Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Steven Horsford (D-NV), along with 101 House members, sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to request that at least $100 billion in new spending for workforce development be included in the upcoming reconciliation package. Thank you to all the ACTE members that responded to our legislative alert and contacted your representatives to ask that they join the letter to congressional leadership.
- House Education and Labor Committee Holds Press Conference on Workforce Development Funding: On July 22, the House Education and Labor Committee held a press conference featuring Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), manufacturing business owner Traci Tapani of Wyoming Machine and National Skills Coalition Executive Director Andy Van Kleunen to express the urgent need to include the $100 billion investment in workforce development laid out in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan proposal as a part of the upcoming reconciliation package.
- House Committee Holds Hearing on the Direct Care Workforce: On July 20, the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee and the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee, held a joint subcommittee hearing on making investments in the direct care workforce. Zulma Torres, a home health aide from Waterbury, Connecticut, described in detail to the subcommittee members the challenges that direct care workers face, including low pay and long hours. In addition to those difficulties, the direct care sector lacks training opportunities and career pathways that would ensure quality care and provide the chance for professional advancement, as highlighted by the witnesses and subcommittee members.
- House Announces Plans to Consider Labor-HHS-Education Spending Bill: The House Appropriations Committee has announced that the full House is expected to consider the Fiscal Year 2022 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies funding bill this week. For a complete recap of the bill’s CTE-related funding levels, visit CTE Policy Watch.
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) Leads Letter to Senate Leadership on the Educator Workforce: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senate CTE Caucus co-chair, led 13 senators in sending a letter to Senate leadership urging investments in the educator workforce in any upcoming infrastructure legislation. The letter requests investments that will create a well-prepared, diverse, supported and stable educator workforce.
- Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) Introduce Legislation to Close the Homework Gap: Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MA) and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced the Securing Universal Communications Connectivity to Ensure Students Succeed (SUCCESS) Act, legislation that will help bolster the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund created under the American Rescue Plan. Schools and libraries would receive $40 billion over 5 years to provide internet access and internet-enabled devices to students, staff and library patrons. ACTE has endorsed this legislation.
- Committee for Education Funding (CEF) Hosts Advocacy Day: On July 21, CEF hosted a Day of Advocacy on Capitol Hill to call on Congress to support greater federal investments in education. ACTE participated in meetings with lawmakers as a part of CEF’s advocacy efforts. Additionally, CEF participated in a social media campaign, #HearOurEdStories, to highlight the impact of greater education investments, which was joined by multiple House members and organizations. CEF requests that advocates contact their Members of Congress and urge them to support increased funding for education.
- Department of Education Releases Additional ARP-ESSER Funds: The Department of Education has announced its approval of 10 additional American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund state plans. These plans detail how states are using and plan to use ARP-ESSER funds to safely reopen schools and expand educational opportunities for students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
- Department of Education Releases Updated Title IX Guidance: The Department of Education has released updated guidance to help institutions comply with changes made to Title IX in 2020. The document released by the department addresses how an institution should determine whether to investigate off-campus conduct, the types of allowable evidence for a decision-maker to use and the appropriate length of time that an institution should take to investigate a complaint.
- Economic Development Administration Announces Good Jobs Challenge: The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), a bureau of the Department of Commerce, announced the Good Jobs Challenge, a $500 million program to help get Americans back to work by strengthening in-demand skills and job training partnerships between employers and workers. You may apply here for the grant funding.
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