In Washington this past week, lawmakers in the House primarily focused on tying up loose ends before the July 4th recess, including the creation of a January 6th select committee and consideration of a surface transportation bill while the Senate was already in recess. However, there was some notable committee activity related to CTE, as well as several pertinent announcements. The month of July is shaping up to be a busy one for Congress, but in the meantime, here is the latest from Washington:
- House Ways and Means Committee Holds Hearing on Higher Education Access: On June 29, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing titled, “Expanding Access to Higher Education and the Promise it Holds.” Each witness spoke about the emerging trends in higher education that they are observing, including recommendations to improve the existing student financial aid system and make students aware of the options available to them beyond a four-year degree. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) noted in his questioning of the witnesses that he had recently visited a CTE-focused institution in his district, and emphasized that students should be made aware of all educational options available to them, including CTE.
- House Small Business Committee Holds “Jobs!” Hearing: On June 30, the House Small Business Committee Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development held a hearing focused on “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!” The hearing primarily focused on H.R. 1226, the Next Generation Entrepreneurship Corps Act, which would establish a program to invest in Main Street businesses. The witnesses also emphasized the importance of career exploration and discovery early in students’ academic careers.
- FCC Opens Application Window for E-Rate Emergency Connectivity Fund: Applications are now open for FCC funds to help provide services and tools for remote learning. Funds will benefit K-12 schools and libraries, and the funds must be requested for the 2021-22 school year to pay for purchases and services between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. More details are available on the FCC website, including a fact sheet about the program, FAQs, trainings and resources. You must apply for funds by August 13.
- Department of Labor Announces Funds to Support Displaced Workers: $43 million in grant funding through the National Displaced Worker grant program will provide support to workers most impacted by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant applicants may choose to focus on the delivery of career, training and supportive services to help participants gain employment, or they may use funds to purchase, build or expand virtual technology platforms, software systems, or services for job search, career guidance, training or other allowable activities. The grants are supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and you can apply here.
- Department of Education Announces Changes to TEACH Grant Program: The TEACH Grant program recently underwent several changes, including exit counseling requirements and loan certification process changes. Grant recipients can receive up to $4,000 per year if they are completing coursework to begin a teaching career through the TEACH Grant program. Students who receive the grants agree to complete four years of teaching in a high-need field in an underserved school. Career and technical education (CTE) is considered a high-need field, according to the Department of Education.
- Department of Education Awards Funds to Support Children with Disabilities: On July 1, the Department of Education released over $3 billion in funds to states that will provide support to more than 7.9 million infants, toddlers and youth with disabilities. The funding was provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. A breakdown of the formula grants and a fact sheet are also available from the Department of Education.
- Department of Education Opens Applications for Homeless Children and Youth Fund: States and school districts may apply for the second disbursement of $600 million from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to help support students experiencing homelessness. The Homeless Children and Youth Fund (ARP-HCY) was created to help identify and support homeless youth.
- House Appropriations Committee Approves 302(b) Subcommittee Allocations: The House Appropriations Committee has approved the Fiscal Year 2022 “302(b)” subcommittee allocations for all 12 subcommittees. These allocations serve as the spending cap for each subcommittee bill. In good news, the allocations include a $40.5 billion increase for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education subcommittee spending bill, although a large part of that increase is expected to go to health care programs in response to the pandemic. The draft text of the bill, including funding levels for individual programs like Perkins and other education and workforce development programs, will be released closer to the date of the markup, which is scheduled for July 12.
- House Passes Surface Transportation Bill: On July 1, the House passed the INVEST in America Act, a $715 billion surface transportation reauthorization package. The bill would provide $343 billion to roads, bridges and safety, $109 billion to transit, and $95 billion to passenger and freight rail, in addition to $117 billion for drinking water infrastructure, and over $51 billion to wastewater infrastructure. Surface transportation funding expires on September 30. This bill could ultimately become part of or the foundation for a broader infrastructure deal, although it is not currently bipartisan.
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