Heading into Thanksgiving recess, Washington D.C. has been busy at work on President Biden’s economic agenda. On November 15, President Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, providing $1.2 trillion for rebuilding the nation’s “hard infrastructure” and including some relevant funding for schools and the workforce.
Finishing off the week on November 19, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act along party lines, paving the way for the bill to go through final negotiations in the Senate. This version of the bill includes funding for CTE priorities that we have previously covered, including the $700 million in funding for Perkins. In addition, it also includes $5 billion for Community College and Industry Partnership grants which would provide funds to postsecondary institutions (including community and technical colleges and area CTE centers) to partner with employers to expand education and training opportunities in high-skill, high-wage or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
Moving forward, Congress has a lot on its plate between Thanksgiving and Christmas, even by normal standards. In addition to final negotiations on the Build Back Better Act, an agreement must be made on another continuing resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2022 funding before the current CR expires on December 3. It is likely that Congress will be unable to come to an agreement on final funding bills until the new calendar year, if at all. Additionally, Congress must consider how to address the debt ceiling. There are differing estimates on when the United States might reach the debt ceiling, ranging from mid-December to mid-February. Should Congress not address it in time, the United States would default on its debts for the first time in history. Democratic leadership has expressed that they intend to accomplish all these priorities, including passing the Build Back Better Act in the Senate, before Congress breaks for recess over the holidays.
ACTE will continue advocating to protect investments in CTE, especially proposed increases to Perkins, over the course of the coming weeks. Until the next update, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.
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