On July 14, news reports stated that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would move to consider a standalone package of funding for semiconductor manufacturing, now known as the CHIPS Act, as soon as Tuesday, July 19 after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) halted conference negotiations on the bipartisan and bicameral America COMPETES/USICA. The status of several provisions under negotiation, including the JOBS Act and College Transparency Act (CTA), are still unclear, as lawmakers seek to bypass the conference negotiations in hopes of passing the bill before the August congressional recess. The America COMPETES Act and the USICA contain several provisions with implications for CTE, most notably the expansion of Pell Grants to short-term programs through language similar to the JOBS Act in the America COMPETES Act.
Now, lawmakers are lobbying congressional leadership to include their personal priorities in the bill. We need your help in putting pressure on your Members of Congress to include the JOBS Act language in the text of the CHIPS Act!
If you reside in Arizona, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Washington or California, your Members of Congress are in a key position to impact negotiations, making it crucial that CTE advocates in these states weigh in now as the negotiations quickly shift in a new direction.
If you have a direct contact in your representative’s or senator’s office, such as from a meeting with a staff member during NPS or at another time, we urge you to call or email directly. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and an operator will connect you to your requested congressional office. Please contact your senators and representatives today!
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