Lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving recess with a packed agenda to complete before adjourning for the year. There are less than two weeks until government funding expires on December 16, but discussions on fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills are proceeding slowly.
In addition to appropriations, the House plans to vote on a version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) during the coming week, among other priorities such as immigration and green card reform. The House will also hold a vote to codify the federal government’s recognition of same-sex marriage.
The 118th Congress will begin right after the new year, on January 3. To prepare for the start of the new Congress, ACTE will be sharing more information on the impact of the election on CTE, including information on committee leadership, new Members of Congress and other resources relevant to CTE stakeholders. In the meantime, here are some updates from Washington:
- Student Loan Repayment Pause Extended: Following announcement of the Supreme Court’s plans to consider the Biden Administration’s federal student loan debt relief program, the Biden Administration extended the payment pause on all federal student loans until 60 days after the Department of Education is permitted to implement the program or the litigation is resolved. If the program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023, payments will resume 60 days after that. Read more about the extension here.
- Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Update: Government funding talks for fiscal year 2023 appear to be locked in a standstill, with appropriations leaders in both parties at odds over the total amount of non-defense spending to be included in the omnibus spending package, which will have a significant impact on the funding available for education and workforce development programs. ACTE continues to monitor the appropriations process and will urge Congress to support the maximum investment possible in the Perkins Basic State Grant. ACTE’s coalition partner, the Committee for Education Funding, also sent a letter to Capitol Hill urging swift resolution of the funding impasse and the largest possible investment in education programs.
- Department of Labor Announces Grant Opportunity to Support Pre-Apprenticeship: The Department of Labor has announced $90 million in YouthBuild Program grants to support pre-apprenticeships in high-demand industries including construction, health care, information technology and hospitality. Applications for funding will close on February 7, 2023. For more details and a complete list of eligible applicants, visit the link here.
- Republicans Claim Narrow House Control: In late November, Republicans were declared winners in enough midterm races to reach 218 seats in the House of Representatives, the minimum number needed to flip the chamber to their control in the 118th Congress. Read more about this development here.
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