Congress returned from recess on Monday, April 17, and most of their focus was on appropriations hearings, judicial nomination issues and congressional Republicans’ debt ceiling proposal, which you can read more about below. Both chambers will be back in session next week as well, where the House in particular is expected to continue discussions on the debt limit proposal and potentially hold a vote. As we wait to learn more, here are some news and notes:
- FY 2024 Appropriations Update: Earlier his week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) released House Republicans’ debt limit proposal. It would raise the national debt limit in exchange for significant cuts to non-discretionary defense spending and limiting future spending. Specifically, it would roll spending back to at least FY 22 levels and limit growth to 1% per year over the next 10 years. These cuts could have detrimental impact on education and workforce development programs, including Perkins. Speaker McCarthy plans to hold a House vote on the bill by the end of next week. You can read a copy of the debt limit proposal here.
- Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Secretary of Education Cardona at Axios Summit: Earlier this week, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona attended Axios’s Skills Summit, where they discussed their respective focuses on skills-based hiring. Both Secretary Cardona and Chairwoman Foxx shared that institutes of higher education, including two-year colleges, must evolve to meet workforce demands amid changing economic conditions. Both also emphasized the importance of industry partnerships. Read more from their comments at Axios here.
- Federal Register Publishes Notice on National CTE Research Study: The Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences has released the second draft of two surveys that will be conducted in 2023 to collect information about CTE policy and program implementation under Perkins V: a survey of all state directors of CTE, and a nationally representative sample of district coordinators of CTE. Comments on the surveys must be submitted by May 22, 2023. Read more from the Federal Register notice here.
- Introducing Senator Ted Budd, New Co-Chair of Senate CTE Caucus: On April 21, ACTE and Advance CTE announced that Sen. Ted Budd will become the new co-chair of the bipartisan Senate CTE Caucus! He will be taking the place of former Sen. Rob Portman, who retired at the end of last Congress. He had helped to lead the Senate CTE Caucus for 11 years. Read more about the announcement here.
- Secretary of Education Cardona Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee: Earlier this week, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s fiscal year 2024 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education. Cardona was also asked about his support for extending Pell grants to short-term workforce programs. Read more about the hearing here.
- National Science Foundation Director Emphasizes Workforce Development in Budget Hearing: During testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Sethuraman Panchanathan emphasized the importance of rapid workforce development investments and scaling training programs to fill jobs created by investments in key industries, such as manufacturing, semiconductor research and development, and infrastructure. Read more about the hearing here.
- OCTAE Blog Recognizing Community Colleges: Assistant Secretary Amy Loyd of the Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) published a blog post celebrating community college during National Community College Month. Read the blog here.
- Department of Labor Announces Funding to Attract and Retain Women in Registered Apprenticeships and Nontraditional Occupations: The Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced a $5 million funding opportunity during the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America tour. Funding would be available to help increase gender equity in apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations for up to 14 grant recipients. Read more about the funding here.
- Department of Labor Announces Job Training Grants and Services for Rural Communities: The Department of Labor has announced $44.2 million in funding in Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) initiative demonstration grants. The WORC initiative seeks to address persistent economic distress and create pathways to high-quality careers for people living or working in the Appalachian, Lower Mississippi Delta and Northern Border regions, helping them to remain and thrive in these communities. In concert with community partnerships, the initiative aligns with existing economic and workforce development plans to support local and regional workforces’ employment and training needs. Read more about the funding here.
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