While both chambers of Congress were in session this week, only a few votes were held. The House did vote on the Republican debt limit package, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811), and it passed on a party-line vote of 217-215. The package proposes significant cuts to non-defense discretionary spending and limits on future spending, which could impact education and workforce development programs. As this discussion continues, ACTE is continuing to communicate with congressional staff and stakeholders about the potential impact of these cuts and advocate for the highest possible levels of education spending. The House will be out of session next week, but the Senate is expected to continue discussions around this bill and the debt limit more broadly. In the meantime, here are some news and notes from the week:
- College Scorecard Update: The Department of Education has announced enhancements to the College Scorecard, including data on the median earnings of former graduates four years after completion of their requisite field of study; new demographic data, including race/ethnicity data for full-time staff and student-to-faculty ratios; and greater information for prospective graduate students on fields of study, earnings and student debt trends. Visit the College Scorecard here.
- House Small Business Committee Holds Hearing on Strengthening Small Business: On April 26, the House Committee on Small Business’s Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Help Wanted: Exploring How Alternative Paths to Student Debt Can Help to Strengthen Small Business.” The hearing featured several workforce development advocates that discussed a variety of career opportunities for students, and how CTE can help provide these opportunities. Read more about the hearing here.
- National Apprenticeship Act of 2023 Introduced: On April 25, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the National Apprenticeship Act of 2023. Read more about the bill here.
- Coalition Partner Sends Letter on FY 2024 Appropriations: This week, the Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce (CIAW), one of ACTE’s coalition partners, sent a letter calling on Congress to support robust funding for education and workforce development programs in FY 2024. ACTE joined the letter in support.
- National Apprenticeship System Enhancements Listening Session: On May 5, the Department of Labor will host a National Apprenticeship System Enhancements Listening Session at 3:00pm EST. You can register for the listening session here.
- HELP Committee Approves Julie Su’s Nomination as Secretary of Labor: On April 26, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee votedto favorably report the nomination of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor. It was a party-line 11-10 vote, and the future of her nomination is uncertain.
- Members of Congress Re-introduce College Transparency Act: On April 27, the College Transparency Act (CTA) was reintroduced in the House and Senate by a large group of lawmakers. The bill would improve the information available about postsecondary programs and outcomes and ease information sharing. ACTE has endorsed the legislation again this Congress.
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