This week in Washington, Congress was focused on negotiating a debt ceiling and broader budget deal before the potential June 1 default deadline, and lawmakers plan to continue negotiations throughout the weekend. We are following the debt limit deal closely as it has the potential to impact overall federal spending levels for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, and funding for education and workforce development in particular. While the House is in session next week, the Senate has recessed for a state work period. Senators will return if a deal is reached and ready for a vote. In the meantime, here are some news and notes:
- Broad Coalition Sends Letter on FY 2024 Appropriations: On May 15, a broad coalition of organizations focused on education, workforce, healthcare and other domestic priorities sent a letter to congressional leadership urging against cuts to non-defense discretionary spending in FY 2024 appropriations.
- Secretary Cardona Testifies in House: On May 16, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce during a hearing titled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” The hearing included significant discussions about the value of CTE and the importance of a strong federal investment in CTE and workforce development programs, and you can read more here.
- Department of Education Proposes New “Gainful Employment” Rules: On May 17, the U.S. Department of Education released new proposed regulations related to accountability for all postsecondary certificate programs and degree programs at for-profit institutions. The proposed metrics relate to student loan debt and earnings, and comments are due on June 20. We will have more in-depth analysis soon.
- Nominations Open for Career Clusters Advisory Groups: Recently, nominations were opened for a set of 15 national advisory groups that will help to provide input into potential changes to the National Career Clusters Framework. See more from Advance CTE here.
- Deputy Secretary of Education Visits CTE Programs: On May 15, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten visited CodeRVA Regional High School in Richmond, Virginia, with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), where they learned about how the school is preparing students for careers in computer science and coding. Read more about the visit here.
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Strategies to Train and Connect American Workers to Jobs: On May 16, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new efforts to ensure all Americans can access good jobs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. Read more about these strategies here.
- Department of Labor Announces Funding Availability to Expand Employment of Disabled Youth: The Department of Labor has announced the availability of $1.5 million in funds to support the first year of a cooperative agreement for the operations of a policy development center focused on advancing employment opportunities and outcomes for disabled youth. Read more here.
- Department of Labor Welcomes 98 New Apprenticeship Ambassadors: The Department of Labor has announced the latest 98 additions to Apprenticeship Ambassadors to help the department promote and support Registered Apprenticeship opportunities nationwide. Read more about the program here.
- Department of Labor Hosts Workforce Summit: This week, the Department of Labor hosted “ETA Vision 2030: Investing in America’s Workforce,” with more than 500 key stakeholders. Attendees connected with partners from across the broader workforce ecosystem at a three-day event aimed at leveraging the Administration’s investments in infrastructure, climate and advanced manufacturing sectors to develop talent pipelines and create pathways to good jobs for workers across America. Read more about the conference here.
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