E-Update for the Week of June 18, 2018
Highlights:
- This update includes information for the period of June 19 through June 22, 2018.
- On June 20, the Senate rejected by a vote of 48-50, a motion to discharge from the Appropriations Committee a bill based on the White House’s budget rescissions package.
- On June 21, the White House announced President Trump’s plan to reform and reorganize the federal government, including merging the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor into a single agency.
- On June 21, the House took up two immigration bills but no progress was made on either. The more conservative bill — H.R. 4760, the “Securing America’s Future Act” — was defeated by a vote of 193-231, while a vote on a “compromise bill” — H.R. 6136, the “Border Security and Immigration Reform Act” — was delayed.
Budget & Appropriations:
House Budget Committee Approves FY2019 Budget Resolution: On June 21, the House Budget Committee approved along a party-line vote of 21-13 its FY2019 Budget Resolution titled, “Budget for a Brighter American Future.” The proposed plan expects $8.1 trillion in deficit reduction over ten years. The budget also provides instructions to 11 House authorizing committees to decrease mandatory spending by $302 billion over the ten-year window, and sets topline discretionary spending at $1.24 trillion. Specifically, the plan calls for $20 billion in savings from the House Education and the Workforce Committee. The budget plan is available here, and the full legislative text here. House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack’s (R-AR) statement is available here. House Budget Committee Ranking Member John Yarmuth’s (D-KY) statement is available here.
June 21, 2018
Senate Rejects Administration’s Budget Rescissions Package: On June 20, the Senate rejected by a vote of 48-50, a motion to discharge from the Appropriations Committee, H.R. 3, the “Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act,” which was based on the White House’s budget rescissions package or proposal to eliminate funding previously approved by Congress. The package included over $7 billion that would be rescinded from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as the Administration asserted that the authority to spend the funds has expired and/or funding is no longer needed. Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Susan Collins (R-ME) crossed party lines to oppose H.R. 3. The bill is available here. House Appropriations Ranking Member Nita Lowey’s (D-NY) statement is available here. Senate Appropriations Ranking Member Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT) statement is available here.
June 20, 2018
Congress:
Senate:
Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Murray Sends Letter to HHS Secretary Azar and USED Secretary DeVos on Gun Violence: On June 21, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) sent letters to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and USED Secretary DeVos, urging both to take a “prevention-focused approach” to better protect young people from gun violence. The letters coincide with National Asking Saves Kids (ASK) Day. The letter to HHS Secretary Azar is available here. The letter to USED Secretary DeVos is available here.
June 21, 2018
House:
House Takes Up Two Immigration Bills; One Bill Fails to Pass and Other is Postponed: On June 21, the House took up two immigration bills but no progress was made on either. The more conservative bill — H.R. 4760, the “Securing America’s Future Act” — was defeated by a vote of 193-231. The bill, sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) was favored among conservatives, including the House Freedom Caucus, as the bill included funding for the border wall supported by President Trump, increased border security and immigration enforcement, only provided DACA recipients renewable legal status, and allowed the withholding of funding from “sanctuary cities,” among other provisions. Rep. Goodlatte’s floor statement on the H.R. 4760 is available here. Full legislative text of H.R. 4760 is available here. Late Thursday afternoon, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) delayed a vote on the “compromise bill” — H.R. 6136, the “Border Security and Immigration Reform Act” — until the week of June 25 at the earliest. The main components of the compromise bill included the creation of a “merit-based green card program” through which Dreamers could eventually become U.S. citizens, funding for the border wall, and increased border security and immigration enforcement, among other provisions. No Democrats expressed support for the bill. Full legislative text of H.R. 6136 is available here.
June 21, 2018
House Passes Farm Bill: On June 21, the House narrowly passed the second iteration of the farm bill, H.R. 2, the “Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018,” by a 213-211 vote. The $867 billion bill, sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway (R-TX) includes changes to the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, such as stricter work requirements for recipients. No Democrats voted for the bill and 20 Republicans voted in opposition to the bill primarily due to the stricter work requirements for recipients. The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the bill, which does not include the same work requirements, as soon as next week. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) press release is available here. The bill is available here. House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott’s (D-VA) press release is available here.
June 21, 2018
Administration:
White House:
President Trump Signs EO Halting Family Separations at the Border; Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Murray Sends Letter to HHS Secretary Azar on Treatment of Children in Custody of ORR: On June 20, the White House announced President Trump had signed an Executive Order halting the practice of family separations for individuals entering the country illegally. The President had previously stated only Congress could end this practice. The Administration has stated guidance would be issued soon regarding the reunification of children who had been previously separated from their parents. Remarks by President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen are available here. Immediately following the President’s Executive Order, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), sent a letter to HHS Secretary Azar in regards to his testimony at a June 12 Senate HELP Committee hearing. In the letter, Ranking Member Murray cites concerns with the treatment of children in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The press release is available here and the letter here.
June 20, 2018
Administration Announces Plans to Reorganize Federal Government: On June 21, the White House announced President Trump’s plan to reform and reorganize the federal government. Major reforms include merging the Departments of Education and Labor into a single agency, as well as consolidating economic assistance resources (e.g. SNAP, etc.) within the Department of Commerce. USED Secretary DeVos expressed her support of the proposal stating, “We must reform our 20th century federal agencies to meet the challenges of the 21st century.” USED Secretary DeVos’s press release is available here. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), expressed her support for the proposal stating, “We welcome the administration’s focus on education and workforce issues together, and as we continue our oversight over the Department of Education and the Department of Labor.” Chairwoman Foxx’s press release is available here. House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) denounced the plan shortly after its release stating, “There is no evidence that merging the Departments of Labor and Education would strengthen the performance of these agencies or produce better outcomes for students and workers.” Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murry (D-WA) also released a statement condemning the proposal, which is available here. Ranking Member Scott’s press release is available here.
June 21, 2018
U.S. Department of Education (USED):
Federal Commission on School Safety Meets to Discuss Role of Entertainment and Social Media on Violence in Schools: On June 21, USED held a meeting of the Federal Commission on School Safety (FCSS), focused on how entertainment, media, cyberbullying and social media affect violence and student safety. The meeting consisted of three panels, each focused on a how various factors can affect school safety. Video of the commission meeting is available here. Information on the Commission and its charge is available here.
June 21, 2018
USED Releases Invitation for Applications for CCAMPIS Program Awards: On June 19, USED released a notice inviting applications for new awards for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program, which supports the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-based child care services. Applications must be submitted by July 24.
June 19, 2018
USED Appoints New Acting Director for Office of Early Learning: Recently, USED released a bulletin announcing that Tammy Proctor will be the new Acting Director of USED’s Office of Early Learning. Ms. Proctor previously held a position within USED’s Office of Early Learning where she worked on Preschool Development Grants, Preschool Pay for Success, and Early Learning Challenge programs. She also worked on early learning programs for the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland.
Upcoming Events:
- On June 25 and 26, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will host the State-Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Summit, where a diverse group of state STEM leaders will gather to participate in the development of a new, federal five-year STEM Education Strategic Plan in compliance with the America COMPETES Act of 2010.
- On June 26, representatives from the Federal Commission on School Safety, including USED Secretary DeVos, will travel to Lexington, KY for their second listening session. Attendees are encouraged to attend and to share their perspectives on how to improve school safety. Members of the public who wish to present remarks should register ahead of time. More information is available here.
- On June 26 at 10:00 am, the House Appropriations Committee will conduct a markup of the FY2019 House Labor/HHS bill. This markup was originally scheduled for June 19. It is anticipated the committee report will be released on June 25. The press release is available here. The bill is available here. More information is available here.
- On June 26 at 11:00 am, the Senate Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee will conduct a markup of its FY2019 Labor/HHS bill. More information, when published, will be available here. The Senate Appropriations Committee schedule is available here.
- On June 26 at 2:30 pm, the Senate HELP Committee will conduct a markup of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The House already passed a companion bill reauthorizing the Act in May 2017. A webcast of the hearing will be here. Legislative language for the House companion bill is available here. The Committee will also consider the nomination of Scott Stump to be Assistant Secretary of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. The White House nomination announcement is available here.
- On June 27 at 10:00 am, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing titled, “Examining the Administration’s Government-Wide Reorganization Plan.” The focus of the hearing will most likely revolve around President Trump’s recently released government reform plan, which includes consolidating the Departments of Labor and Education into one agency, is available here. More information on the hearing is available here.
- On June 28 at 10:30 am, the full Senate Appropriations Committee will conduct a markup of the FY2019 Senate Labor/HHS bill. The FY2019 Senate Defense Appropriations bill will also be considered at the markup. The Senate Appropriations Committee schedule is available here.
Publications:
- On June 19, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released a report titled, “Paths Through Mathematics and Science: Patterns and Relationships in High School Coursetaking,” based on the 2009 results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study. Results are reported for U.S. public and private high school graduates. This report examines mathematics and science coursetaking in high school by providing a description of coursetaking within each of the mathematics and science subject areas in ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades, as well as by showing the association between early mathematics coursetaking and subsequent science coursetaking. The full report is available here.
- On June 19, NCES released survey results from the 2015-16 National Teacher and Principal Survey, gauging the percentage of teachers who earned income from working outside their school system, whether the job was related to teaching or not, and earnings from those jobs by region. Overall, 18 percent of teachers had a job outside their school system and earned an average of $5,100. Teachers categorized these jobs as teaching or tutoring (5 percent), non-teaching but related to the teaching field (4 percent), or in another field (9 percent). The full report is available here.
- On June 19, NCES released a new Statistics in Brief report titled, “Trends in Subbaccalaureate Occupational Awards: 2003 to 2015.” This report uses data from the NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to examine trends in the number of subbaccalaureate awards in occupational education, in the providers of this education, and in the occupational fields studied. The full report is available here.
- On June 19, NCES released a report on their study of U.S. young adults’ cognitive skills and life experiences. The study used the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to evaluate cognitive skills in three domains: literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments. The full report is available here.
- On June 20, NCES released a Statistics in Brief report examining the employment, education debt, and additional postsecondary enrollment experience of a cohort of students four years after they received their bachelor’s degrees in 2007-2008. Key findings include the majority (69 percent) of those who earned a bachelor’s degree were employed and not enrolled in 2012; forty percent had been unemployed for one month or more at least once during the four years since earning their degree; and within four years of earning their bachelor’s degrees, 44 percent of graduates had enrolled in at least one other degree program. The full report is available here.
Legislation:
H.R. 6132
A bill to provide for parity for Guam and the United States Virgin Islands under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU At large)
H.R. 6137
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to expand access to school-wide arts and music programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)
H.R. 6148
A bill to require reporting of bullying to appropriate authorities and assist with equal protection claims against entities who fail to respond appropriately to bullying, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
H.R. 6156
A bill to prohibit States from suspending, revoking, or denying State-issued professional licenses or issuing penalties due to student default.
Sponsor: Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA)
H.R. 6184
A bill to support educational entities in fully implementing Title IX and reducing and preventing sex discrimination in all areas of education.
Sponsor: Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA)
H.Res. 956
A resolution recognizing the benefits and importance of music making as an essential form of creative expression and expressing support for designating the Summer Solstice, June 21, 2018, as Make Music Day.
Sponsor: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
S. 3081
A bill to identify and develop best practices for the training of elementary and secondary school counselors regarding career counseling.
Sponsor: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
S. 3083
A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to improve career and technical education opportunities for adult learners, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
S. 3101
A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to require a State to conduct State leadership activities that reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket expenses related to enrollment in a career and technical education course or dual or concurrent enrollment program for students in special populations.
Sponsor: Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
S. 3102
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit kindergarten through grade 12 educational expenses to be paid from a Section 529 account.
Sponsor: Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)
S. 3106
A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to establish an Advisory Commission on Serving and Supporting Students with Mental Health Disabilities in Institutions of Higher Education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Senator Robert Casey (D-PA)
S. 3110
A bill to support educational entities in fully implementing Title IX and reducing and preventing sex discrimination in all areas of education.
Sponsor: Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI)