Members of Congress Sign Letters in Support of CTE Funding
FY 2008 Budget Resolution Moves Forward Slowly
House CTE Caucus Gains Members
Members of Congress Sign Letters in Support of CTE Funding
The final House Dear Colleague letter circulated by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) and Rep. Phil English (R-PA) was delivered to the chairman and ranking member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee on April 26. A copy of the letter can be found on ACTE’s Web site at http://www.acteonline.org/policy/legislative_issues/upload/House08_DearColleague.pdf. A total of 45 Members of Congress, including the sponsors, signed the letter requesting that the Subcommittee consider an increase in Perkins funding. The bi-partisan letter was signed by 38 Democrats and seven Republicans, from a total of 24 states and territories.
A Senate letter was also circulated by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL). Due to the timing constraints on this letter, grassroots advocacy was not possible, but the letter was still successful. The Senate letter was delivered to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee on April 24. A copy of the letter can be found on ACTE’s Web site at http://www.acteonline.org/policy/legislative_issues/upload/Senate08_DearColleague.pdf. A total of 31 Senators signed the letter requesting an increase in Perkins funding. The bi-partisan letter was signed by 25 Democrats and six Republicans, from a total of 22 states.
An excel spreadsheet with the names of all Members who signed the House and Senate letters can be found at http://www.acteonline.org/policy/legislative_issues/upload/Funding_Request_Sign-ons.xls. If your Members of Congress did not sign the letters, continue to encourage them to support an increase in funding for CTE, there will be more opportunities for action in the future. If your Members of Congress signed either letter, please thank them.
FY 2008 Budget Resolution Moves Forward Slowly
Even though both the House and Senate passed their respective versions of the FY 2008 budget resolution that sets overall spending caps in late March, progress forward has been very slow. Differences in the two resolutions have caused numerous delays in the appointment of a formal conference committee to negotiate a final resolution. However, the House finally appointed conferees on May 8, and the Senate is expected to follow later in the week. The appointment of formal conferees will allow the conference committee to meet and approve a compromise budget resolution, hopefully during the week of May 14.
The budget resolution will formally set the cap on funding that the Appropriations Committee will divide among the annual appropriations bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. Congressional leaders have expressed hopes of reaching final agreement and approval of a joint budget resolution in time to begin considering FY 2008 appropriations bills on the House floor the week of May 21. The Homeland Security bill is expected to be the first considered in the House, with the remaining 11 bills to follow before the end of June, a very ambitious timetable. The Senate has not yet announced its plans for moving appropriations bills forward once the budget resolution is approved. For the latest information on the federal budget and appropriations process, visit ACTE’s Web site at http://www.acteonline.org/policy/legislative_issues/funding.cfm.
House CTE Caucus Gains Members
The Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, chaired by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) and Rep. Phil English (R-PA) continues to grow! There are now 25 members of the caucus, and a complete list can be found at http://www.acteonline.org/policy/legislative_issues/upload/Caucus_Members.xls. The mission of the caucus is, “The Career and Technical Education Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress created to enhance awareness in Congress of the importance of career and technical education in preparing a well-educated and skilled workforce in America.” ACTE is working with the caucus leaders on goals and objectives, potential events, and continued promotion. If your Representative has not yet joined, urge them to become a member to promote federal policies in support of CTE.
