Congress Wraps up Education Appropriations Work, but Veto Looms
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill is expected to be completed by Congress this week and sent to the President. However, it is unlikely that the President will make a decision about approving or vetoing the legislation until after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Prior to votes in the House and Senate, Congressional leaders made the decision to attach the bill to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bills in hopes that action would persuade the President to support the legislation. The President has stated publicly that he will veto any appropriations bills above his overall budget recommendation.
Earlier in the week, the House passed the combined Labor-HHS-Education, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs legislation package with a 269-142 vote. If your Represenative voted “yea” please call their office to thank them for their support.
Meanwhile, yesterday in the Senate, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R TX) invoked a legislative procedure known as “Rule 28” that “prohibits attaching non-germane bills as a package”. Therefore, the appropriation bills were separated and the Senate voted on only the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill; passing it 56-37, shy of a veto proof majority.
The bill now goes back to the House to be voted again, this time separated from the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. This vote is expected to take place tonight. If your Representative voted "nay" on the conference bill, , please call their office to urge their support and please see the Legislative Alert for additional talking points.
The bill provides a $25 million increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant, the first increase the program has seen in a number of years. It is very important that you contact your Representative and Senators to urge them to support the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill through final passage including opposition of a possible Presidential veto.
For the latest information on the FY 2008 federal budget and appropriations, visit ACTE's federal budget and appropriations Web page.
Higher Education Act May Be Considered
Despite earlier speculation that the Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization would be postponed until 2008, it now appears the bill may move forward this year. Rep. Miller, the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, has reportedly said that he may introduce a bill to reauthorize HEA in the next few days, with committee consideration of the bill to follow the week of November 12. The Senate has already passed a five-year reauthorization bill, S.1642, on July 24 by a vote of 95-0.
In case a reauthorization bill is not completed, the House and Senate have both cleared temporary extensions of the legislation lasting until March 31, 2008, five months past the previous expiration date of October 31.
For the latest information on the reauthorization of HEA, visit ACTE's Higher Education Act Web page.
NCLB Reuthorization Appears to Be Delayed
Both the House and Senate appear to have put consideration of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on the backburner as the legislative calendar for 2007 dwindles to a close. In the House, the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act has apparently taken precedent, and will be considered in the next few weeks. This pushes Education and Labor Committee work on NCLB back indefinitely.
In the Senate, it appears to be even more certain that NCLB will not be considered this year. According to the AP, “Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., have decided that there's not enough time this year to complete work on the legislation, which has not yet been formally introduced.” The Senate is now hoping to release formal legislation to begin the reauthorization process early in 2008. Unfortunately, 2008 will likely lead to more difficulties, as the Presidential election looms and politics will continue to play a large role in the reauthorization discussions.
For the latest information on the reauthorization of NCLB, visit ACTE's No Child Left Behind Web page.
