This week, the Senate took recess as the House explored the use of AI in education and ways to bridge the cyber workforce gap. Meanwhile, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations bill was released and is set to be marked up on July 10. Keep reading for more updates and stay tuned for more information! 

• Appropriators Release FY 2025 Education Funding Bill: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies released their FY 2025 appropriations bill earlier this week. While the bill proposes a $10 million increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant, it proposes deep cuts to many education and job training programs. Read more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.  
• House Education and Workforce Committee’s AI in Education Showcase: The House Education and Workforce Committee hosted a showcase on AI in Education, in which technology companies shared information about their AI services for educational purposes. CTE Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, delivered remarks on the importance of AI innovation in CTE and hands-on learning.  
• House Committee on Homeland Security Hosts Hearing on Cyber Workforce Gap: On Wednesday, the House Committee on Homeland Security held a hearing, “Finding 500,000: Addressing America’s Cyber Workforce Gap.” The hearing primarily discussed the various methods in which new employees could enter the cyber workforce, and how to professionally train existing staff to strengthen their cyber skills. Read more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog. 
• Rep. Michael Rulli joins House Education and Workforce Committee: The Committee on Education and the Workforce welcomed U.S. Representative Michael Rulli (R-OH) as the newest member of the Committee. Rep. Rulli was recently  elected in a special election to serve Ohio’s Sixth Congressional District.  
• Title IX Regulations Update: In April, the Biden Administration released its final version of updated regulations related to the implementation of Title IX. These new regulations introduce several new stipulations aimed at extending protections to LGBTQIA+ students and enhancing protections for pregnant or parenting students. They will to go into effect Aug. 1 in most states, barring legal challenges. Read more about the latest updates on the CTE Policy Watch Blog. 
• Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New Funding Opportunity: The EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization announced a new funding opportunity for the Brownfields Job Training program to recruit, train, and retain a local skilled workforce.    
• Department of Labor Announces Training Grants from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of more than $12.7M in training grants from its Occupational Safety and Health Administration to support initiatives designed to create safer workplaces and, in turn, advance the department’s Good Jobs efforts.