Last week, Congress worked on appropriations and the budget reconciliation process, hallmarked by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee releasing text for its reconciliation bill. Meanwhile, court injunctions stopped an Interagency Agreement (IAA) between the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Labor (DOL), which would have transferred administration of CTE funding from ED to DOL. Keep reading for more details. 

• ACTE and Advance CTE’s Statement in Response to ED and DOL’s IAA: ACTE and Advance CTE strongly oppose any efforts to move CTE administration away from ED given the disruption this would cause to Perkins legislation’s implementation and services to students in schools across the country. Urge your Members of Congress to oppose the agreement and protect Perkins funding!  

• Senate HELP Committee Releases Reconciliation Bill Text: The Senate HELP Committee released its higher education budget proposal earlier this week. Similar to the House version, which passed late last month, the bill would expand Pell grant availability to short-term job training programs. There are several differences in the Senate’s bill though. Notably, it does not include a limit on Pell grant eligibility that would have excluded part-time students.  

• Senate HELP Committee to Hold Hearing on Labor Nominees: Next Wednesday, the Senate HELP Committee will hold a hearing to review several Trump administration nominees for DOL and one for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  

• Senate Democrats Send Letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on Job Corps Program: 39 senators joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to urge Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to reverse cuts made to the Job Corps program, which offers free career training, support and education assistance for younger Americans. The program was indefinitely paused last month by the Administration, although temporary court order has been issued limiting the pause.  

• Trump Administration Terminates Higher Ed Data System Training: The Administration eliminated a contract to train college officials on how to report data to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) that is used to track trends in higher ed enrollment, completion, financial aid usage and other characteristics.