Federal Legislative Update #1

6-19-03

The pace has picked up in Washington this week as committees in both the House and Senate continue to hold hearings and the House marks up Appropriations bills. The Senate is expected to begin to mark up Appropriations bills next week.

Higher Education Act Reauthorization Yesterday, the House Education and Workforce Committee heard testimony from the pollsters Hart and Teeter for the Education Testing Service (ETS). Hart and Teeter conducted a survey: Quality, Affordability, and Access: Americans Speak on Higher Education from May 8 - 15, 2003 and interviewed a number of individuals from higher education including administrators, faculty and students. They also interviewed business leaders. A summary of the survey's key findings are attached along with the Hart and Teeter Power Point presentation.

This study helps kick off the discussion related to higher education reform through the Higher Education Act reauthorization process. Watch for accountability, financial aid and tuition increases to be major agenda items for HEA reauthorization discussion over the next few weeks.

Ready to Teach Act and Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act

Last week the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved two pieces of legislation to support education and strengthen and improve teacher training programs to ensure teachers are highly qualified when they enter the classrooms. Highlights of the Ready to Teach Act are attached.

Pending Loan Repayment Program Legislation

Pending legislation has the potential to effect loan repayment programs. The list of programs that could be affected is attached, and is presented in three categories: health professions and disease related, teacher related, and other.

Carl D. Perkins Vocational - Technical Education Act

The House Appropriations Subcommittee increased Perkins Basic State Grants during their mark up today. The committee restored some of the major cuts proposed by the President in his FY 2004 Budget request. Unfortunately, House appropriators did not restore all of the Perkins programs, eliminating funding for Section 118 (Occupational and Employment Information) and the Tech Prep Demonstration Program. Tech Prep funding remained level funded, as did the National Programs funding which support the National Centers for Career and Technical Education. The total Perkins budget from the House provides for $1.3 billion for Perkins as compared to the President's budget recommendation of only $1 billion. Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Institutions were also level funded, but transferred to the higher education account. The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to mark up the education appropriations bill next week and the measure is expected to be considered on the House floor just after the July 4th recess. The Senate appropriators have not yet scheduled their mark-ups.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The White House is pushing for passage of the more restrictive House bill that explicitly excludes postsecondary education as an allowable work activity in welfare reform reauthorization. When the new legislation is introduced after the July 4 recess, it is expected to move quickly in the Senate, beginning with the Senate Finance Committee.