Legislative Issues Advisory Committee
08/09/2010- Here is some updated information from Carol Holladay, about the latest happenings in Washington, D.C.
Supreme Court Nominee
The Senate voted in favor of sending Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court last night with a vote of 63-37. She will be the fourth woman to sit on the US Supreme Court. Five Republicans — Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Dick Lugar (Ind.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Judd Gregg (N.H.) — voted for her nomination, while Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) broke with his Democratic colleagues to vote “no.”
More on Immigration
In a surprise vote last night – the Senate approved a $600 million emergency spending bill to beef up the country’s borders. This bill was thought to be dead to hold it to work on a larger, broader immigration reform policy. With this piece of the puzzle being passed, it could be possible that the issue of immigration will be addressed in multiple smaller bills which could prove beneficial in the movement of the DREAM Act in the fall Congressional session. It is possible that when the House returns in a rare recess session to vote on the Education Jobs and Medicaid bill they will also take up this immigration bill.
Recess
The Senate recessed last night for a four week August recess. The House recessed last week but have been called back into session next week for votes on Tuesday, August 10th. Both House and Senate will resume session on September 8th, recess on October 8th for campaigning before the November election and return on November 15th for a lame duck session to hopefully complete spending bills for all agencies. It is still yet to be determined if those votes will manage to cover Pell shortfall.
In an effort to stave off massive school layoffs, Democratic leaders are proposing $23 billion in emergency aid to the nation’s school districts and public colleges.
Tom Harkin , D-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced legislation Wednesday to create a special fund that would counter state budget deficits and the winding down of the federal stimulus package. His bill matches the education provisions of a much broader House jobs bill that has not yet passed.
“This bill will prevent layoffs, create jobs and keep our kids learning all while growing our economy,” the Iowa Democrat said.
The proposal drew strong support from Education Secretary Arne Duncan , who urged quick congressional action because state officials are now drawing up their budgets for next year.
“What we’re trying to do here is avert an education catastrophe,” Duncan said. “This is not something you can do in October. We are projecting between 100,000 and 300,000 layoffs [if nothing is done]. . . . Ideally this needs to be passed in May or June. It’s not too late [for a bill], but there is a short window of opportunity.”
Harkin said in an interview that funding for education jobs was being split off from broader jobs bills because of its urgency. He said that Senate Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., had agreed to bring the bill to the floor, but couldn’t be specific about the timetable. It was unclear where efforts stood in the House.
The stimulus law provided a one-time appropriation of $56.3 billion to local and state governments that has funded more than 300,000 education jobs, including teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors.
Even with that support, however, many school districts and institutions of higher education have laid off workers, Harkin said, and the job outlook is worse for the 2010-2011 school year.
Harkin admitted that if the new funding is approved by Congress, it “won’t keep every educator on the job this fall, but it will go a long way to preventing the worst of the layoffs.”
Carol G Holladay
Hurt, Norton & Associates
503 Capitol Court, NE Suite 200
Washington, DC 20002
03/31/2010- From Carol Holladay-
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is asking the vice president's wife to convene a White House summit on community colleges.
White House officials said Tuesday that Jill Biden's office would release details about the summit in coming weeks.
Biden, who teaches English at Northern Virginia Community College, just outside Washington, is set to introduce Obama when he signs into law a measure increasing Washington's role in student loans.
Biden earned a doctorate at the University of Delaware in 2007 as has been an educator for 29 years.
The Senate passed the Reconciliation bill this afternoon with three Democrat Senators voting against it. It now goes to the House again for final passage which is expected to be about 9:30 pm tonight.
The two provisions changed in the student aid section were two technical provisions on the actual formula for Pell increases – since it was not to go into effect for 2 years – Senators noted they had time to work the fix into another bill. So there are not structural changes to the packages for aid through these adjustments to the bill.
Carol G Holladay
Hurt, Norton & Associates
503 Capitol Court, NE Suite 200
Washington, DC 20002
As I shared a weekly update of the reconciliation bill going through Congress that impacts health care and student aid – there were unexpected changes about 3 am…hopefully most of you were asleep but am sure you have heard about it this morning…here is the latest detail from congressional staff and Congressional Quarterly reports –
“Democratic staff said early Thursday morning that a couple minor changes dealing with Pell Grants will have to be made to the measure. Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters the changes are related to “hold harmless” provisions associated with Pell grants as well as changes to strike obsolete language. Republicans consulting with the Senate parliamentarian had identified those provisions as violating congressional budget rules for inclusion in a reconciliation measure — which means they can be struck by Byrd rule points of order. The Senate will resume consideration of amendments when the chamber reconvenes at 9:45 a.m., and Democratic leaders said they expect final votes on amendments and consideration of points of order will be completed around 2 p.m. Manley said of the soon-to-be-modified measure: “I’m confident it can be addressed quickly in the House.” The bill is intended to modify the comprehensive health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday (PL 111-148).
By “hold harmless” they mean the provision that prohibits a drop in the maximum Pell award in the outyears if appropriations for the maximum Pell grant do not stay at the required level."
Carol G Holladay
Hurt, Norton & Associates
503 Capitol Court, NE Suite 200
Washington, DC 20002
Negotiated Rulemkaing was finalized shortly after the conference. There is no student affairs representation on either the general panel or the single issue negotiators. The negotiations began at the beginning of March. We will still have the opportunity to comment on the draft regs so we will still have input. You can find the list of the Negotiators on this page--including the single issue ones: http://www.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2009/gen-program.html
Title: To amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Rep McKeon, Howard P. "Buck" [CA-25] (introduced 10/4/2007) Cosponsors (8)
Note: For further action, see H.R.4137, which became Public Law 110-315 on 8/14/2008.
Spellings seeks public input on student safety
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has announced plans to expand the discussion on school/student safety via a new Web site designed to register public comments on the issue.
As part of a multiparty effort with Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to develop recommendations for President Bush on tragedy prevention strategies for schools, Spellings met with state and local leaders, educators, mental health experts, parents, students, and local law enforcement officials in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday. The Department of Education has noted that Secretary Spellings plans to incorporate public suggestions on school safety into a report for the White House next month.
"Nothing is more important to American parents than the safety of their children," said Spellings. "Together, we can strengthen our best practices, raise awareness of warning signs and help prevent tragedies."
To submit comments, email the department at safeschools@ed.gov or visit: www.ed.gov/admins/lead/
Full Committee
This hearing has been postponed until further notice.
Resources:
Engaging with Washington
This Week in Washington - 3-23 - 10.doc 25.6 KB (25600 bytes) This Week in Washington March 2010.doc 52.224 KB (52224 bytes) 
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