ADVOCACY & POLICY UPDATE - November 9, 2026

Congress Returns to Washington for Funding Battle

Appropriations/Midterm Elections

The Tuesday, November 3, midterm elections resulted in historic wins for Democrats as they gained control of both chambers of Congress, shifting the balance of power between the White House and Congress for the last two years of President Trump’s term. The new majority will give Democrats greater influence over the congressional agenda, increased oversight of the Administration and more leverage in federal spending negotiations. 

Democratic lawmakers are expected to increase scrutiny of the Administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED), including the transfer of programs and responsibilities to other federal agencies and reductions in the department’s workforce. Potential areas of oversight include the decisions behind ED’s downsizing, the status of federal civil rights enforcement and the declining number of cases resolved by the Office for Civil Rights. They also plan to use the appropriations process to restrict the Administration’s ability to transfer additional staff and programs to other agencies through interagency agreements, which the Administration has relied on to shift ED responsibilities without congressional approval. Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD) has said Democrats could use spending legislation to prevent federal funds from being used to further dismantle ED and potentially reverse some of the Administration’s actions.

Beyond oversight, Democrats may pursue legislation on early childhood education and college affordability with the Child Care for Working Families Act, led by House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA) and Senator Patty Murray (WA), being a key priority. Despite their majorities, Democrats will require bipartisan support to overcome the Senate filibuster and President Trump retains veto authority.

With limited time remaining to complete FY27 appropriations, federal spending will be an immediate priority, with government funding set to expire Friday, December 11. Lawmakers may pursue a continuing resolution (CR) extending funding into January, when Democrats will have greater negotiating leverage under the new Congress. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT), who is expected to become chair of the committee, has pledged to prioritize domestic investments, including education and workforce development. She also plans to claw back billions of dollars Republicans provided to Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Pentagon through budget reconciliation, outside the traditional appropriations process. DeLauro will work alongside Senator Patty Murray (WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, who has also challenged the Administration’s efforts to exert greater control over federal spending.

Republicans will also see significant leadership and membership changes on both appropriations committees as today Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK) announced her plans to become ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee in the next Congress as successor to Senator Susan Collins (ME). She could side with Democrats in continuing to block White House budget director Russ Vought’s efforts to put political appointees in charge of approving federal grants and preventing President Trump from moving forward any mass cancellation of federal funding next fall, two things Murkowski has previously opposed. The Senate committee has yet to advance any FY27 appropriations bills, adding to the challenges facing lawmakers as they return for the lame-duck session.

House and Senate Committee Leadership

Midterm election results have intensified a contested leadership race for the House Education and Workforce Committee, where Democrats are outlining competing priorities for the next Congress. Congressman Bobby Scott (VA), who has served as the panel’s top Democrat since 2015 and previously chaired the committee, is seeking the position. He faces challenges from fellow committee members Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici (OR) and Jahana Hayes (CT).

Bonamici has outlined a three-pronged agenda for her first 100 days if elected chair, which is focused on lowering costs, rebuilding trust with working families and holding the Trump Administration accountable. She has proposed bringing U.S. Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Keith Sonderling before the committee to answer questions about the Administration’s actions, including its efforts to dismantle the ED and transfer responsibilities to DOL. She also wants to restore the committee’s subcommittee on civil rights and human services, develop a plan for universal affordable child care with the goal of passing legislation by the end of the spring, and repeal the Republican-backed federal scholarship tax credit. Her agenda would put renewed emphasis on civil rights oversight, child care affordability and the administration’s restructuring of federal education and workforce responsibilities. Scott has also signaled an aggressive oversight agenda, asking McMahon and other Cabinet officials to preserve documents related to the Administration’s actions. He warned that officials and employees who violate the law could face criminal penalties. 

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC), a longtime GOP leader on education and workforce issues and former chair of the committee, is trailing her election by 99 votes and will likely go to a recount. Foxx played a central role in shaping Workforce Pell legislation and led Republican efforts to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Her departure could affect the next Congress’s approach to both workforce measures and the committee’s Republican leadership.

Democrats are also expected to rename the panel the House Education and Labor Committee, restoring the name it held under previous Democratic majorities. 

In the Upper Chamber, Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), the current ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and its former chair, is in line to lead the panel. Sanders has made college affordability and education funding central to his agenda, including proposals to make public four-year colleges tuition-free and increase teacher pay. His leadership would also put him in a position to oversee the Administration’s education policies and its efforts to scale back the Department of Education.

Department of Labor

On Monday, November 2, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it opened applications for its Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program, offering Registered Apprenticeship sponsors direct payments of up to $6,000 per new apprentice in designated priority sectors. Eligible industries include shipbuilding, defense, information technology, telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and nuclear infrastructure. The funding will help employers hire and retain new apprentices, reduce barriers that limit employer participation, and fill in-demand jobs in these sectors. DOL has invested nearly $200 million in pay-for-performance Registered Apprenticeship funds. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until available funds are exhausted.

Click here to access the full press release and learn more about how to apply.

Unemployment Report

On Friday, November 6, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its October jobs report, which showed the U.S. added 165,000 jobs last month, above economists’ forecasts and signaling the labor market could be strengthening. The unemployment rate decreased to 4.1%, down from 4.2% the prior month. Friday’s report also revised payroll gains for August and September by a combined 84,000. Job growth expanded across a range of sectors with professional and business services adding 70,000 jobs and health care adding 42,000. The report also showed that the number of Americans working part time for economic reasons jumped by 339,000 in October to 4.84 million. 

Click here to access the full report.

Click here to access Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling’s press release on the October jobs report.