House GOP Remains Divided as Funding Deadline Approaches
Washington Update
Appropriations
Congress returned from a weekend recess today and with only 15 days remaining before money runs out there remains no clear path to a deal on legislation to temporarily fund a range of federal programs. Last week, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called off the passage vote that would punt the September 30 government shutdown deadline to March 2025 and require proof of citizenship for voter registration (through the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or SAVE Act). Democrats, and many Republicans, want a clean bill and the next funding deadline to extend to December. Meanwhile, Speaker Johnson has remained adamant about his support for pairing a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government with the SAVE Act. Democrats and the White House have said they will block the legislation, saying the bill could unduly burden eligible voters.
Department of Labor
On Wednesday, September 11, a federal appeals court upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) ability to consider a worker’s salary level when determining whether they should be exempt from federal overtime pay requirements — a victory for the Biden administration. The Fifth District appeals court ruled that a Trump-era overtime regulation did not violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The lawsuit — originally brought forth by a Texas-based fast food entrepreneur — argued that DOL exceeded its authority by expanding who could qualify for overtime pay. The court also said that authority was not an unconstitutional delegation of power because Congress provided at least two principles to “guide and confine” the agency.
Child Care Legislation
On Thursday, September 12, Democrats reintroduced the Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act, which aims to help increase access to on-campus child care for parents furthering their education. The legislation, written by Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (IL), would provide care to more than 4 million parenting students currently enrolled in postsecondary education programs. According to Clark’s office, access to affordable on-campus child care services has dwindled since 2004. The legislation is meant to reverse this trend by reauthorizing and fully funding the only federal program that exclusively supports on-campus child care services.
Click here to read the full press release on the bill.
Artificial Intelligence Legislation
On Wednesday, September 11, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology advanced three artificial intelligence-related education bills on voice vote with bipartisan support. The NSF AI Education Act supports the National Science Foundation (NSF) and professional development relating to artificial intelligence. It would put resources toward students who want to work on AI applications related to advanced manufacturing, education, agriculture and more. Companion legislation advanced to the Senate floor in July. An amendment was added to the bill that says the NSF should prioritize historically Black colleges and universities, minority serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities in its outreach efforts pertaining to AI.
The Expanding AI Voices Act is designed to encourage education institutions to participate in artificial intelligence research and development, especially at colleges and universities that generally receive few federal research dollars. Also approved is the LIFT AI Act, which is meant to improve AI education and literacy among K-12 students and award research grants for the development of AI curriculum.
Click here to access the full press release on the bills.
Department of Education
Senators Tim Kaine (VA) and Roger Marshall (KS), along with a bipartisan group of 18 other senators, are putting pressure on the U.S. Department of Education to delay the October 1 reporting deadline under its new gainful employment rules — requesting it be pushed back to July 2025. This move comes after colleges pressured lawmakers and the Department of Education for an extension when the rule went into effect in July. At the time, the agency said it wasn’t considering extending the deadline. The new regulations will require colleges and universities to publicly disclose whether graduates can afford their yearly debt payments and whether they are making more than an adult in their state who only has a high school diploma. The regulations are meant to provide students with more transparency when choosing higher education programs.
The bipartisan group is saying that the data collection required to comply with the regulations would be ‘very difficult, if not impossible’ for institutions to submit by October 1, citing their preoccupation with processing the financial aid. NASFAA, which represents financial aid administrators, echoed the concerns lawmakers readied about the ability to meet the deadline.
Click here to access the letter.
Initial Jobless Claims
In the week ending September 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 230,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 227,000 to 228,000. The 4-week moving average was 230,750, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 230,000 to 230,250. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2 percent for the week ending August 31, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate.
Click here to access the report.
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