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Legislative Update: House Democrats Introduce Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (H.R. 798); House Republicans Release Proposals to Reauthorize Workforce Investment Act

February 25th, 2013

House Democrats Introduce Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (H.R. 798)

In a recent move, Representatives John Tierney (D-MA), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) and George Miller (D-CA) introduced the House Democrats’ plan to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (titled Workforce Investment Act of 2013). WIA is a key piece of workforce policy that has been pending reauthorization since 2003.  The bill’s stated aims include promoting more effective coordination among local stakeholders such as business representatives, labor organizations, educational institutions, economic development agencies and community-based organizations. It also aims to increase the accountability of programs to taxpayers and to encourage innovation and best practices throughout the system.

The bill seeks to expand the role of community colleges in job training, engage youth through multiple pathways to success and to streamline and improve workforce program services. Further details are expected to emerge in the coming weeks, at which point the projected impact both on Career Technical Education policy and spending levels will become clearer.

House Republicans Release Proposals to Reauthorize Workforce Investment Act

Late last week, Representative Virginia Fox (R-NC) released a proposal to reform WIA on behalf of the Republicans. The proposals, termed the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, will be formally introduced at a hearing, scheduled for 10am on February 25. The hearing, which will be broadcast live online here, aims to eliminate and streamline 35 employment and training programs and would create a Workforce Investment Fund to serve as a single source of support for employers, workers and job seekers. Carl D. Perkins Career Technical Education Act funding is not including as part of the 35 programs.

The proposals also seek to strengthen the role of employers in workforce training decisions by eliminating 19 federal mandates on Workforce Investment Board representation, it promotes accountability by establishing common performance measures, and it requires an independent evaluation of programs at least once every five years. Further details are expected to emerge at the hearing, where the effect on Career Technical Education should become more apparent.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Legislative Update: State of the Union; Plan For A Strong Middle Class & Strong America

February 18th, 2013
State of the Union

Last week, President Obama delivered his State of the Union speech which included many promising aspects for the Career Technical Education (CTE) community and can be viewed here. The President spoke of the importance of ensuring that a high school diploma puts America’s young people on a path to a good job and spoke glowingly of the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) in New York which does just that. P-TECH works in partnership with New York Public Schools, the City University of New York and IBM to ensure their students graduate with both a high school diploma and an associates degree in computing or engineering. The President also spoke of equipping high school graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy by rewarding schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers and create classes that focus on the skills employers are looking for to fill jobs now and in the future.

And in a night which saw bipartisan support for the benefits of CTE, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) also focused on issues important to NASDCTEc. In his role speaking for the Republicans to respond to President Obama, Senator Rubio spoke of incentivizing school districts to offer more vocational and career training and building an education system that gives people the skills today’s jobs entail and the knowledge that tomorrow’s world will require.

With each party focusing on the importance of CTE and the role it will play in our future, there are positive signs that this renewed focus will result in a welcome prioritization for CTE issues, which can only be a good thing with reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career Technical Education Act not far away.  We are hopeful that the priorities laid out in the State of the Union will be reflected in the President’s budget proposal, due out next month, as well as Congressional support for Perkins reauthorization. NASDCTEc will be carefully monitoring the flurry of Congressional and Administration proposals likely to come from tonight’s speeches.

Plan For A Strong Middle Class & Strong America

Following on from his State of the Union address, President Obama released his blueprint to drive America’s economic growth. Key to the proposals is the acknowledgement that education and job training strengthen the middle class and prepare young people to compete in the global economy. This was reflected in the proposal to modernize America’s high schools for real-world learning. A new competition was launched which aims to reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers and provide learning in skills that today’s employers are demanding to fill jobs.

Also of note is the President’s proposal to strengthen and reform federal investment in CTE to better align programs with the needs of employers and with the demands of higher education. Again, more details are required in order to determine how this will affect funding and policy in CTE, but this will become clearer when the President’s budget is released next month. The report is available online and can be found here.

 

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Legislative Update: White House Meeting; Obama Calls For Delay In Sequestration; Reminder – State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

February 8th, 2013
White House Meeting

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of representing NASDCTEc at a meeting with Jeff Zients (Director of the Office of Management and Budget), Gene Sperling (Director of the National Economic Council), and Alan Krueger (Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers). The meeting was set up to allow organizations, such as NASDCTEc, the chance to explain to the President’s staff how sequestration would impact our programs. Those in attendance agreed that sequestration would have a negative impact on domestic programs, including the Career Technical Education (CTE) community.  NASDCTEc is collaborating with the Committee for Education Funding and the Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce to fight any additional cuts to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins).

Obama Calls For Delay In Sequestration

On Tuesday, President Obama called for a delay in the sequestration process, currently scheduled for March 1, 2013. Should sequestration occur, all discretionary federal programs, including Perkins would be reduced by an estimated 5.9%. This cut would be harmful, resulting in the loss of CTE programs and negatively impacted the availability of programs to students. A delay in the sequestration process would mean a holding pattern in federal funding, which might be cautiously welcomed.  Congress would have to approve the President’s suggestion, so in the coming weeks, more details should be forthcoming.

Reminder – State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

A short reminder that President Obama will be giving his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on the evening of Tuesday, February 12, 2013. This address is important for the CTE community because the President will use it to outline his legislative agenda and national priorities for the coming year. Giving the response to the State of the Union will be Senator Marco Rubio, who spoke on the benefits of CTE at a recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce event and at the Opportunity Nation event last year.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Legislative Update: Chairman of Key Education Committee Will Not Seek Re-Election; Reminder – Delay In Release Of Presidential Budget; Senate Approves Suspension of Debt Limit

February 1st, 2013

Chairman of Key Education Committee Will Not Seek Re-Election

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee announced that he will not seek re-election in 2014 and will step down at the end of his current term. The reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which is up for reconsideration later this year, would be managed through the HELP Committee. Chairman Harkin has been a long-time supporter of Career Technical Education (CTE). Depending on when Perkins moves through the HELP Committee, this change in leadership will have an unknown impact.  Chairman Harkin was elected to the Senate in 1985, and has chaired the HELP Committee since 2009.

Reminder – Delay In Release Of Presidential Budget

Traditionally, the President releases his annual budget request by the first Monday of February, which is next Monday. However, due to the protracted negotiations surrounding the fiscal cliff the release of the budget has been pushed back, most likely to March. The President’s budget will send a signal to the public and Congress of his priorities. Last year, the Obama Administration recommended flat funding of Perkins, however the year before, the budget proposal included a recommendation of a $124 million cut. NASDCTEc will be monitoring the Congressional fiscal debates and will be working to ensure that the needs of the CTE community are heard. As more details are available, we will be sure to share them with you.

Senate Approves Suspension of Debt Limit

On Thursday, the Senate agreed to a plan that was already passed by the House, to temporarily suspend the legal limit on national debt. The measure, which must now be signed off by President Obama, confirms April 15th as a key date where both the House and the Senate will have to approve budgets. Regardless of the outcome, it seems likely that spending limits for nondefense discretionary (NDD) programs, such as education and workforce development, are likely to be reduced. NDD spending, which must be approved through Congressional appropriations each year, is expected to be reduced to record lows. The graph below, published by the Congressional Budget Office, shows just how severe the cuts are set to be. Funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) would be impacted, as Perkins is considered an NDD program. While we do not project targeted cuts to Perkins, the overall dire fiscal projections for NDD programs is likely to mean fewer dollars for CTE programs at a time when the economy and student interest reflect increased demand.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Legislative Update: President Obama’s Inauguration; House Votes To Suspend Debt Limit

January 25th, 2013

President Obama’s Inauguration
This week saw the 57th Presidential inauguration and the second inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. As mandated by the 20th Amendment, President Obama was sworn in to begin his new term at noon on the 20th, but as that fell on a Sunday a public ceremony was also held on Monday. The inaugural theme was “Faith in America’s Future”, however two objects from the past also played a prominent role as Obama recited the oath of office while he placed his hand on bibles owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln.

The inaugural speech itself referenced the importance of math and science; building roads, networks and research labs; the creation of sustainable energy sources; and the school reform movement. These issues are very closely linked with Career Technical Education (CTE), so the next four years look like being significant and exciting times in the CTE sphere.

House Votes to Suspend Debt Limit
Earlier this week, the House voted to suspend the nation’s debt limit thereby allowing the Treasury Department to ignore the $16.4 trillion cap on government borrowing. The measure would allow additional debt to be incurred in order to allow government to keep on functioning and making payments until May 18th, at which point the debt limit would reset at a higher level.

The House measure requires the Senate to pass a budget by April 15th or have their pay withheld and kept in escrow until the current Congressional term ends in 2015. Still on the horizon are the sequestration cuts, scheduled to come into effect on March 1st unless a deal can be reached between the two parties.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Legislative Update: FY 2014 Budget and State of the Union Address Delayed; Labor Secretary Solis Resigns

January 11th, 2013

Delays in FY 2014 Budget Release, State of the Union Address

President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2014 budget, tentatively scheduled for release on February 4th, will most likely be delayed for several weeks. The President’ s State of the Union address, typically delivered in late January or early February, is also expected to be delayed.

UPDATE: The White House has announced that the State of the Union address will take place on Tuesday, February 12th.

Sequestration Update:

As reported earlier this month, Congress and the Administration approved a fiscal cliff deal, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which included delaying sequestration cuts for federal programs until March 1st.

This week, congressional Republicans grappled with how to address defense sequestration. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) indicated that the sequester is a strong leverage point for Republicans, and that there will be Republican support for allowing sequestration cuts to occur on March 1st if President Obama does not offer other reductions. However, other Republican members have openly disagreed with Speaker Boehner.

Congressional Democrats and the Administration maintain that they oppose the sequester, but they also will not agree to replace it without new revenues or offsetting cuts that would not disproportionately burden the middle class.

Labor Department Secretary Hilda Solis Resigns

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced this week that she will be resigning from her post, opening another position for Obama to fill for his second term.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

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Legislative Update: Member Changes on House Ed and Workforce Committee, Report on Perkins Issues from CRS

January 4th, 2013

113th Congress Sworn In with 90 Freshman Lawmakers

Members of the 113th Congress, including 90 new freshman senators and representatives, were sworn in yesterday. View a list of new members here. Please make outreach to your new members and let them know why they should support Perkins funding for CTE!

Member Changes on House Education and the Workforce Committee, New House Subcommittee Chairs Named

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) announced the Republican members of the committee for the 113th Congress. There are seven new Republican members, including 3 freshman members, and six new Democrats. New Republican members include:

  • Tom Price (R-GA)
  • Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
  • Matt Salmon (R-AZ)
  • Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
  • Susan Brooks (R-IN) (Freshman member)
  • Richard Hudson (R-NC) (Freshman member)
  • Luke Messer (R-IN) (Freshman member)

Subcommittee chairs were also announced. Notably, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) was replaced by Rep. Todd Rokita as the chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Other chairs include:

  • Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
  • Phil Roe (R-TN), Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
  • Tim Walberg (R-MI), Subcommittee on Workforce Protections

Please see our Congressional Contacts page for more information on changes to Congressional leadership.

Bill to Amend FERPA

Congress recently passed a bill to amend the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in part to provide more access to student records for directly-involved agency caseworkers and to limit access of student records to certain individuals. The bill will now go to President Obama for signing.

Perkins Report from Congressional Research Service

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) released last month a report that summarizes potential issues for Congress to consider during the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The report lays out key questions and issues such as:

  • To what extent should the federal government support CTE and in what ways, given competing priorities and an environment of fiscal constraint?
  • What is the optimal involvement of local business and industry representatives in the development and maintenance of CTE programs to ensure the CTE programs provide relevant curriculum and technical skills that respond to regional or national labor markets and that maximize the students’ post-education opportunities?

View the full report here.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

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Legislative Update: Congress Reaches Fiscal Cliff Deal But Threats Loom

January 2nd, 2013

After weeks of negotiations between the White House and congressional Republicans, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a Senate-passed bill that averts major tax hikes for the middle class and temporarily avoids across-the-board spending cuts. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R.8) passed in the House last night by a vote of 257 to 167. The bill will prevent income tax hikes for 99 percent of Americans and will delay sequestration cuts for federal programs until March 1st. The legislation will now go to President Barack Obama to be signed.

Despite the imminent passage of the bill, the 113th Congress will immediately face many divisive issues when they convene for the first time on Thursday.  In February, the nation is once again expected to hit its debt ceiling, which coincides with expiration of FY 2013 funding. Also, the two-month delay of sequestration approved in this bill means that Congress will need to take action by the March 1st deadline to avoid deep cuts to federal agencies and programs.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act:

  • Tax cuts are maintained for individuals earning less than $400,000 per year and couples earning less than $450,000. Income tax rates will rise from the current 35 percent to 39.6 percent for those making more.
  • Unemployment insurance will be extended for a year for 2 million long-term unemployed Americans.
  • Bill extends for five years the American Opportunity Credit to help families pay for college expenses.
  • The bill delays sequestration for two months (see below for more information), and reduces the amount of overall cuts by $24 billion over nine years.
    • The bill reduces the total amount of the sequester over 9 years by $24 billion, bringing down the total from $1.2 trillion to $1.176 trillion. If the sequester takes place in fiscal year 2013, the total cuts would be $85.33 billion rather than the original $109 billion.

What does this mean for Career Technical Education (CTE)?

Since the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act will delay – not remove – the threat of sequestration, Perkins funding and other education funding are still threatened by considerable cuts. Sequestration cuts would be applied across-the-board and impact nearly every domestic program. The cuts will be less than the 8.2 percent originally projected by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. However, the cuts would come with only seven months of spending left in the fiscal year rather than nine months; thus, the proportionate impact would still be considerable.

Since education programs are funded in advance and dollars have not yet been spent, the final percent for cuts would be taken from funding for the entire year rather than from a 7-month period as described above. CTE programs receive federal funding in July and October so, should sequestration occur, the impact on CTE programs would not be felt until the 2013-2014 school year.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

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NASDCTEc Releases Recommendations for Perkins Reauthorization

December 21st, 2012

In 2013, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) will be eligible for reauthorization. Over the last two years, NASDCTEc has gathered input from our membership – through surveys, working groups, conference sessions, and calls – resulting in a broad set of recommendations for Perkins reauthorization. These recommendations are an introduction to the issues that matter to the CTE community, and members will have additional opportunities to engage in the development of a more detailed version of these recommendations in 2013.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

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Legislative Update: No Deal on Fiscal Cliff Despite New Proposals from Obama, Boehner

December 19th, 2012

Despite proposals from both sides of the aisle, President Obama and Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by House Speaker John Boehner, have yet to reach an agreement on the fiscal cliff.

If no agreement is reached and the 8.2 percent across-the-board cuts, or sequestration, to federal programs occur in early January, Career Technical Education (CTE) would be one of many areas impacted. Sequestration would result in a $92 million reduction in Perkins funding for the next school year.

On Monday, President Obama made his third fiscal plan offer to House Republicans. The President’s offer would permanently repeal the sequester and backload $100 billion in nondefense discretionary cuts. Obama’s plan would include $1.2 trillion in new revenues from individual income taxes and include a permanent extension of Bush-era tax cuts for those making less than $400,000 per year. The plan also includes $1.22 trillion in spending reductions.

While White House staff hoped that House Republicans would work from Obama’s plan, Boehner announced Tuesday that he would pursue a Plan B bill that would raise income taxes for millionaires – extending the Bush-era tax rates for income less than $1 million – but would not address sequestration cuts, entitlement spending, and other expiring provisions. Boehner’s plan has already been stalled in the Senate and received a veto threat from the White House.

Since Monday, there have been no formal talks between the offices of Obama and Boehner. While House Republicans have rejected Obama’s offer, the President is encouraging them to “take the deal” in order to address the fiscal cliff crisis before the start of the new year. The end of the lameduck session, originally scheduled for December 14th, has been postponed until at least this Friday as Congress continues to work toward a deal.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

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