119th Congress « Advance CTE Blog

Congress Unveils Funding Ahead of the Holidays | Legislative Update

Tuesday, December 17th, 2024

This week, Congress has begun to take up a long-awaited funding extension. New leadership has been named elsewhere for the House Education and the Workforce Committee while the Administration shares STEM and rural education resources.

Lawmakers Propose Funding Extension

As shared previously, Congress has remained in session over the last few weeks, working to organize itself for the 119th Congress and attend to a wide array of end-of-the-year agenda items. Top on this list is determining a path forward on federal fiscal year 2025 (FY25) funding before current legislation is set to expire this Friday, December 20. Earlier today, lawmakers announced that they had reached an agreement on another three-month continuing resolution (CR), which will extend federal funding at current FY24 levels through mid-March of next year. The CR would provide lawmakers with additional time to determine full-year funding for FY25 in the next Congress when Republicans will have control of both the House and Senate.

Notably, the CR includes a number of additional pieces of pending legislation and other assorted proposals. Advance CTE continues to analyze this legislation for other important components and will share additional details as they become available. The CR is expected to be considered on an accelerated timeline this week and is widely expected to pass ahead of the December 20 deadline.

Walberg to Chair House Committee on Education and Workforce

Last week, the House Republican Steering Committee met to determine new leadership for the House Education and the Workforce (E&W) Committee. Longtime E&W Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has been term-limited in the new 119th Congress under House Republican Conference rules. Both Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Burgess Owens (R-UT) have been vying for the E&W Chair role since Foxx’s announcement earlier this year. Ultimately, the steering committee selected Rep. Walberg for this critical role overseeing education and workforce development policy. “We have a unique opportunity to make substantive reforms to empower parents, incentivize workforce training, improve government efficiency, and unburden American innovators and job creators. The American people have given us a mandate to enact meaningful change and ensure future generations will succeed,” Walberg, a longtime committee member, said after the announcement.

White House Publishes STEM Education Strategy

Last week, the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) under the National Science and Technology Council shared a new resource aimed at helping to grow STEM education and talent over the next five years. The vision for the resource, the Federal Strategic Plan for Advancing STEM Education and Cultivating STEM Talent, is to inspire and cultivate a diverse STEM workforce and ensure equitable access to STEM opportunities for all Americans. The plan emphasizes multi-sector partnerships, ensuring access, opportunity, transparency and accountability. Through the outlined principle of STEM training and workforce development, the strategy references Career Technical Education (CTE) and local community colleges as a direct means of building the STEM workforce needed for the future.

ED Guidance on Rural Teaching Shortages

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released a report as part of the initiative to support a stronger educator workforce titled “Raise the Bar: Supporting Rural Communities.” The report remarks on the vitality of rural schools to their communities that face consistent educator shortages and highlights specific state examples of practical solutions to build local talent, increase compensation, and enhance working conditions. Registered teacher apprenticeship opportunities and “Grow Your Own” programs are key ways CTE can support local candidates in filling teaching roles. ED encourages using federal funds through Title I and II, the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), Career and Technical Education State Grants, and other funding streams to support rural schools with essential funding to support learners.

Labor Grants for Youth Job Training for High-Demand Careers

Last week, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that grants were awarded to organizations across 31 states to provide training and employment services to expand access to Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). The awards are intended to prepare younger workers for quality jobs in high-demand careers through pre-apprenticeships. The YouthBuild Program, supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), aims to engage young learners aged 16 to 24 who are not enrolled in school or employed in the workforce. The program divides learners’ time between classroom instruction to earn a high school diploma or equivalent degree and work-based training to prepare for careers. It also provides support services like childcare, transportation assistance, and the provision of work attire and personal protective equipment. Read more about the YouthBuild Program here.

Odds & Ends

Rob Young, Communications & Advocacy Associate

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor

By Rob Young in Public Policy
Tags: 119th Congress, A Stronger Workforce for America, basic state grant, Biden Administration, Career Technical Education, Continuing Resolution, Department of Education, Department of Labor, Environmental Job Training, FY25, House Education and the Workforce, Infrastructure, National Science and Technology Council, Registered Apprenticeship, Rep. Tim Walberg, Rural Education, SNAP, STEM, WIOA

2024 General Election Results | Legislative Update

Friday, November 8th, 2024

This week, the national elections took place putting Republicans in charge of the White House and Senate next year. These results are likely to have significant implications for federal education and workforce development policy. Elsewhere, members of Congress are set to return for a lame duck session of Congress next week.

General Elections Usher in Significant Change

The hotly contested and long-anticipated general elections deciding control of the White House and balance of power in Congress took place this past Tuesday. Donald Trump has once again been elected as the next President of the United States. Transition activities for the incoming Trump administration have only just gotten underway with the recent selection of Susie Wiles to serve as the White House’s Chief of Staff— the first woman to hold this critical position. As details continue to emerge, Advance CTE will continue to monitor potential implications for education and workforce development and looks forward to engaging with the new administration.

Elsewhere, Republicans have regained control of the Senate in the 119th Congress, but as a few states still tally votes, the margin of control has yet to be determined. Party control of the House of Representatives is still unclear but appears to be trending towards Republicans as well. As of this morning, there are still around 25 outstanding races yet to be called.

Advance CTE is continuing to analyze these developments and will be communicating the election’s potential impact on the Career Technical Education (CTE) community as the election results and the priorities from the administration become clearer in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Congress Comes Back For Lame-Duck Session Next Week

The 118th Congress’ lame-duck session is scheduled to begin next week as lawmakers return to Washington, D.C., following the elections. Advance CTE expects Congressional leadership elections to be prioritized as the new Congress starts to organize to determine leadership posts and other committee assignments. It is widely expected that lawmakers will need to address the issue of funding for federal fiscal year 2025 (or through another Continuing Resolution to extend present funding levels into next year), supplemental appropriations for hurricane-impacted communities, the National Defense Authorization Act, and more. Advance CTE will continue to advocate for a strengthened investment in CTE, made via the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) and other critical federal funding streams, throughout the wider FY25 process.