Bipartisan, Bicameral WIOA Reauthorization Bill

A bipartisan, bicameral WIOA reauthorization bill has been drafted. The bill text is here and the bill summary is here. The product is a result of lengthy negotiations and compromise among House Education and the Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Senate Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and their staff. Members were briefed on the bill yesterday. With three weeks of session left in this lame duck period, the bill will forgo a Committee markup as the Senate plans to hotline the bill and supporters aim for passage in both chambers this Congress.

Trump Nominates Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education

This week, Trump chose Linda McMahon as nominee to be Secretary of Education. McMahon, former CEO of the WWE, is a longtime Trump friend and backer, and served as SBA Administrator during Trump’s first term, having been confirmed in the Senate for that position in a 81-19 vote. She graduated from East Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in French and teaching certification. In 2009, she was appointed to the Connecticut State Board of Education where she served for a bit over one year. She has served on the board of trustees of Sacred Heart University, a private college in Fairfield, CT. She ran two failed Senate campaigns, one in 2010 and another in 2012. McMahon wished to be nominated for the position of Commerce Secretary, though that nomination went to Howard Lutnick, who wished to be nominated for Treasury Secretary.

McMahon is co-chair of Trump’s transition team and at the conservative think tank America First Policy Institute (AFPI), is Chair of the Board and Chair, Center for the American Worker. She wrote an op-ed in support of the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, which passed the House in December of last year, and AFPI supported the House WIOA reauthorization bill, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, which passed the House in April. Earlier this week she touted apprenticeship programs.

Under McMahon’s leadership, AFPI has promoted skills-based hiring, elimination of degree requirements from public sector job requirements, encouraged partnerships between companies/high school CTE programs/technical institutions/apprenticeship programs/and other avenues for skills training outside four year colleges, called for a workforce education grant program that would allow businesses and industries to develop on-the-job training programs that suit their specific needs, opposed free community college for all, promoted school choice, and weighed in on cultural issues such as DEI, antisemitism, and gender/LGBTQ issues.

The timeline for her consideration and that of other nominees is of course to be determined, but looking back to Trump’s first term, his Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos’s confirmation hearing was held in the Senate HELP Committee on January 17, 2017, she advanced the HELP Committee on January 31, and she was confirmed by the Senate on February 7.

FY 25

Congress is on recess next week for the Thanksgiving holiday, then will return for what is scheduled to be three more weeks in session for the duration of this Congress. The current FY 25 Continuing Resolution extended funding through December 20, and as an agreement on topline spending has not been reached, House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) said an appropriations deal to complete all FY 25 spending is probably not possible at this point, despite it having been his preference and that of Senate Appropriations Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME) as well as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). Absent a breakthrough, a CR into next year currently looks likely and thus the upcoming Republican-controlled Congress could have the opportunity to make its mark on FY 25 funding. Congress is also at work on disaster funding.

Farm Bill

This week, outgoing Senate Agriculture Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced text of a new farm bill reauthorization. Farm bill reauthorization expired September 30, though most funding goes through December 31. The House Agriculture Committee advanced a farm bill in May, but has not considered the bill on the floor.  

The differences between the House and Senate bills, including on SNAP funding, are proving too difficult to overcome in the lame duck session. After Stabenow’s bill was released, House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson (R-PA) expressed interest in passing a one-year extension instead, which would push broader reauthorization efforts into the next Congress, when Republicans will control both chambers.

Chair Stabenow is retiring at the end of this Congress. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) is expected to chair the Committee in the upcoming Congress. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is likely to be the next Ranking Member. Jim Costa (D-CA) announced this week that he would challenge current House Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) for the position of Ranking Member in the upcoming Congress. Rep. GT Thompson is expected to continue serving as Chair of the House Agriculture Committee.

Earlier this month, USDA and ED announced a new partnership to expand SNAP awareness and access for eligible college students.

Trump’s First 100 Days

Republicans are readying a budget resolution to be ready on day one, which will include reconciliation instructions for congressional committees. The Administration aims to pass a reconciliation bill, which only requires 51 votes in the Senate, by April 30. The reconciliation bill would consist of five main pillars—tax cuts, energy policy, border security/immigration, repealing Biden policies with corresponding spending cuts, and downsizing federal agencies. The Administration is also readying a number of Executive Orders.

HEA Reauthorization

The House held a meeting on Monday to gauge support for the College Cost Reduction Act. Earlier this week we heard there were 205 Republicans in support of the bill, short of a House majority. The bill advanced the House Education and the Workforce Committee in January of this year in a party-line vote.  

FAFSA Deadline Act

The House passed the FAFSA Deadline Act with unanimous support. The bill would mandate an October 1 launch date for the FAFSA form. President Biden intends to sign the bill.  

Brookings Event on Youth Perspectives on the Future of Apprenticeships

On Monday, the Brookings Institution held an event on Youth Perspectives on the Future of Apprenticeships which featured Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and a senior policy adviser at DOL’s ETA. A recording of the event may be accessed here.

2024 House Elections Update

2019 seats have been called for Republicans and 213 have been called for Democrats thus far. Three House races have yet to be called (IA-1, CA-13, CA-45).