A lot has happened over the last few weeks amid the holiday season. In recent weeks, lawmakers have returned to Capitol Hill to gavel out the 118th Congress and begin the new 119th Congress. Elsewhere, federal agencies have continued to work to finalize or withdraw regulatory proposals before the start of the new Trump-Vance Administration, while new grants for community college training programs were unveiled.
Congress Passes Short-term Funding Extension
Just before the holidays, lawmakers were struggling to address the need to fund federal operations and programs beyond December 20, 2024—the date when the previous short-term extension of federal funding, known as a continuing resolution (CR), was set to expire. A wide-ranging CR was initially introduced, which included a number of provisions beyond federal funding, including a comprehensive proposal to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). However, this proposal was withdrawn from consideration after President-elect Trump and other Congressional conservatives voiced significant opposition against this proposal.
A new, narrower CR was introduced shortly before this critical deadline. In the waning hours of the 118th Congress, lawmakers passed this newly pared-back CR that extends federal funding for programs like the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) through March 14 of this year. Advance CTE continues to monitor the 2025 federal fiscal year funding process closely and is advocating for strengthened investments in CTE ahead of this new deadline.
119th Congress Formally Begins
Congress reconvened last Friday, January 3, to formally end the 118th Congress and begin the new 119th Congress including swearing in new members. The first order of business in the House was the election of a Speaker of the House. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was narrowly re-elected after a somewhat uncertain first round of voting. In the Senate, Republicans have formally selected Sen. John Thune (R-SD) to lead the party in the upper chamber. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats have largely re-elected existing leaders from the 118th Congress, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
With Republicans now in control of both chambers of Congress, lawmakers are expected to prioritize a wide-ranging legislative package focused on key issues such as immigration, energy, trade, and taxes. Advance CTE is monitoring these efforts closely to determine their implications for CTE policy.
Senate Announces Committee Leadership and Assignments
In recent weeks, new Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced committee assignments for the new Congress. Five new Republicans will be joining the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee this Congress, including Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Jim Banks (R-IN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Democratic Sens. Andy Kim (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) are also joining the HELP Committee this year, which oversees K-12 education policy, among other critical topics. As Advance CTE shared previously, the HELP Committee will be led by Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Find other committee assignments and leadership posts here and here.
ED Finalizes Distance Education Rule
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) finalized a rule regarding the definition distance education. This new regulation seeks to increase accountability for online programs by requiring colleges to report more data on enrollment in distance learning courses. Proposed at the end of the summer, the original draft of this aspect of the proposal would have narrowed the definition of distance education, eliminating the ability for asynchronous coursework to be included in clock-hour programs. This change in the final rule aligns with comments Advance CTE and partners shared over the summer in response to this proposal. Click here to read the submitted comment.
DOL Awards Community College Training Grants
At the end of December, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the latest round of awards through the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant (SCCTG) program. This round of grants supports colleges in 14 states with funding for programs that help scale high-quality workforce training to meet employers’ and workers’ skills development needs. This is the fifth round of such grants from DOL’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) for community colleges to maintain and enhance affordable pathways for learners. Click here to view the list of this round’s award recipients.
Federal Agencies Set to Share Resources on Digital Literacy Next Week
Next week, the DOL’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will host a panel to present on Digital Literacy and Resilience: Resources to Support Digital Skill-Building. The webinar will summarize public feedback and resources to support digital skill-building throughout the public workforce system and is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. ET. The Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) will be represented on the panel, along with other agencies, to share resources from the Digital Resilience in the American Workforce (DRAW) initiative. For more information on the panel, click here.
