As we get closer to October 1, the start of the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) for the government, Congress is ramping up their activity on appropriations bills. Read below to find out more about the path forward for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies FY19 appropriations bill and how you can support an increase in the federal investment in Perkins Basic State Grants.
Appropriations Bill for Key Education and Workforce Programs Moves to Conference Committee
Last week, a conference committee comprised of members of both the House and Senate was formed to negotiate the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) final appropriations bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education). As we reported, the Senate passed their FY19 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill on August 23. The Senate bill includes level funding at the amount provided in FY18 for the Perkins Basic State Grants (you can find additional details about funding levels for other key programs here). The House Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies passed their FY19 appropriations bill out of Committee over the summer, which included a $102 million increase above the amount provided in FY18 for Perkins Basic State Grants. Now, the conference committee will determine whether or not to include this increase in the final FY19 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (along with resolving other differences between the two bills). Read below to learn more about how to contact your Member of Congress to support a $102 million increase for Perkins.
Contact Your Member of Congress Now to Support a $102 Million Increase for Perkins
With just a few days left in session before FY19 begins, now is the time to contact your Members of Congress using the CTE Action Center (provided by our partners at the Association for Career and Technical Education) or by phone through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Please let them know that a conference committee will soon consider the FY 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill and be sure to ask them to support a $102 million increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant program in this bill bill, as proposed by the House! It is particularly important to contact Members of Congress on the conference committee, who are listed below:
House: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY), Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL), Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Senate: Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Kathryn Zekus, Senior Associate, Federal Policy