Over the past eight months Congress has taken action to respond to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, with varying results. This included passing stimulus packages, as well as introducing a number of bills that were never passed- or at times even brought to vote. Advance CTE will recap what has gone on in Congress regarding Coronavirus response and recovery in a new blog series. Check out last week’s refresher on the CARES Act here!
Since the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act- a $2.2 trillion comprehensive economic relief package- was passed in March, Congress has introduced many stimulus bills that included funding for education and workforce programs, as well as Career Technical Education (CTE) supports. However, none of those proposals saw any legislative movement. Some bills were voted on by one chamber of Congress while others were never brought to a vote at all. 
Relaunching America’s Workforce Act (RAWA): In May, RAWA was introduced in both the House and Senate. This bill focused on supporting CTE and workforce development programs as a result of the pandemic with a $15 billion investment that includes $1 billion to support CTE programs and activities, as well as $2 billion to re-implement the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program. RAWA also included the following proposals through the Strengthening Career and Technical for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V):

• Offered flexibility at the state and local levels during the pandemic around retention of funds, so that any funds not used during the 2019-2020 academic year because of Coronavirus can be retained instead of returned to the state for redistribution. 
• Provided flexibility for local Perkins recipients to pool funds in order to support secondary to postsecondary or employment transitions for CTE students whose academic year was altered due to the pandemic. 
• Waived some of the professional development requirements during the pandemic. 
• Authorized $1 billion for CTE programs and activities, such as digital and physical infrastructure, virtual academic and work-based learning, restocking supplies that were donated to Coronavirus response efforts, work-based learning supports and subsidies for students and employers and ensuring programs are responsive to updated comprehensive needs assessments as a result Coronavirus. 

RAWA was not voted on in the House or the Senate. 
Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act:  House Democrats introduced the HEROES Act, a $3 trillion relief package, in May. This included $100.15 billion for education comprised of $90 billion in formula grants for K-12 education and $10.15 billion for higher education. It would have also provided $3.1 billion for the U.S. Department of Labor, with $2 billion allocated to worker training. The proposal included some flexibilities related to Perkins V: 

• Flexibility at the state and local levels during the pandemic for retention of funds so that funds not used during the 2019-2020 school year because of Coronavirus can be retained; 
• Flexibility for local Perkins recipients to pool funds for supporting secondary to postsecondary or employment transitions for CTE students whose academic year was changed because of Coronavirus; and 
• Waived some of the professional development requirements during the pandemic. 

The HEROES Act passed in the House and was not brought to a vote in the Senate.

Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA): Senate Democrats introduced CCCERA, a bill that would have provided $430 billion for child care and education activities, in July. The proposed act allocated $1 billion for CTE programs and activities to support state and local CTE needs as a result of the pandemic. This could include updates to physical or digital infrastructure, or expansion of work-based learning supports. The bill included $345 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund- comprised of $175 billion for K-12 schools, $132 billion for higher education and $33 billion for a Governor’s Fund. Additionally, CCCERA would have provided $4 billion to the Federal Communication Commission’s E-Rate program to increase internet access for students and educators. 
CCCERA was not brought to a vote in the House or the Senate. 
Health, Economic Assistance, Liability and Schools (HEALS) Act: Senate Republicans introduced the HEALS Act, a $1 trillion proposal for a comprehensive relief package, in August. Included in this is $105 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund comprised of $70 billion for K-12 education (of which two-thirds are required to go to local education agencies that meet requirements to open in person), $29 billion for higher education and $5 billion for a Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund. It also would provide the Perkins V flexibilities around pooling of funds, retention of funds and professional development that were outlined in RAWA.
The HEALS Act was not brought to vote in the House or the Senate. 
HEROES 2.0: At the end of September, House Democrats introduced a revised version of the HEROES Act, or HEROES 2.0. This $2.2 trillion relief package includes $208.1 billion for an Education Stabilized fund, comprised of $175 billion for K-12 education, $27 billion for public postsecondary education (with 75 percent distributed based on the number of Pell-grant eligible students), $4 billion for governors to use on education (including restoring state and local education support) and $2 billion for the Bureau of Indian Education and tribal colleges. The proposal also includes an additional $11.9 billion for higher education, including private institutions of higher education. 
HEROES 2.0 was passed by the House in the beginning of October. 
Meredith Hills, Senior Associate for Federal Policy