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August 18, 2025
Leading the News this Week
Leaders of the House Agriculture Committee convene for the first time since July to discuss a potential bipartisan "skinny Farm Bill" but it's unclear if Democrats will go along with Chair Thompson's proposal after the cuts to SNAP that were passed via reconciliation weakened the bipartisan nature of the Farm Bill. Elsewhere on the Hill, an unlikely alliance in the majority is pushing for "earmarks." Continue to the next section for additional information.
News in Higher Education
Lawmakers Consider Including Community Project Funding Requests in Continuing Resolution
According to recent reporting, vulnerable Republicans and the House Freedom Caucus are floating the idea of including Community Project Funding (CPF) requests, colloquially known as earmarks, in any continuing resolution (CR) legislation to keep the government funded past September 30th.
For context, earmarks are usually included in several of the 12 appropriations bills that Congress must pass to fund the government. The last set of earmarks that were approved were in the FY 24 funding bills. FY 25 proposals included earmarks, many for community colleges, but those were stripped out once Congress decided to pass a year-end Continuing Resolution, as CRs typically do not include them. However, in an effort to block any increased funding levels for FY 26, Republican lawmakers in the House are championing the idea of including approved earmarks in a future CR. This is good news, as even if we do end up with another partial or year-long CR, it could mean community colleges could receive much needed funding that was submitted by their lawmakers.
Interested in learning more about where we are in the appropriations process? Check out ACCT’s NOW article on FY 2026 Appropriations for a deep dive on FY 2026’s funding cycle.
Department of Education Publishes New Proposed Rules Around the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program
The U.S. Department of Education today announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would prevent participation in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to borrowers whose employers are engaged in activities that the Trump administration claims are substantial illegal activities.
The proposed rule is meant to restrict PSLF eligibility for nonprofit organizations that engage in activities that are not aligned with the Administration's priorities, such as "aiding or abetting discrimination or violations of immigration laws."
The public comment period will be open for 30 days and anyone can submit comments by September 17, 2025, here.
- Sep 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
- October 22 - 25: ACCT Leadership Congress
Outreach Efforts
Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?
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ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW:
Would you Like a Federal Update Session for Your Team?
Both this new presidential administration and new Congress have brought with them a flurry of developments in the federal landscape that can make keeping up a monumental task. ACCT's Government Relations team is here to help by offering a 45-minute to an-hour federal update session to community college leadership teams who are ACCT members. To request a session, fill out this form and please email publicpolicy@acct.org with any questions.
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