October 25, 2023

Three weeks and four nominees later, the House of Representatives voted and elected today a new Speaker. With this the House will be able to resume its legislative activity and try to avoid a government. Elsewhere, the Senate is finally moving on appropriations again. 

Now let's dive into the latest news in higher education.

New Speaker of the House

By a vote of 220 to 209, Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) was elected as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. His election comes as a result of the ouster of Rep. McCarthy (R-CA-20) three weeks ago and after the Republican majority failed to reach consensus on three prior nominees (Reps. Scalise, Jordan, and Emmer). 

With a new Speaker now in place, the House can resume legislative activities and try to tackle the growing number of pending items on the table, from government funding which expires in three weeks, to addressing international conflicts. Prior to the election, Speaker Johnson laid out an aggressive plan to pass all remaining appropriations bills before November 17. 

New Regulations from the Department of Education

The Department of Education announced this week final regulations aimed at significantly enhancing oversight and accountability for institutions of higher education and strengthen consumer protections for student borrowers.

The final rules will focus on four areas: Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, Certification Procedures, and Ability to Benefit. The four areas were proposed earlier this year, along with Gainful Employment. The rules are expected to be published in the federal register on October 31, 2023. With this the rules will take effect on July 1, 2024. 

Notably, the new rules will prohibit transcript withholding for classes which were completed using federal financial aid, will require institutions to clearly lay out financial aid letter and distinguish between scholarships and loans, and will establish clearer processes for access to Federal aid for students who do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

• Accepting Applications on a Rolling Basis - CHIPS Incentives Program – Facilities for Semiconductor Materials and Manufacturing Equipment

• July 3 - Prison Education Program (PEP) applications open on a rolling basis

• October 2023 - deadline to apply for Advanced Technological Education
• November 14 - deadline to apply for Strengthening Community College Training Grants
• November 27, 2023 - Department of Energy's Career Skills Training Program
• November 30 - deadline for letters of intent for Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative

Outreach Efforts

Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?

We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. 

We also put together an outreach toolkit and an advocacy guide to share best practices for meeting with elected officials and set your team up for success.

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:

Have a Question?

Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges. If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy

Spread the Word.

Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) E-Alert network. To join, simply e-mail publicpolicy@acct.org with 'LAW Alert' in the subject of the e-mail.

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