June 12, 2025

Leading the News this Week

ACCT has been advocating to the Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on the likely impacts of the House reconciliation bill. Tuesday night, the HELP Committee released its portion of the reconciliation bill. The result of tireless effort and consistent advocacy is the omission of provisions that would have been deeply disastrous for community colleges and their students (keep reading for more information). 

We at ACCT want to thank you for the pivotal role you played in reaching out to and meeting with your Members of Congress, sharing data and impactful narratives, and mobilizing others to do the same. 

While we find victory in the Senate reconciliation proposal, we recognize that the process is still ongoing. The next step is for the rest of the Senate committees to reveal their reconciliation portions. From there, the House and Senate are to resolve the differences between their proposals before reaching a vote. 

With an ambitious deadline of July 4th, we anticipate quick movements in each chamber. As such, we will continue our advocacy efforts so that the final reconciliation bill takes on the shape of the Senate plan. We urge you to do the same when you communicate with your elected officials in both chambers.

Any questions or requests for support in contacting the Senate should be directed to publicpolicy@acct.org. 

News in Higher Education

Senate Reveals Reconciliation Higher Education Provisions

Earlier this week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released its version of the budget reconciliation bill as related to higher education. Overall, there are significant differences between the House and Senate proposals. Notably, the Senate version does not feature problematic provisions such as risk-sharing, and it does not include changes to Pell eligibility that would make students seeking enrollment for less than half-time Pell ineligible, and would increase full-time enrollment from 12 to 15 credits per semester to achieve maximum Pell funding. 

We are also grateful to both the House and Senate for keeping Workforce Pell and addressing the looming Pell Grant shortfall in their respective proposals.

For a more detailed view of this reconciliation bill, please read our Fact Sheet.

For a deeper comparison between the House and Senate reconciliation higher education provisions, please visit ACCT NOW.

Departments of Education and Labor Strike a Deal

The Department of Education (ED) has agreed to send $2.7 billion to the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) so it can manage numerous education grants. It is unclear if this circumvents congressional approval of such a move. This is in addition to plans in which ED staffers would be transferred to other agencies, such as the Treasury Department, where they would help manage student loan collection. Some of this activity has been blocked by a May 22nd ruling that does not permit ED to transfer its functions to other agencies. 

ACCT Joins the American Council on Education and Others in Support of Harvard

ACCT joined the American Council on Education and 26 other higher education organizations in supporting Harvard University’s motion for summary judgment (i.e. requesting the court to find in favor of Harvard University without a full trial based on the law) in President and Fellows of Harvard College v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, et al. Civil Action. In this case, Harvard University states that the federal government’s freezing of federal funding to the institution is illegal under the First Amendment, constitutional separation of powers, and applicable federal regulations. 

Grant Opportunities

Please review the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education's Community College webpage for new grants community colleges are eligible for.

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Partnership Grants

This discretionary grant program encourages eligible entities to provide support and maintain a commitment to eligible students from low-income backgrounds, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. Click here for additional information. The closing date for applications is June 25, 2025

• June 17 - Preservation and Access Education and Training Grant closing date
• June 20 - Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) Grant Application Due
• June 25 - Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Partnership Grants
• July 3- Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Application Due
• Jul 11, 01:00 PM ET - LAW Live Webinar
• Aug 1, 01:00 PM ET - LAW Live Webinar
• 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?

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. 

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.

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) Alert network. To join, simply register here. 

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