October 21, 2021
Senate Appropriations Committee Unveils FY 22 LHHS Funding Bill
Earlier this week, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (VT) published the remaining nine Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations bills pending in the Senate. The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill provides increases for most programs, including a 35% increase over current funding for the Department of Education (ED). A link to the Committee’s summary and Explanatory Statement can be found here and here.
Notable provisions include:
- Pell Grant Maximum Award: $6,895 ($400 increase)
- Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant: $905 million ($25 million increase)
- Federal Work Study: $1.230 billion (($40 million increase)
- Title III-A Strengthening Institutions Program: $187 million (78 million increase)
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs): $51 million ($13 million increase)
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities: $395 million ($57 million increase)
- Asian American- and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions: $18 million (13 million increase)
- Hispanic Serving Institutions: $254 million ($91 million increase)
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions: $24 million ($5 million increase)
- Predominantly Black Institutions: $22 million ($8 million increase)
- CTE State Grants: $1.385 billion ($50 million increase)
- Adult Basic Education: $723 million ($34 million increase)
The bill has not yet been considered by the full Committee on Appropriations. Senate appropriators are likely to begin negotiating with their House counterparts soon, using this measure as a starting point.
Department of Homeland Security Opens Comment Period for DACA Rulemaking Process
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) aimed at preserving and fortifying the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The proposed rule was posted in the federal register on Tuesday September 28, 2021 with a comment period of 60 days. The deadline to submit comments is November 29, 2021. To submit comments and for additional information, click here.
Department of Education Rulemaking Subcommittee Meets to Discuss Second Chance Pell
This week, members of the Department of Education’s 2021 Negotiated Rulemaking subcommittee will convene to discuss the Biden Administration’s proposal for implementing the expansion of Pell grants to incarcerated students (also known as Second Chance Pell). The implementation of Second Chance Pell is expected to begin on July 1st, 2023, after ED's rulemaking process concludes.
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