May 1, 2025

Leading the News this Week: Reconciliation Proposal Takes the Next Step

As mentioned in the previous LAW Alert, ACCT is urging you to take action! On Tuesday, along party lines, the House Education and Workforce Committee passed its reconciliation bill with no amendments. The next step is for this bill to go to the House Budget Committee before making it to the House floor for a full member vote. This means that we are one step closer to the enactment of dangerous policies for our community colleges, which are further explained below. Remember, it is imperative that you reach out to your members of Congress and let them know that harmful changes to the Pell Grant Program and risk-sharing found in this bill will be detrimental to community colleges and their students. Contact your federal elected officials on this time-sensitive matter. Take action here!

News in Higher Education

House Education and Workforce Committee Passed its Reconciliation Bill

On Tuesday, the House Education and Workforce Committee advanced its reconciliation bill titled Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan, along party lines. With the task of finding $330 billion in savings, the Republicans on the committee are proposing significant changes to the Pell Grant Program, the Direct Loan Program, and Accountability policies. 

Below is a brief summary of this reconciliation bill, but please read ACCT's Reconciliation Fact Sheet for additional details on this piece of legislation. 

Accountability:

• Creates a risk-sharing policy requiring institutions to reimburse the federal government for unpaid student loans.

Pell Grant Program:

• Changes Pell full-time eligibility from 12 to 15 credit hours

• Requires part-time students to be at least half-time (6 credits) to be Pell eligible (eliminates Pell eligibility for students enrolled less than part time) 

• Addresses the looming Pell shortfall by adding additional funding for the next three years.
• Authorizes the Workforce Pell program that would offer Pell dollars to recipients looking to complete short-term programs that range from 8 to 15 weeks in duration.

Direct Loan Program and Loan Repayment:

• Eliminates subsidized student loans while maintaining the unsubsidized loan program. 
• Creates an income-based repayment plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan and eliminates the Income Contingent repayment plans; makes significant changes to the standard repayment plan.

Regulations:

• Eliminates gainful employment requirements and prohibit future regulation; eliminates the 90/10 rule that applies to for-profit colleges.

Again, we urge you to let members of Congress know that risk-sharing and restricted Pell eligibility are problematic for community colleges and community college students. Visit ACCT's Action Center to get in contact with your members of Congress.

To further enhance our advocacy efforts, the Government Relations Team invites you to email publicpolicy@acct.org to share how recent developments at the federal level have impacted your students and your campus.

Conclusion of Community College Month

ACCT would like to thank everyone who participated in Community College Month. Moreover, we wish to celebrate the introduction of H.Res. 340, which aims to declare April as Community College Month. Currently, this bipartisan resolution has received support from 27 members of Congress. At the state level, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, and Michigan have each proclaimed April as Community College Month.

Bear in mind that even though Community College Month has come to an end, efforts to raise awareness for community colleges have not. Please encourage your members of Congress to join the Congressional Community College Caucus. Direct House Representatives to Carolyn Olortegui in the office of Rep. Courtney (carolyn.olortegui@mail.house.gov), or Tyler Zidlicky in the office of Rep. Bilirakis (tyler.zidlicky@mail.house.gov), who can facilitate the process of adding members of Congress to the Congressional Community College Caucus.

International Student Visas Restored

Last week, ACCT found that an estimated 60 international community college students and recent alumni had their student visas revoked as a result of policy changes in the State Department. The latest report indicates that the Trump administration reversed this particular policy and has reinstated these revoked visas. 

Join ACCT and our outside counsel partners from Saul Ewing for our May 8th webinar at 2:00PM ET to hear the latest on federal policies impacting international and immigrant students. Register here.

LAW is Going Live

Please join ACCT's Government Relations Team on May 2nd at 1:00PM ET as they unpack updates in the Federal government, including the latest on the reconciliation process and President Donald Trump's executive orders on college accreditation and registered apprenticeships. Click here to register. 

Grant Opportunities

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

Preservation and Access Education and Training: The National Endowment for the Humanities is accepting applications for the Preservation and Access Education and Training program, which supports training that develops knowledge and skills among professionals responsible for preserving and establishing access to humanities collections. NEH will issue awards to organizations that offer national, regional, or statewide education and training programs. Click here for additional information. The closing date for the application is June 17, 2025.

• May 1 - Public comment for the Department of Education's Rulemaking Process (Virtual Hearing)

• May 2, 1:00PM ET - LAW Live Webinar

• May 8, 2:00PM ET– Immigration and International Students Webinar

• May 14, 2:00PM ET – Student Loan Cohort Default Rates: How they can negatively impact community colleges

• May 23 - Deadline for ACCT's Leadership Congress Presentation Proposals 

• May 28, 2:00PM ET– New Carnegie Classifications: Community College Impacts and Opportunities
• June 6, 1:00PM ET - LAW Live Webinar
• June 17 - Preservation and Access Education and Training Grant closing date
• June 20 - Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) Grant Application Due
• Jul 11, 2025, 01:00 PM ET - LAW Live Webinar
• Aug 1, 2025, 01:00 PM ET - LAW Live Webinar
• Sep 5, 202,5 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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