September 4, 2025

Leading the News this Week

At the end of August, the White House submitted a rescission request to Congress, where they have 45 days to grant or deny this request. Typically, if no decision is made by the 45-day deadline, the Administration would have to release those funds. However, the 45-day period extends beyond the end of the fiscal year, September 30, when the funds will be considered as lapsed. This is a tactic the White House is employing to engage in “pocket recissions.”This particular request attempts to rescind nearly $5 billion in foreign aid and international organization funding.

Meanwhile, members of both parties have criticized this decision as a problem for bipartisan funding negotiations, and some even deem it illegal, potentially creating a collision between the White House and Congress over funding mechanisms.

News in Higher Education

House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Marked Up Its Bill

This week, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee marked up its bill. The expectation is that the full committee markup will take place on September 9th. Unlike the Senate proposal, which mostly level-funded programs, the House bill cuts Department of Education funding by $12 billion (15%) and the Department of Labor by $4 billion (30%). Particularly concerning are the proposed eliminations that support student success, access, and affordability, namely, the elimination of CCAMPIS, ABE, and SEOG (see below). We urge community college leaders and supporters to contact their House lawmakers, asking them to restore funding for these programs. While we are waiting for the committee report to reveal the funding levels for all programs we are tracking, the House proposal bill text outlines the following:   

Eliminates funding for:

• Adult Basic Education (ABE)
• Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS)
• Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) 

Reduces funding for:

• Federal Work Study (FWS) by 37 percent

Level funds:

• Maximum Pell award at $7,395,
• Strengthening Community College Training Grant (SCCTG) 
• TRIO and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR-UP)
• Head Start

Increases funding for:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) state grants. 

The deadline to act on appropriations is September 30th; failure to meet this deadline either through passing the appropriations bill or via a Continuing Resolution (the resolution to continue funding the government at the previous fiscal year's levels) will trigger a government shutdown. In the meantime, we ask you to join ACCT’s Action Campaign to urge your member of Congress to reject eliminations and cuts to these critical programs.

HAPPENING TOMORROW: LAW is Going Live

Please join ACCT's Government Relations Team tomorrow, September 5th, at 1:00 PM ET. During this one-hour webinar, attendees will learn about the latest developments coming out of the White House and its agencies, Congress, and the federal courts. 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.

• Sep 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• September 17: Public Comment Period for New Rules on PSLF Deadline
• 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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