November 6, 2025

Leading the News this Week

Today is the 37th day of the government shutdown, making yesterday officially the longest government shutdown in American history. While there have been some murmurings of negotiations across party lines in the Senate, there is no clear indication that these will gain traction in reopening the government.

News in Higher Education

LAW is Going Live TOMORROW

Please join ACCT's Government Relations Team tomorrow, on November 7th at 1:00 PM ET as we dive into this government shutdown and what it means for community colleges as well as updates from the administration. Click here to register.

Judge Orders the Full Funding of SNAP for November

On November 1st, recipients of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) were to stop seeing their benefits as a result of the government shutdown. Two judges ruled that the Trump administration must utilize emergency funds to continue funding the program during the month of November. The Trump administration has refused the option to use additional funding sources to fully fund SNAP and instead agreed to partially fund the program. As a result, today, the Rhode Island U.S. District Court Judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP for this month. It is, however, unclear how quickly SNAP recipients will see their benefits. Out of 3.3 million SNAP-eligible college students, about a third actually receive SNAP benefits.

Final Public Service Loan Forgiveness Rule Sees Legal Challenges

Several lawsuits were filed against the Trump administration in relation to the final rule that will alter the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, arguing that this final rule is government overreach, a violation of the First Amendment, and a contradiction of the Higher Education Act, which states that government and nonprofit employees are PSLF-eligible. This rule would disqualify non-profit employees from receiving student loan forgiveness after making 120 qualifying payments if their organization supports what the administration deems as "unlawful activities" such as "abetting illegal immigration" or facilitating gender transitions for minors. These final rules will come into effect in July 2026.

Case Study on CCAMPIS at Borough of Manhattan Community College

The Child Care Access Means Parents in School program is critical for student-parent success. This case study from Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) highlights the personal stories of students who rely on CCAMPIS as well as the institution's strategy for making CCAMPIS a pillar of support. Click here for the full piece.

Check the ACCT Now section below for access to this piece.

NLS Registration Now OPEN

The National Legislative Summit (NLS) is the premier community college advocacy event in Washington, DC, bringing together more than 1,000 community college leaders from February 8 to 11, 2026. The event shines a spotlight on the importance of our nation’s community colleges for Congress and the Administration.

NLS participants will hear from members of U.S. Congress, administration officials, leading political analysts, and other high-profile speakers about the current climate in D.C., recent elections, and legislative issues impacting community colleges.

Participants also have the opportunity to network with fellow community college leaders and meet with their U.S. representatives in Congress to advocate for their support for community colleges and their students. Click here to register.

Join Us in Advocacy

As a reminder, in this appropriations cycle, ACCT is advocating for members of Congress to fund programs such as Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) and the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP). These programs provide much-needed support for students and institutions.

To move forward with our advocacy and communicate with lawmakers the importance of CCAMPIS and SIP, we need your help! We urge you to please share with us how your campuses have benefited from CCAMPIS and SIP at publicpolicy@acct.org. 

Also, we call upon you to participate in our Action Campaign and let your member of Congress know the devastating effects should CCAMPIS and SIP no longer exist.  

Grant Opportunities

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

• November 7, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• November 20, 2025 02:00 PM ET: Preparing for Workforce Pell: The Role of States and Governors in Implementation
• December 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• December 11: Preparing for Workforce Pell: Workforce Alignment
• January 13: Preparing for Workforce Pell: Student Outreach
• February 8-11, 2026: National Legislative Summit

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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