November 8, 2021
House Passes the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
On Friday, November 5, 2021 the House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – commonly known as Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF) – by a vote of 228-206. The passage sends the bill to President Biden’s desk.
The bill includes $65 billion for broadband infrastructure deployment to ensure everyone in the country has access to reliable high speed internet.
President Biden has indicated he will hold a formal signing ceremony soon, but not this week while Congress is out of session. More information on the bill can be found here.
J. Noah Brown Appointment to the Department of Education
Last week, former ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown was appointed by President Biden to serve as Senior Advisor at the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) under the Department of Education. In this role, Noah will advise and work in the office that administers, and coordinates programs that are related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges.
Department of Education Makes Available Grant Opportunities under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)
The Department of Education (ED) has several new competitions under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). All of the programs listed below are open for application starting Friday November 5, 2021 with application deadlines in late November and early December. Competitions include:
- Basic Needs Grants – open to Community Colleges that are Minority-Serving Institutions, HBCUs, or Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities – the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support programs that address the basic needs of students and to report on practices that improve outcomes for students. Deadline to apply is December 6, 2021.
- Rural Postsecondary Economic Development Program – open to Public and private nonprofit IHEs, with enrollment of at least 30 percent of students who attended high schools located in rural areas - the purpose of this program is to improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion among rural students through development of high-quality career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations in the region. Deadline to apply is December 6, 2021.
- Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education – open to Community Colleges - the purpose of this program is to provide gang-involved youth with postsecondary education opportunities that will lead to certification or credentials. Deadline to apply is November 29, 2021.
- Modeling and Simulation programs – open to Public or private nonprofit IHEs - this program is designed to promote the study of modeling and simulation at institutions of higher education by promoting the enhancement or development of modeling and simulation degree and certificate programs. Deadline to apply is December 6, 2021.
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