Following a week-long Independence Day recess, Members of Congress reconvened in Washington on July 9^th to resume work on appropriations and other matters. 

House Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2008 Labor-HHS-Ed Spending Bill with $335M Rescission

The Labor/HHS/Education FY 2008 appropriations bill moved forward another step last week when the House Appropriations Committee approved on a voice vote a $607 billion bill.  It would provide $153.7 billion in discretionary spending (about $9 billion more than the FY 2007 appropriations, and $12 billion more than the President's FY 2008 request).  Overall funding to the Department of Labor would total $14.8 billion ($182 million more than FY 2007), and $62.6 billion for the Department of Education ($2.3 billion above FY 2007).

An amendment offered by Representative Walsh (R-NY) and approved by voice vote rescinds $335 million from current unexpended WIA funds and moves the funds to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide additional aid to local schools for educating children with learning disabilities.  PLEASE WRITE TO YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS ASAP TO EXPRESS YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE WALSH AMENDMENT!!!

Representative Peterson (R-PA) offered an amendment that was approved by voice vote that increases funding by $25 million for grants to states for career and technical education programs.

The Labor/HHS/Education bill is expected to go the House floor this week following consideration of the Energy and Water spending bill.

The Senate's bill, approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee in June, also funds WIA programs at FY 2007 levels, but does not include the $335 million rescission.

Thus far, the full House has passed six of twelve FY 2008 spending bills.  The Senate has passed none, but has cleared the majority of them at the committee level.  In view of delays in the appropriations process and the Administration's opposition to discretionary spending levels above its requests, work on the FY 2008 appropriations bills will most likely NOT be completed by the end of the fiscal year

(September 30^th, 2007).

Other potential wrinkles in the appropriations process include:

·         The nomination of former Representative Jim Nussle (R-IA) to replace Michael Portman as new OMB Director.  In an atmosphere of contentious budget and appropriations matters, some members of Congress have expressed concern that Mr. Nussle, a former House Budget Committee Chair, may take a more aggressive approach than Mr. Portman.

·         Continued focus on the war in Iraq, which could divert attention away from the appropriations bills or be used as leverage for negotiations on domestic spending.

If differences cannot be ironed out through negotiations, there is a potential for an omnibus spending bill combining several appropriations bills, a temporary government shutdown, or another long-term continuing resolution as was done for FY 2007.  (By the way, the last time all appropriations bills were passed individually and on time was in 1994!).

WIA Reauthorization May Be on the Autumn Agenda

As previously reported, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness held a hearing on WIA reauthorization on June 28^th.  Bruce Ferguson, president of WorkSource in Orange Park, FL (an NAWB member), testified at the hearing.  NAWB submitted a statement for the record, and will be invited to testify at the next hearing.  House staffers have indicated that the House Education & Labor Committee will introduce a WIA reauthorization bill in September.

In the Senate, current legislative activity under the jurisdiction of the Senate HELP Committee is focused on the Higher Education Act reauthorization, which cleared the Committee in June and now needs to go the Senate floor for consideration; on competitiveness legislation, which must be conferenced with House negotiators; and, on developing a draft for No Child Left Behind reauthorization.  Accordingly, attention to WIA reauthorization is likely to be deferred at least until Fall 2007.

College Cost Reduction Act Passes in House

By a vote of 273 to 149 last Wednesday, the House approved H.R. 2669, legislation to help students and families pay for college.  It would boost financial aid by about $18 billion over five years (paid for by the reduction in subsidies to private student loan providers).  Additionally, the Pell Grant maximum would increase gradually over five years from the 2006 cap of $4,050 to $5,200 by the year 2011.  Further, the legislation would cut interest rates in half in steps over five years for need-based student loans.  It would also guarantee that borrowers would never have to pay more than 15% of their yearly income toward repayment of their student loan debt.  It provides financial incentives for students to enter teaching and other public-service professions.  It invests in historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and minority-serving institutions.

For additional information, see http://edlabor.house.gov/micro/ccra.shtml.

NAWB Conducts "Washington Update" Teleconference

On July 10^th, NAWB staff, NAWB Board members, and representatives of 50 local and state WIBs participated in a "Washington Update" teleconference to discuss communications and strategy in regard to advocacy and to get a legislative update on WIA reauthorization and funding.

You will find an update on the Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill and WIA reauthorization in earlier section's of this week's brief.

Participants in last Tuesday's (July 10th) conference call also discussed the following:

NAWB's current advocacy activities and future plans, including scheduling another advocacy conference call with NAWB members and developing a strategy for advocacy efforts during the August congressional recess.  Once again, we remind you that recess periods, when many Members of Congress are in their home districts, are ideal times to invite your congressional representatives to visit your One-Stop Career Center or attend a job fair or other special event.

Several WIBs have signed up to participate in the new NAWB "Advocacy Task Force." NAWB is looking for additional WIB members interested in working closely with the Advocacy Committee, including occasional trips to Washington, DC to meet with key congressional members and committee staff.  If you are interested in participating on the Task Force, please contact NAWB president and chief operating officer, Mark Schultz.

The annual Forum and most Board meetings are held in Washington, DC to maximize opportunities for visits to Capitol Hill with key congressional members and committee staff.

NAWB is a member of the local (Washington, DC) workforce coalition along with the National Workforce Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the

National Association of Counties.  The coalition members work together to develop and implement strategy for advocacy on behalf of the workforce investment system at the national and local level, particularly in regard to effective communications with Congress.

NAWB covers important congressional hearings and reports frequently on legislation via the Workforce Brief and Workforce Alerts.  NAWB also provides testimony or submits statements to Congress.  Quite recently, as noted above, NAWB provided a statement for the record in regard to WIA reauthorization, and expects to testify at a future hearing.

At the 2007 Forum, NAWB provided a congressional information ("Meet Your Member") desk, support materials for the "Hit the Hill" visits to Congress, three workshops/briefings on advocacy featuring Hill staff and national experts, and a new sponsorship category for advocacy-related activities. 

NAWB asks that you please send news clippings, data on customers served, and other information that will help us advocate on behalf of the workforce system and its customers.  To date, we have heard from about 25 WIBs, and we hope to hear from more of you.  For more information on data collection, please see our May 2007 Workforce Alert.