Yesterday's CEF update. Highlight (or lowlight) here is comment from Rep. Grothman during a hearing last week, i which he opined that Pell grants threaten the institution of marriage. In other news: not surprisingly, the Administration has officially decided not to testify on their budget proposal until after they release their detailed budget. NOT part of Sheryl’s update but while I’m thinking about it, I wanted to pass on this CBPP opinion piece by Robert Greenstein from yesterday regarding the Medicaid provisions of the Republican health care bill that I believe are worth of your attention: The revised bill also would let any state impose work requirements on poor adults who aren’t elderly, disabled, or pregnant as a condition of Medicaid coverage — with only narrow exemptions. Those affected could include a young adult who’s attending community college to gain skills he or she needs to succeed in the marketplace, a married mother who’s caring for an infant, or an adult who’s caring for an infirm or disabled parent rather than institutionalize the parent. Work requirements also could be imposed on poor individuals who need treatment — for mental health issues or substance abuse — to get or hold a job. And, states imposing work requirements wouldn’t have to provide job training or other employment services. The requirement wouldn’t likely mean that many more people would find jobs; instead, its main effect would likely be to leave more people who are poor and vulnerable uninsured. (my emphasis) Jeff > Begin forwarded message: > > From: Sheryl Cohen <cohen@cef.org> > Subject: CEF Update: 03.22.17 - Student Aid Alliance letter, Appropriators concerned about NDD cuts, Administration silence on budget specifics > Date: March 22, 2017 at 1:25:17 PM EDT > To: CEFMembersList <CEFMembersList@cef.org> > > > > > > Wednesday, March 22, 2017 > > Follow us on Twitter and Instagram (both “@edfunding”) to spread our advocacy to a broader social media audience! > > Dear CEF Members: > > I. Advocacy > > · Student Aid Alliance sign-on letter – FYI, the Student Aid Alliance – which has several CEF members – is circulating a letter to Members of Congress urging support for federal higher education assistance. The deadline to sign on to their letter is March 28. The letter and information are available at Student Aid Support Letter <http://acenet.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0jh4oPokzfaKW6p>. > > · Reminder - Examples of the President’s budget effects on learning – Because we won’t produce our full Budget Book until after Congress enacts the FY 2017 funding bill and after the Administration submits its full, programmatic budget, we want to have something in the meantime that highlights the effects of the President’s proposed education cuts. If you have examples of what the cuts will mean on the ground – to schools, teachers, universities, libraries, researchers, etc. – please email Sarah Abernathy <mailto:abernathy@cef.org> a brief blurb we can use. > > II. Policy Intelligence and Education News > > · Administration’s 2017 and 2018 cuts not popular with appropriators – In line with what we’ve been hearing from our Hill visits, the President’s proposed cuts to non-defense discretionary (NDD) spending for FY 2017 and 2018 do not appear to be popular with appropriators. The new House Appropriations Committee Chair, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) in a telephone town hall Monday expressed his opposition to some of the cuts in the President’s budget request for 2018 while noting he does support an increase in defense funding. He did not mention cuts to education, but said he did not support the budget’s cuts to the arts and humanities, the National Institutes of Health, Meals on Wheels, or the extent of the budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency. Rep. Frelinghuysen did not have complimentary things to say about OMB Director Mick Mulvaney. > > A Roll Call article <http://www.rollcall.com/news/policy/chances-change-defense-spending-caps-falling?utm_content=buffer366f0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=bufferChances> describes concern about 2017 NDD cuts and defense increases, including former House Appropriations Committee chair Hal Rogers’s (R-KY) sentiment that it’s not likely that Republicans will even propose any changes in the defense spending cap for 2017 to accommodate the Administration’s proposed increase for defense. Regarding NDD, Chairman Frelinghuysen said “We’re obviously concerned about the potential offsets and taking a close look to make sure that whatever we do doesn’t hurt the basic operation of the government.” > > · Administration not to testify on budget specifics until after detailed budget is released – The House Appropriations Committee postponed two hearings on the President’s budget, including one with Secretary DeVos, apparently because OMB Director Mulvaney has issued guidance to agency and department heads not to say anything more about the Administration’s 2018 budget plans beyond what was included in the so-called “skinny budget” released last week. His March 17 memo said: > > “Until OMB releases the full FY 2018 budget, all public comments of any sort should be limited to the information contained in the budget blueprint calling for your agency… Accordingly, it is critically important that you not make commitments about specific programs if they are not expressly mentioned in the budget blueprint… Agency officials appearing as witnesses in authorization, appropriations, or oversight hearings should defer any questions related to the full budget until after the budget is released.” > > House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), senior democrat on the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee, released a statement <https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-and-lowey-statement-delaying-budget-hearings-nih-and-department> saying the postponed hearings are because “The Administration clearly lacks the ability to defend these unjustifiable proposals—including slashing $6 billion from medical research and $9 billion from our nation’s education system…” > > · Unusual thoughts on Pell Grants at House Education and Workforce Committee hearing – File this under “unexpected views from Capitol Hill” – at a hearing on student aid last week in the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) said that Pell Grants lead people <https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/22/republican-member-congress-says-pell-grants-discourage-marriages> to stay single so their income remains low enough to qualify for aid and suggested that Pell Grants should not go to first-year students, as some may not continue on to graduate. Other members focused on reinstating year-round Pell Grants and the funding cuts to higher education in the President’s budget. You can watch the hearing webcast here <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R9YkupBBmE&feature=youtu.be> (FYI, Rep. Grothman’s questions start around 2:23 in the webcast). > > III. Events > > · AERA Centennial Lecture The Limits of Schooling, The Power of Poverty <http://www.aera100.net/charles-payne.html> – the lecture will take place in Detroit on Thursday, March 23, at 6:30 pm ET, and will be available via live stream. > > · CEF schedule for the next month – (Note: this information is also on the CEF calendar in the Members’ Area of our new website. You can register for an ID to log in if you have already submitted your 2017 membership renewal forms.) > o Friday, March 24, 9-11 am: Quarterly meeting (AFT, 555 NJ Ave, NW, 4th floor) > o Friday, March 31, 9-11 am: CEF meeting (AASCU, 1307 NY Ave, NW). Guest speakers: Democratic staff of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. > o Friday, April 7, 9-11 am: CEF meeting (AFSCME, 1625 L St NW, 1st Floor Board Room). Guest speaker: Robin Juliano, Democratic education staffer for the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee. > o Friday, April 28, 9-11 am: CEF meeting (AASCU, 1307 NY Ave, NW). Guest speaker: TBD. > > My best, > > Sheryl > > > Sheryl V. Cohen, Executive Director > > > 1800 M Street, NW > Suite 500 South > Washington, DC 20036 > T: 202-327-8125 > cohen@cef.org <mailto:cohen@cef.org> > www.cef.org <http://www.cef.org/> >