Latest CEF update. Most important thing here is the FY16 appropriations news. Yesterday the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its 302(b) allocations. The overall allocation for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education is $153.188 billion, slightly above the House's allocation, but a $3.6 billion reduction from FY 2015. This means the Labor HHS subcommittee subcommittee will need to propose cuts to some agencies and/or programs. Bear in mind that Sen. Blunt, chairman of that committee, is new to the job. If you have folks in Missouri, especially if they have a good relationship with him, might be a good idea to get them mobilized. It’s unlikely a bill with deep cuts to Labor HHS programs will make it to out of the Senate, but still it’s not good if a bill with deep cuts to adult ed emerges, however unlikely it is that it passes. Sets a bad precedent. Jeff > Begin forwarded message: > > From: Joel Packer <jpacker@cef.org> > To: Joel Packer <jpacker@cef.org> > Subject: Meeting Notice and Thursday Update > Date: May 21, 2015 at 4:01:56 PM EDT > > > > > CEF Meeting: We will have our regular CEF meeting tomorrow, Friday, May 22. We will meet at 1307 New York Avenue, NW, in the first floor auditorium. Our guest speaker will Jennifer Cama, Majority Staff, House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee. We’ll start with social time/breakfast at 9 am with the meeting itself starting at 9:30 am. Click here for the updated meeting schedule <https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B19p6j32JwToMEtETy1MT2ZuN1U&authuser=0>. Click here for the agenda <https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B19p6j32JwToUHAzY1RjZ0RSdzg&authuser=0>. Call-in #: 1-877-885-3221 PIN: 247-4788# > CEF Gala Award Nominations: We are accepting nominations for awards for this year’s Gala. If you would like to nominate someone for one of our awards, please submit his form <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B19p6j32JwToRmtqd0d5ckplbW8/view?usp=sharing> by COB on June 12 to Anais Duran (ADuran@cef.org <mailto:ADuran@cef.org>). Please note that nominations should be based on what the individual has done to help support increased investments in education. You can nominate the same person for more than one award. The process then is the Gala Committee will meet to discuss the nominations and make recommendations for issuing awards to the CEF Board. The Board then submits to the full membership the names of proposed awardees, which are then voted on at a CEF membership meeting. We plan to vote on any proposed awardees at the CEF meeting on June 26. If necessary, we might extend the nomination form deadline, if the gala committee decides we need more nominations. As a reminder, we have already approved giving an award to FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel for her leadership on increasing funding for the E-Rate. > > To see a list of all previous CEF awardees, click here <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B19p6j32JwTod1RBSTRDOURzaFk/view?usp=sharing>. > 3. FY 16 Appropriations: The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved its 302(b) allocations by a party line vote of 16-14. During the markup, Ranking Member Mikulski offered an alternative set of allocations based on the total in the president's budget (an additional $37 billion for NDD). See: Mikulski Offers Alternative Allocations, Providing the Needed Resources for America’s Security & Future <http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/mikulski-offers-alternative-allocations-providing-needed-resources-america%E2%80%99s-security-future>. Her allocations were defeated 14-16 on a party line vote. The now approved Senate allocation of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee is $153.188 billion, just slightly above the House level, but still a cut below FY 15 of $3.6 billion (-2.3%). Mikulski’s alternative allocation was $166.4 billion – more than $13 billion above the approved allocation. Please see this chart <https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B19p6j32JwToTFRIZzFLb0RuM3c/view?usp=sharing> I just finalized that compares the 302(b) allocations. > > Mikulski said that Democrats will vote against kicking off debate on the Senate floor on any spending bill that adheres to the statutory, sequester-level framework. See: Senator Appropriators Lock In Sequester Spending Caps <http://www.cq.com/doc/4689522?14&eapa> (CQ). > > The new adopted allocations for each title in billions (figures are discretionary): > > Agriculture: $20.51 > Commerce-Justice-Science: $51.068 > Defense: $489.131 > Energy-Water: $35.368 > Financial Services: $20.556 > Homeland Security: $40.213 > Interior-Environment: $30.010 > Labor-HHS-Education: $153.188 > Legislative Branch (including House): $4.309 > Military Construction-VA: $77.573 > State-Foreign Operations: $39.010 > Transportation-HUD: $55.64 > The Committee also approved its first two bills. The FY2016 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill <http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/fy16-energy-water-development-appropriations-bill-advanced-committee> was reported by a vote of 27-3. Also see the Democratic summary: FY16 Energy & Water Development Full Committee Markup Bill Summary <http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/fy16-energy-water-development-full-committee-markup-bill-summary>). The FY 2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agency Appropriations Bill was reported 21-9. Since the Senate Appropriations Committee votes to report its bills before acting on amendments, it has not yet finished its markup. But see this Democratic summary: FY16 Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Full Committee Markup Bill Summary <http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/fy16-military-construction-veterans-affairs-and-related-agencies-full-committee-markup-bill>. > > 4. ESEA: As of yesterday, the Committee staff were still working on the Committee report. > > 5. HEA: Senate HELP committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today announced several bipartisan, full committee staff working groups <http://www.help.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=52961756-6343-433b-9179-da68b8d7a784&groups=Chair> to address four major issues related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act:The staff working groups will examine the following topics: > · Accountability > · Accreditation > · College Affordability and Financial Aid > · Campus Sexual Assault and Safety > > Also see this article about the hearing the Committee held yesterday: Risk Sharing, Yes. But How? <https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/05/21/bipartisan-agreement-risk-sharing-concept-only> (Inside Higher Ed) > > 6. Debt Limit: The Bipartisan Policy Center relased an updated analysis <http://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/debt-limit-update-strong-tax-season-moves-most-likely-x-date-window-to-novemberdecember/> of when the federal government will hit the debt ceiling limit. “…higher-than-expected revenue growth has made an October X Date far less likely. Therefore, BPC has excluded it from the updated projection window, making the months of November and December the most likely X Date candidates at this point.” Read their full report here <http://bipartisanpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Debt-Limit-2015-Update.pdf>. > > 7. VA Delay On In-State Tuition: This week, the Veteran Affairs Secretary waived through December 2015 <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2700>, the resident-rate tuition requirements of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (Choice Act). See: In-State Tuition for Vets Delayed <https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/05/19/va-delays-requirement-student-veterans-receive-state-tuition> (Inside Higher Ed). > > > Joel Packer > CEF Executive Director > JPacker@cef.org <mailto:JPacker@cef.org> > 202-383-0083 > 202-255-0915 (cell) > www.cef.org <http://www.cef.org/> > www.Twitter.com/edfunding <http://www.twitter.com/edfunding> >