Penn Hill Group Principal Vic Klatt was quoted in an October 5 Education Week article, “Cutting Deals With Trump: Will It Fly or Flop For Democrats on Education?” Klatt commented on upcoming and potential legislative action in Congress:

“There’s a decent chance lawmakers could slip some kind of expanded child-care benefit into the GOP’s bigger tax-reform package, said Vic Klatt, a former House GOP education staffer who now works at Penn Hill Group lobbying firm. In addition, the Senate could always pick up the bipartisan bill to overhaul the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which the House approved over the summer, Klatt said. Some sort of deal involving Pell Grants for those in the workforce could move through Congress. And at least some Democrats, along with Trump, would be pleased if increases for charter school funding in the House and Senate education appropriations bills survive, even though it’s not as much of a bump as Trump wants.”

He also discussed challenges associated with upcoming and potential legislative action:

“But anyone who thinks that the Dream Act, school infrastructure spending, or any other education-related compromise will be easy for Democrats to hammer out with Trump and the GOP is mistaken, Klatt noted. For example, while Klatt said he thinks some version of the Dream Act will pass, it’s not going to be easy. And there’s going to be a lot of blood on the floor before the end, especially in a House GOP caucus divided on the issue.”

He concluded with:

“It’s going to be tough for all of them to move, Klatt said. Every once in awhile, there are issues that come along where it’s in everybody’s interest to do something. A classic example of that is the Every Student Succeeds Act.”