A quick look back at the news from last week. Compiled by Penn Hill Group

HOUSE and SENATE

By a vote of 222-210, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act, the House counterpart to the U.S. Senate’s United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA). The final version of the America COMPETES Act included an amendment introduced by Representative Andy Levin (D-MI) that added provisions for short-term Pell grant usage and a form of the College Transparency Act.

Senator Ben Luján (D-NM) suffered a stroke and will not be able to vote in the U.S. Senate while he recovers. This temporarily gives Republicans a 50 to 49 simple majority for voting purposes during this period.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released a tool for States to share strategies for utilizing American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds.

EVENTS

Penn Hill Group plans on providing clients a summary of the following events next week:

February 8: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Full Committee Hearing on “Lessons Learned from COVID-19: Highlighting Innovations, Maximizing Inclusive Practices and Overcoming Barriers to Employment for People with Disabilities”

February 9: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Executive Session on the nomination of Glenna Wright-Gallo to be Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education, nomination of Christopher Williamson to be Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health at the Department of Labor, nomination of Mary Lu Jordan to be a Member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, nomination of Timothy Baker to be a Member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission and any additional business for consideration.

February 9: Senate Committee on Finance Full Committee Hearing “To Consider the Nominations of Robert Michael Gordon, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services and Rebecca E. Jones Gaston, of Oregon, to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.”

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Penn Hill Group provides a list of grant opportunities and summaries for select grants. Please visit our website for more information.