HOUSE and SENATE

The House and Senate are in recess next week.

The House voted to reject the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act (H.R. 6136) by a vote of 121 to 301.

This week, both the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee and the full Appropriations Committee marked up its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 LHHS spending bill. The bill funds the U.S. Department of Education (ED) at $541 million over the FY2018 level and increases the maximum Pell Grant award by $100.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee marked up its version of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act reauthorization (S.B. 3141).  Floor time for this legislation has not yet been announced.

The Senate confirmed Frank Brogan as the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at ED by a voice vote.

The Senate HELP Committee approved the nominations of Scott Stump to be the Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education at ED and John Lowry to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Floor time for these nominations have not yet been determined.

Senate leadership reached an agreement to consider the nomination of James Blew to be the Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at ED. Floor time for this nomination has not yet been scheduled.

ADMINISTRATION

The Federal Commission on School Safety held a listening session in Lexington, Kentucky.

SUPREME COURT

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Janus in the case of Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees by a 5 to 4 vote, determining that government workers who choose not to join unions may not be required to help pay for collective bargaining.

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the Court after serving for nearly three decades.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES 

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