CONGRESS

In a 51 to 48 vote, the Senate advanced President Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package, impacting the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and foreign aid. Subsequently, the House also approved the measure on a 216 to 213 vote.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) released subcommittee toplines for discretionary spending in fiscal year 2026, which include a total of $705.6 billion for non-defense spending and $184.491 billion for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) discretionary spending.

In a 12 to 11 vote, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade passed H.R. 4312, the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act.

A group of Democrat Senators sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging the immediate release of nearly $7 billion in Federal education formula grant funds currently being withheld by ED. Subsequently, a group of GOP Senators also sent a letter calling for the release of these funds.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) launched the implementation of a new workforce development partnership, which involves DOL taking on a “greater role in administering the adult education and family literacy programs funded under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and career and technical education (CTE) programs funded by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.”

Media outlets have reported that ED will release 21^st Century Community Learning Center funds to the States. ED has not shared information on the status of the other five State formula programs impacted by the funding freeze.

COURTS

The Supreme Court decided, in a 6 to 3 ruling, to lift a lower-court injunction blocking the Trump Administration’s mass reduction in force (RIF) at ED and from implementing its new ED and DOL workforce development partnership.

EVENTS

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

July 23: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Hearing titled “Choice and Literacy: Empowering Families for Better Educational Results.”

July 24: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Executive Session to consider U.S Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Nominees.