Legislative Activity
House Education and the Workforce Committee Priorities
Last week, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) shared some insight into his committee’s priorities for the rest of the year, which include several education-related reauthorization bills that are overdue for consideration. Chairman Kline stated that he plans to consider a Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization bill in his committee by the end of the year but offered no other details about when his committee would release a draft HEA bill.
Although the House passed an Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization bill last summer, the Student Success Act (H.R. 5), the Chairman acknowledged that it is very unlikely that Congress will complete a bill this year given that the Senate is taking a very different approach to ESEA reauthorization in its legislation, the Strengthening America’s Schools Act (S. 1094). In addition, Chairman Kline said that he is hopeful that his committee will agree to an Education Science Reform Act (ESRA) reauthorization bill this Congress. Although conference negotiations last fall ended in disagreements over funding levels, the Chairman said that the conversation has resumed on an ESRA reauthorization bill. The committee is also in talks with the Senate on reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act.
Upcoming Hearings:
- Wednesday, April 2: The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing titled “Keeping College within Reach: Meeting the Needs of Contemporary Students.”
- Wednesday, April 2: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-Health and Human Services-Education will hold a hearing regarding FY 2015 appropriations for the Department of Labor.
