Government Relations

Legislative Update

August 10, 2007

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In this issue:

STATE UPDATE

No state update this issue.

FEDERAL UPDATE

Congress is out of session for the August recess. Both chambers will return on Tuesday, September 4.

TRIO

Efforts have been, and are continuing to be made, to increase funding for TRIO programs in FY 2008, fund additional new and existing Upward Bound programs, address discrepancies in last year’s Talent Search/Equal Opportunity Center grant competition, and halt the Upward Bound Absolute Priority. 

To date, many actions have been taken by Congress to support TRIO and, especially, Upward Bound (the various pieces of legislation impacting TRIO programs is summarized below).  During the August recess, take the opportunity to thank your federal elected officials for their continued support.  You might also encourage them to co-sponsor of H.R. 2700, a bill to suspend implementation of the Absolute Priority.

  • H.R. 2669 (Budget Reconciliation bill or the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007) – This bill includes language to provide funding for all Upward Bound applicants that scored above a 70 in the most recent grant competition and to rescind the Absolute Priority.  The House passed this bill by a vote of 273-149.

  • H.R. 2700 (Carol Shea-Porter bill) – This bill would suspend implementation of the Absolute Priority until expressly authorized by Congress.   As of August 2, 2007, Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT), Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME), and Rep. Michael Simpson (R-ID)  have signed on to co-sponsor the legislation. 

  • H.R. 3043 (Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill) – This bill appropriates $868.2 million for the TRIO programs in FY 2008. This figure represents a $40 million increase over the FY 2007 funding level. This bill includes an amendment sponsored by Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Tom Cole (R-OK), and Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) to prohibit the use of any appropriated funds to carry out the evaluation prescribed by the Absolute Priority.  The House passed this bill by a vote of 276-140.

  • S. 1642 (Higher Education Act of 1965 reauthorization bill or the Higher Education Amendments of 2007) – This bill includes a provision that eliminates the evaluation methodology imposed by the Absolute Priority, authorizes funding for all 2007 Upward Bound applicants that scored above 70, and authorizes additional funding of Upward Bound programs that did not apply during 2007.  The Senate passed this bill by a vote of 95-0.

    The bill also includes a provision sought by the University of Wisconsin System that would define “Different Campus” and “Different Population of Participants” in the TRIO Student Support Services Program that would allow UW Colleges to serve more eligible students who need TRIO services.

  • S. 1710 (Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill) – In this bill, the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies proposed an increase of $30 million, or $858.2 million, for TRIO programs. This represents a 3.6% increase over the FY 2007 funding level. 

 FY08 Federal Appropriations Update

The House approved the last of its 12 FY08 appropriations bills, Defense (H.R. 3222), on August 5 before leaving for the August recess.  The Senate has approved just one appropriations bill, Homeland Security (S. 1644), which it passed on July 26.  The Senate Appropriations Committee has marked up all of its FY08 appropriations bills except Defense.  No date for markup of the Defense appropriations measure has been announced.  

America COMPETES Act Signed Into Law

This week President Bush signed into law a new, comprehensive bill, the America COMPETES Act, which promotes math and science education and invests in innovation through research and development.  The newly authorized legislation (appropriations are still being debated) covers dozens of new initiatives and programs in response to recommendations in the 2005 National Academies report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm. See legislation.

Web Resources

Contact

Federal Relations: Kristine Andrews, (608) 263-3362, kandrews@uwsa.edu

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