CGS Urges Bipartisan and Bicameral Support for Graduate Education Programs

Earlier this week, CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega sent a letter to Congressional Appropriation Committee Members to urge their support for graduate education programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Specifically, the letter encourages bipartisan and bicameral support for graduate education programs during the upcoming mark-up of the FY 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Appropriations Committee bill. As you will see, the letter highlights several programs, including the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program. In the letter, CGS President Ortega says, “This program provides valuable opportunities for graduate students to conduct vital research and produce scholarship that will help meet the nation’s most pressing challenges.” The letter also encourages appropriators to fund the TRIO Program at $1.3 billion, which includes the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. The McNair Scholars Program provides needed financial assistance to academically talented graduate students. The letter also encourages appropriations of $886.8 million for the Aid for Institutional Development Program, $161 million for Title VI International Education and Foreign Language Studies Programs, and $20 million for the Fulbright-Hays Program.

CGS members are asked to share this letter with your campus colleagues, members of Congress, and congressional staff.

House Adopts FY 2023 Budget Resolution

On June 8, the House of Representatives adopted a $1.6 trillion budget resolution which sets the spending cap for defense and non-defense discretionary programs. The adoption of this budget resolution effectively clears-the-way for House Appropriators to start moving the  fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills through subcommittee and full-committee process. You can view a brief one-pager on the resolution here. An analysis of CGS programs of interest is located here.

House Plans to Mark-Up FY 2023 Appropriations Bills This Month

Earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee released the schedule for marking-up fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills. The CGS Government Relations and Public Policy staff will be monitoring the mark-ups for the following appropriations bills: FY 2023 Commerce-Justice-Science; FY 2023 Energy & Water; and the FY 2023 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education. Additional information on these mark-ups will be included in future Washington Insights & Highlights Newsletters.

Legislation Introduced to Reform Parent PLUS Loan Program

Representative Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced a bill this week that proposes reform to the Parents PLUS Loan Fairness and Responsibility Act. According to the press release, “This legislation would allow students to take over the student debt that was incurred on their behalf, providing sensible solutions for parents facing multiple financial burdens.” The introduction of this legislation comes on the heels of the release of the Century Foundation report, Parent PLUS Borrowers: The Hidden Casualties of the Student Debt Crisis.

White House Names 2022 HBCU Scholars

Earlier today, the White House and U.S. Department of Education named the 2022 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholars. This White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity is recognizing 86 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, civic engagement, and much more. For more information about this initiative and the scholars that have been recognized in 2022, please see the Department of Education press release.