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Policy Alerts
November, 2005
Last
Updated:
01/04/2006
MEMORANDUM
To: SPOC Network
From: Art Ellison, Policy Co-Chair ,
NCSDAE
Date: November 17, 2005
RE:
Budget/Appropriations Update Prepared by Lynn Selsmer
BUDGET/APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
The following is an update of Congressional action on Appropriations and
Budget issues affecting adult education.
BUDGET
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, as amended,
requires Congress to adopt an annual budget resolution. Usually, the budget
resolution is Congress's response to the President's budget. The budget
resolution must cover at least five fiscal years: the upcoming fiscal year
plus the four subsequent fiscal years.
The budget resolution sets total new budget authority and outlay levels for
each fiscal year covered by the resolution. It also distributes federal
spending among 20 functional categories, such as national defense,
agriculture, and transportation, and sets similar levels for each
function. The resolution also includes revenue floors for each fiscal year.
Total new budget authority and outlays are distributed
among both the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over spending,
thereby setting spending ceilings for each committee The budget resolution
is never sent to the President, nor does it become law. It does not provide
budget authority or raise or lower revenues, but is instead a guide for
Congress to use as it considers various budget bills, including
appropriations and tax measures.
The Congressional Budget Act provides an April 15 deadline for final
congressional adoption of the budget resolution. However, Congress
frequently does not meet this deadline. Both the House and Senate have
passed the FY 2006 Budget.
APPROPRIATIONS
Each year, the House and Senate, using the Budget Resolution for guidance,
enact 13 or more appropriations measures providing funds for numerous
activities, including defense, transportation, education, homeland security
and crime.
The House of Representatives passed legislation appropriating funds for
fiscal year 2006 for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and
Education (H.R. 3010) on June 24, 2005, by a vote of 250-151. It contained
level funding for adult education programs and $200 million for Even Start.
The Senate passed its version of this legislation on October 27, 2005 by a
vote of 93-3. Adult education received level funding. Even Start was
zero-funded.
The House and Senate will soon meet in conference to iron out the
differences between the two versions of this legislation. Because the two
versions contain level funding for adult education, it is expected that the
final bill agreed to by the conferees will level fund adult education.
Family literacy organizations are urging a funding level of $225 for Even
Start.
It is also expected that the House and Senate will reduce spending by
subjecting appropriations bills to across-the-board cuts which could amount
to one or two percent or more. Some appropriations bills, such as those
providing defense spending, may be exempt to such an across-the-board cut.
BUDGET RECONCILIATION
The Budget Act of 1974 established the reconciliation process to give
Congress a means of addressing mandatory spending (also called direct
spending) - which, unlike discretionary spending, is not subject to regular
annual review.
The process starts in the budget resolution, which establishes deficit
reduction targets for certain committees, and requires legislation to reduce
rates of direct spending for programs in those committees' jurisdiction.
A reconciliation directive specifies only the change in spending. The
committees of jurisdiction have full authority to determine specific policy
reforms and submit legislation as they judge appropriate, so long as they
achieve the savings required.
Each reconciled committee must submit this legislation to the Budget
Committee by a specified date - in this year's case, the date was moved from
September 16th to October 28th to accommodate hurricane relief efforts.
In addition to the legislation, committee submissions include a cost
estimate (which must be made by the Congressional Budget Office). The Budget
Committee receives and combines reconciled committees' legislation into a
comprehensive measure - a reconciliation bill - to implement the
instructions. The Budget Committee then marks up this package and reports it
to the House. The Budget Committee may not make any substantive change to
the legislative language submitted by an authorizing committee.
The Senate passed their budget reconciliation bill on November 3. The House
bill is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives next
week, after which there will be a conference to iron out the differences.
Of interest to the adult education community is the inclusion in the House
bill of welfare reform legislation. There are two key issues which we hope
will be addressed in conference:
l. Superwaiver: The House bill includes Program Demonstration
Projects, which permit a Governor to coordinate a variety of programs,
including adult education, to create innovative programs to assist welfare
participants. It would permit a Governor to alter application procedures,
reporting
requirements, performance standards and program and individual eligibility
requirements of local programs. While the Secretary must approve proposed
projects, there are a number of inadvertent effects that would negatively
affect State's operations and management.
2. Period for full time participation in education and training.
The House bill permits individuals to participate in education and
training programs full time for up to four hours on a case-by-case basis. As
with all participants in adult education, there is a wide range in skills
and individuals vary in the time they need to achieve the educational skills
required to participate in training and obtain and retain employment.
Although individuals can participate part-time in education and training
activities for up to 5 years, there is a concern that many individuals with
low levels of literacy will not be prepared to enter work or to participate
in training activities with a four month cap of full time participation.
The Senate did not include welfare reform provisions in their budget
reconciliation bill. However, the welfare reform bill considered by the
Senate Finance Committee did not include sueprwaiver provisions and allowed
up to six months participation in full time education and training programs.
MEMORANDUM
To: SPOC Network
From: Art Ellison, Policy Co-Chair ,
NCSDAE
Date: November 4, 2005
RE:
Action Alert-Committee for Educational Funding - Even Start
The Committee for
Education Funding is planning a call in day to Congress
for Thursday, November 9, 2005 urging both Houses to support full funding
for all educational programs. November 9 was chosen because the Budget
Reconciliation Bills will be under debate in both the House and Senate on
that date.
We are asking for the Single Point of Contact network to coordinate calls on
that day in support of EVEN START PROGRAM FUNDING AT THE FY05 LEVEL, ($225
million). While most of you with members on the Budget and Appropriations
committees have been communicating this message over the past three weeks we
would like one final push on November 9.
Calls should go from adult educators involved with Even Start Programs at
the local level to the WASHINGTON OFFICES OF ALL US SENATORS AND ANY MEMBER
OF THE HOUSE WITH AN EVEN START PROGRAM IN THEIR DISTRICT. Keep in mind
that the calls to House members should be from adult educators connected to
an Even Start Project within the respective Congressional District. If
needed, State Departments of Education should be able to provide information
on the location of Even Start Projects within each state.
We would like to have 50 calls to each Senator and 25 to the appropriate
House member. Thank you again for your continued work.
Art Ellison, Co-Chair, Policy Committee, National Council of State Directors
of Adult Education
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