Legislative Updates – June 23, 2023

House Education and the Workforce Committee Hearing on “Competencies Over Degrees: Transitioning to a Skills-Based Economy”

The House Education and the Workforce Full Committee held a hearing on “Competencies Over Degrees: Transitioning to a Skills-Based Economy”, in which there was bipartisan agreement on the importance of skills-based hiring. Both Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) called for reauthorization of WIOA. Furthermore, Ranking Member Scott called for passage of the National Apprenticeship Act of 2023 as well as Workforce Pell. The Committee discussed credentials, skills assessments, apprenticeships, and more. A recording of the hearing may be viewed here, the House Republican recap is available here, and our memo on the hearing may be accessed here.

Republican Senators Coalesce Against Su’s Nomination

The challenges facing Acting Secretary Julie Su’s nomination to become Secretary of Labor continue to mount. This week, 33 Republican Senators sent a letter to President Biden requesting that Su’s nomination be withdrawn. There is not yet a timetable for a confirmation vote on the Senate floor, frustrating Su’s supporters in the Senate. However, several Democratic or Independent Senators have yet to declare whether they will support Su’s candidacy, making it difficult for Majority Leader Schumer to schedule a floor vote.

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY 24 Spending Caps on a Party Line Vote

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY 24 subcommittee funding allocations (known as 302(b)’s) on a party line vote yesterday. Unlike the House, Senate Appropriators have pledged to utilize all of the discretionary funding made available in the debt limit agreement. In total, discretionary funding is about $12 billion lower than fiscal 2023 enacted levels, with about $40 billion in nondefense cuts and $28 billion in defense-related increases.

Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) highlighted how the Committee was getting back to “regular order” and committed to moving appropriations bills in a timely manner. A total of $886 billion will be available for defense related bills and $703 billion for domestic discretionary programs, including $195.2 billion for Labor-HHS programs, which is $12 billion (or 5.9%) below FY 2023 enacted levels, before final adjustments.

Sen. Murray noted the 302(b) allocations adhere to the terms of the debt limit agreement enacted earlier this month, but worried the agreement’s top line funding caps for defense and domestic programming will make it difficult to make critically needed investments in our nation’s future. She described how none of the appropriators would have made this agreement, but they must work together to find solutions, and a balanced approach between defense and domestic funding will be necessary. She also kept the door open to supplemental appropriation bills for disasters, Ukraine, and border related issues.

Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME) highlighted how the Committee has already held over forty hearings this year and while regular order is not easy, it is critical to ensuring the Senate completes its work and avoid an end of the year Omnibus Appropriations bill, shutdown, or full year Continuing Resolution (which would include a 1% across the board cut this year according to the terms included in the debt limit deal) – and today’s actions were a significant step forward.

Sen. Collins expressed a desire to find common ground and move the appropriations process forward, but was concerned that the debt limit agreement’s funding for defense related programming, which is 3% higher than FY 2023 enacted levels, is inadequate level in meeting the challenges facing our nation. As a result, Republicans opposed the 302b allocations. Sen. Collins hopes in the weeks ahead appropriators will be able to reach bipartisan agreement on DOD and Homeland Security funding – but must continue to make progress in advancing appropriations bills. During subsequent questions from Republican Appropriators, Sen. Collins stated that she did not play a role in the development of the 302(b) allocations, but Sen. Murray as Committee Chair has the authority to unilaterally set these funding levels and they have worked closely together on a number of issues.

Please find charts here highlighting the funding levels for each of the twelve appropriations subcommittees.