The Senate Committee on Appropriations, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee held a hearing on “Review of the FY2020 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education” in which Education Secretary DeVos testified on behalf of the Department’s budget request.
Bipartisan support surrounded funding for the Special Olympics, CTE awareness for high school students and families, apprenticeships, and short-term Pell grants. Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) expressed concern about the Department issuing higher education regulations for accreditation and distance learning as she and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) work on reauthorizing the Higher Education Act.
Democrats expressed frustration with the Department’s slow progress to approve borrower defense claims (especially for students defrauded by for-profit colleges), proposal to cut PSLF, and cuts to GEAR UP and TRIO. Republicans supported the Department’s proposals for teacher professional development vouchers and the Education Freedom scholarships.
Read ASAHP’s full memo here.