Though Congress has adjourned until after the November elections and legislators are focused on campaigning, conversations about federal policy continue, with an eye toward the looming lame-duck session.
While members are at home, with many visiting community colleges, now is a good time to remind them of the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) federal policies for the rest of 2024. The association will feature these items and others at an upcoming free webinar on October 16. (Register today.)
Create Workforce/short-term Pell Grant eligibility
AACC continues to advocate for the Workforce Pell Grant. A lack of adequately skilled employees is limiting economic growth, and awarding Pell grants to students in short-term workforce programs effectively addresses this situation while providing upward mobility. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act (H.R. 6585) last year, and action by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on similar legislation is pending. To support our workforce, Congress must pass and President Joe Biden must sign Workforce Pell legislation before the end of the calendar year.
Enact a WIOA reauthorization
Congress should enact Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization legislation in 2024. A top AACC priority is formally authorizing the Strengthening Community College Training Grants (SCCTG) program, which has supported dozens of successful partnerships between community colleges, local businesses and other partners. A WIOA reauthorization should also automatically include community college programs on the Eligible Trainer Provider List, as in draft Senate legislation.
Fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations
Pell grants: The Pell Grant maximum was frozen in the current award year at $7,395. In FY25, Congress should ensure that the grant keeps pace with inflation and make progress toward doubling the maximum award. While community college tuition remains low (on average, just $3,990 for a full-time, full-year student), increasing the grant helps low-income community college students afford tuition and non-tuition costs. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved legislation that would increase the maximum grant by $100.
Strengthening Community College Training Grants: Congress should increase funding for the SCCTG program to $75 million. There is growing evidence of the program’s positive impact, and interest in the program continues to outpace the number of available grants.
Strengthening Institutions Program (Title III-A of the Higher Education Act): This program supports local initiatives for institutions that have relatively low resources and serve high percentages of low-income students. It’s a very competitive grant process, and applications must be consistent with national priorities. Congress should fund the program at $140 million, as requested by the president, reversing last year’s $10 million cut.
End taxing of Pell grants and reform the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC)
Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate (S. 2920) and House (H.R. 3000) would make Pell grants non-taxable and ensure that Pell recipients qualify for the $2,500 AOTC. This legislation is a top community college priority. It would simplify the tax code, ensure that the financially neediest community college students receive the full Pell Grant to which they are entitled, and make sure that they can access a key education tax benefit. Unfortunately, Congress won’t enact tax legislation this year, but all members should support the inclusion of the Tax-Free Pell Grant Act in any major tax legislation that might be considered in 2025.
Modernize the Farm Bill for community colleges
Community colleges can help achieve national goals in agricultural development, growth and sustainability. As such, AACC supports the bipartisan, bicameral Community College Agriculture Advancement Act (CCCAA; S. 1740, H. 3425). The legislation would authorize new U.S. Department of Agriculture capacity-building grants for community college agriculture, agribusiness and renewable resources programs. CCCAA was included in a Farm Bill reauthorization proposal released by Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats and was alluded to in a Republican committee framework. A program inspired by the CCCAA was included in the House reauthorization bill that was reported out of committee. Members should ensure that CCCAA or a similar program is maintained in a final Farm Bill.
Reject House higher education bills
Several key bills have been approved by the House or its Education and Workforce Committee. AACC does not support these measures in their current form.
- Stop Hazing Act (H.R. 5646): Recently, the House overwhelmingly passed this legislation. The Senate may take up the measure after the current break. AACC opposes the legislation because it creates a new federal requirement that institutions develop anti-having policies and report semi-annually to the U.S. Department of Education on any incidents. These are inappropriate and unnecessary mandates for community colleges.
- End Woke Higher Education Act (H.R. 3724): The legislation would affect both the federal conditions of recognition of accrediting agencies and the application of the First Amendment to public college campuses. The House narrowly passed the bill by a vote of 213-201. The measure would constrain the accreditation process and, even more importantly, interject the federal government in campuses’ implementation of the First Amendment in ways that are extremely problematic and would undermine campuses’ ability to effectively regulate protected speech on campus.
- College Cost Reduction Act (H.R. 6951): This sweeping legislation would substantially alter Title IV programs and impose “risk-sharing” on institutions, while making some eligible for new grants in exchange. The bill was reported on a partisan basis in the House Education and the Workforce Committee and may be brought to the House floor later this year. However, it is extremely unlikely that the Senate will take it up.
Please contact AACC for more information or if you have any questions.
