Bipartisan Senate Labor-H Package Lays Groundwork for Future Deal

Statement from Augustus Mays, vice president for Partnerships and Engagement of EdTrust, on the Fiscal Year 2025 Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON — “The bipartisan Senate Labor-HHS-Education bill reported favorably out of the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday is a productive step forward toward an eventual FY25 spending deal. The package relaxes some of the onerous spending caps created by Congress last year, and is a dramatic improvement over the harmful approach taken by the House, which recessed without moving their bill to the floor. Unlike the House bill, the Senate approach increases funding to improve student outcomes and make higher education more accessible. The Senate bill provides necessary funding supports for Title I and Title IV, increases the maximum Pell Grant, and boosts specific EdTrust priorities like the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program and the CCAMPIS program, both of which provide wraparound supports for students working toward their college degrees.

“However, the overall lack of federal investment in our education system will be felt the most by Black, Latino, and Native students, and students from low-income backgrounds. There is more work to be done. EdTrust urges Congress to increase investment in education in any FY25 final spending deal.”

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