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Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:17:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: Stephen Domingues <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [WESTOP] Congressional Update (Re-Do)
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Hi Everyone,
   =

  A few spam filters seem to be stripping out the attachment, so here it is=
 in the body of the text (yeah, I know, the formatting can get goofy!)
   =

  Stephen
   =

    July 13, 2008
   =

   =

   =

  To: WESTOP
  From: Stephen Domingues, Chair, Legislation and Education Committee
   =

  Subject: Congressional Update (or lack therof!)
   =

  Hi Everyone,
   =

  I hope summer programs are going well for those who have them (I=92ll be =
starting week 4 of my SSS Summer Bridge program tomorrow), but it=92s time =
to provide an update on what is happening =96 OK, what isn=92t happening! =
=96 in Congress.  You may wish to read this aloud to children resisting the=
ir bedtime.  I=92m returning to the Congressional three-ring circus: Budget=
 Resolution, Appropriations, and Reauthorization of the Higher Education Ac=
t.
   =

  Budget Resolution
   =

  Miracle of miracles!  There actually was a Congressional budget resolutio=
n, exceedingly rare in an election year.  The bill was a squeaker: 48-45 in=
 the Senate and 214-210 in the House (think straight party line vote).  The=
 darn thing did pass finally on June 5, 2008.  The =93not-terribly-binding=
=94 resolution provided $1.013 trillion in discretionary spending, $21 bill=
ion over the President=92s request, for the 12 major appropriations areas. =
 Extra money for education, for example, until you realize=85.
   =

  Appropriations
   =

  It=92s likely that few, if any, of the Fiscal Year 2009 (the year that st=
arts October 1, 2008, and ends September 30, 2009) bills will be passed pri=
or to the election.  The most likely candidates: Defense, Military Construc=
tion-VA, and Homeland Security.  TRIO=92s appropriations area, Labor/Health=
 and Human Services/Education, has a snowball=92s chance =85.  The Senate A=
ppropriations Committee did pass a Labor/HHS/Education bill last week that =
included a $10 million increase for TRIO (get out those party hats!); the c=
omparable House bill is rumored to include a $30 million increase for TRIO =
(get bigger party hats!), but=85.
   =

  The appropriations process in the House is a complete mess.  This past Th=
ursday, David Obey, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, threatened=
 to end the appropriations process this year, after some procedural moves f=
rom Republicans to crank up offshore oil drilling.  In this scenario, Congr=
ess will pass a =93continuing resolution=94 to fund the government (no, you=
=92re not losing your job!) until either a) after the November elections, o=
r b) after the new Congress and President take office in January.
   =

   =

   =

  Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
   =

  This is the law that allows TRIO programs to exist.  No one in the nation=
 is sicker of this one than me.  The quick re-cap:
   =

    =

   The House and Senate actually have passed Reauthorization bills.  =

   The bills are different; hence a =93Conference Committee=94 (with House =
and Senate representatives) needs to reconcile the differences.  Once both =
chambers of Congress pass identical bills, it will go to the President.  It=
 could still happen this session, but don=92t bet the farm.  =

   The House bill has a few features that are more TRIO-friendly, notably, =
a) an appeals process for TRIO applicants that are unsuccessful in grant co=
mpetitions, b) the requirement that TRIO students in Upward Bound and Talen=
t Search enroll in rigorous curricula, and 3) the elimination of the Upward=
 Bound =93absolute priority.=94
   =

  Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is the Chair of the Senate Health, E=
ducation, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, the committee responsible f=
or this bill on the Senate side.  His serious illness has slowed progress o=
n this bill.
   =

  WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS MESS?
   =

  1. Stay tuned!  When you receive =93action alerts=94 from the Council for=
 Opportunity in Education (COE), our national umbrella organization, and fr=
om WESTOP, our regional association, please take the requested action.  It =
does make a difference.  =

   =

  2.  Keep in touch with your Representatives and Senators.  The most effec=
tive form of advocacy remains a spontaneous and original letter from a real=
 constituent.  Buy a stamp, put your home address on the envelope, and send=
 it to your Representative=92s district office.  Or, if you prefer, use the=
 handy web forms on Congressional web sites to send your comments (don=92t =
worry, you won=92t start getting =93spam=94 about=85.).  Invite Representat=
ives or staffers to visit your program.  Expect results.  If you=92re a you=
ng person who thinks stamps are archaic, here are the electronic directorie=
s:
   =

  House of Representatives: http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/index.html
   =

  Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
   =

  3. Attend your Chapter meetings and Professional Development Seminars lat=
er this year.  Chapter Presidents and Leg-Ed Chairs have important updates =
to share.  Also, please attend the WESTOP Annual Conference next year in Ph=
oenix, Arizona; we=92ll have additional information at that time.

   =

   =

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