We had important victories in both chambers of Congress last week.
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced agreement on a legislative package using the budget reconciliation process. Since this process requires a simple majority for passage—instead of the usual 60 votes—the package is filibuster-proof.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 would lower healthcare and energy costs, combat climate change, make the tax code fairer, reduce the deficit, and more. Specifically, it would:
• Allow Medicare to negotiate the price of widely used prescription drugs
• Extend subsidies that lower Affordable Care Act premiums
• Support programs to accelerate the use of clean energy and reduce emissions
• Impose a minimum tax on corporations and enhance IRS enforcement
Leader Schumer is pushing for a Senate vote by the end of the week. The House has recessed for the month of August, but could return to Washington for a vote.
In other welcome news, the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act (H.R. 8450) passed out of the House Education and Labor Committee. The bill expands access to school meals, supports schools and school food service professionals, addresses school meal debt and shaming, strengthens nutrition standards, and invests in scratch cooking and farm-to-school programs—all NEA priorities.
Sincerely,
Marc Egan
Government Relations Director
National Education Association
CHEER: Over 100 Democratic senators and representatives sent a letter asking President Biden to extend the freeze on student loan payments, set to expire at the end of August.
Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) reintroduced the No Shame at School Act included in the child nutrition reauthorization package passed by the House Education and Labor Committee. The bill prohibit school districts from publicly identifying and shaming students who are unable to pay for school meals or hiring debt collectors to recover school meal debt.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced the National Advisory Council on Unpaid Meal Debt Act included in the child nutrition reauthorization package passed by the House Education and Labor Committee. The council established by the bill would address unpaid school meal debt and include ESPs such as school food service workers.
JEER: Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) introduced an amendment to the child nutrition reauthorization package that contradicts the Department of Agriculture’s announced policy on the correct interpretation of Title IX’s prohibition on sex-based discrimination. The amendment was defeated.
