EduJobs Funding Dead
So much for stimulus. Just before the July 4 congressional recess, the House passed a massive piece of legislation: a war-funding bill with billions in
Jul 31, 202037.1K Shares1.2M Views
So much for stimulus.
Just before the July 4 congressional recess, the House passed a massive piece of legislation: a war-funding billwith billions in funding for domestic programs included, and a budget enforcement resolution attached. The bill moved on to the Senate, where Democrats hoped to preserve social safety-net spending and money for economically stimulative programs. One of the biggest, and most contentious, provisions that made it out of the House was $10 billion in aid for states, to keep teachers on the payroll. As many as 300,000 state employees, many of them teachers, might lose their jobsin the next year due to the states’ fiscal crises.
Rep. Dave Obey (D-Mich.) included the $10 billion for teacher funding, and took some of the money to pay for it from Race to the Top, the Obama administration’s signature education initiative. For that reason, President Obama signaled he might veto the entire bill. Obey later said that the White House recommended that he pay for the education jobs funding by taking fromthe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, benefits formerly known as food stamps.
One way or another, it does not matter now. CQ reports that the Senate is stripping the funding out, and will seek another vehicle for it. But it seems unlikely any new deficit spending will get past the Senate, meaning the House will need to find offsets or raise taxes. CQ writes:
“„House Democratic leaders will accept the Senate’s plan to pass a stripped-down supplemental spending bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while seeking another vehicle for money to prevent the layoffs of some 140,000 teachers, a well-informed House aide said Monday.
“„The decision reflects the reality that Democrats lack the votes in the Senate to attach billions of dollars in help for states to keep teachers on the payroll this fall. …
“„One bill that is being studied as a vehicle is the leftover package of tax break extensions that are not included in the Senate’s extension of unemployment benefits. The Senate is scheduled to pass the unemployment bill on Tuesday and the House is expected to take it up on Wednesday.
The military needs Congress to authorize the funding for Iraq and Afghanistan as soon as possible. The current funding expires on Aug. 7.
Dexter Cooke
Reviewer
Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide.
He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations.
As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all.
Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
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