$170 Billion in COVID-19 Relief for Education Advances in House Committee

The House Education and Labor Committee advanced their $170 billion proposal for education relief funding that would provide $130 for K-12 schools and $40 billion for higher education. Passed in committee mostly along party lines, the measure makes up a portion of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion economic relief package.

CASE joined the American Council on Education (ACE) and other higher education associations to share support for the higher education emergency relief prior to the proposal’s markup in committee.

Earlier in February, Congress approved a budget resolution that would allow Democrats to use reconciliation to prevent the legislative filibuster in the Senate with the goal of swiftly passing President Biden's COVID-19 relief package.

Continue to check the CASE Advocacy Network for updates as additional relief for schools, colleges, and universities is considered in Congress.

Senators Cramer, Stabenow Introduce the Legacy IRA Act

On February 4, Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) reintroduced the Legacy IRA Act (S. 243), bipartisan legislation that would incentivize charitable giving to nonprofit organizations, including U.S. schools, colleges, and universities. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and John Cornyn (R-TX) joined as original cosponsors of the bill.

If enacted, the Legacy IRA Act would allow individuals to make up to $400,000 of tax-free distributions annually from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to split-interest entities (charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts) beginning at age 65. Unlike the previous version introduced in the 116th Congress, S. 243 would make the provision permanent rather than a four year pilot.

CASE strongly supports S. 243 and will continue working with the Legacy IRA coalition to build support for the legislation.  

See quote from CASE President and CEO Sue Cunningham included in Sen. Cramer’s press release and more about the policy on CASE’s Legacy IRA page.

Register for the U.S. Legislative Update for Community Colleges

CASE will host a U.S. Legislative Update for Community Colleges on Monday, February 22 from 1-2 pm ET. This free, informal conversation will focus on the latest federal legislative and regulatory developments affecting community colleges. The live sessions will cover:

• Major provisions affecting education in the year-end combined COVD-19 relief and omnibus appropriations package (H.R. 133);
• Recent regulatory announcements; 
• Key advocacy priorities for the 117th Congress and Biden-Harris Administration

Visit here for more details and to register for the event.

Earlier this year, CASE also led separate sessions for higher education and independent schools. Visit the CASE Advocacy Network for the session recordings and various legislative resources.