President Obama and Dr. Biden Visit Hudson Valley Community College, Urge Congress to Pass AGI

Today, President Barack Obama along with Dr. Jill Biden visited Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in New York and toured its technology classrooms. While at HVCC, President Obama publicly renewed his call on Congress to pass the American Graduation Initiative and outlined the Administration’s goal to improve innovation. President Obama noted the importance of institutions like HVCC to prepare students for 21st-century jobs and to prepare America for a 21st-century global economy. President Obama’s speech can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Innovation-and-Sustainable-Growth-at-Hudson-Valley-Community-College/.

In other major news, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is expected to release its version of the education reconciliation bill later this week. The HELP Committee will likely consider the bill next week. While the final details of the bill are unclear, the HELP Committee bill is expected to differ in a number of areas from the bill recently passed by the House, H.R. 3221. Most importantly for community colleges, the bill is expected to contain the American Graduation Initiative.