House Passes Extenders Bill

Today the House passed H.R. 4213, its version of the “tax extenders” bill, by 215-204 vote. The total cost of the bill, $115 billion, has been scaled down from the previous version. The bill extends unemployment benefits and other tax provisions, and it contains important changes to the Community College and Career Training Grant (CCCTG) program, which was funded within the reconciliation bill. The Senate has adjourned and will not take up the extenders bill until after June 7th when Congress is back in session.

The bill summary can be viewed at: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/press/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=11199.

Last night, the Senate completed action on its supplemental appropriations bill by passing the bill by a 67-28 vote. The Senate now waits for the House to complete action so it can conference a bill. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to consider its bill the week after the Memorial Day recess period. Earlier this week, House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) announced that he was going to include $23 billion for education jobs and $5.7 billion for the Pell Grant shortfall. Unfortunately, the education jobs funds do not apply to public higher education. The House leadership is working to gather support for the larger House version of the supplemental bill.