Update from CEF: “The House just passed the Ryan budget by a vote of 219-205. All Democrats voted no as did 12 Republicans. The House earlier today rejected the Van Hollen Democratic substitute by a vote of 163-261, with 31 Dems voting no.” The Congressional Black Caucus Substitute was rejected 166-300. The Congressional Progressive Substitute was rejected 89-327. Read more here.
In early April, Congressman Paul Ryan released his budget proposal for FY 2015, which would cut education funding by $149 billion in 2015.
NAfME has joined the members of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) in expressing strong opposition to Ryan’s budget, H. Con. Res. 96.
In an open letter to the House Budget Committee, the letter says in part: “Overall, the Budget Resolution would cut nondefense discretionary (NDD) spending over ten years by $791 billion below the post-sequester caps levels established in the Budget Control Act. While it adheres to the NDD cap for FY 2015 set by the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA), in FY 2016 alone it cuts NDD spending by $43 billion (-8.7%) below the sequester level. It then locks in these cuts for the succeeding eight years. Indeed, the level of funding in FY 2016 would be below the FY 2013 sequester level, completely reversing the benefits of the BBA.”
NDD Cap Levels in Billions of $
The letter continues: “This budget will result in substantial cuts to critical programs including Title I aid to high-poverty schools; IDEA funds for students with disabilities; Impact Aid; teacher quality grants; after-school grants; charter and magnet school aid; English Language Acquisition grants; career, technical and adult education; campus-based student aid; aid to minority-serving institutions; TRIO and GEAR UP.
“The need to increase the federal investment in education has never been greater. Jobs and the economy are directly linked to such investments. Both unemployment rates and lifetime earnings are based on levels of education attainment.”
The proposed substitutes to H. Con. Res. 96 are the Van Hollen Substitute; Congressional Black Caucus Substitute; or Congressional Progressive Caucus Substitute.
Debate continues today (April 9), and the House will conclude debate and vote on final passage Thursday, April 10, with a close vote expected.
Valerie Strauss, “Coalition of 114 Education Groups: Ryan 2015 Budget Would ‘Devastate’ Schools,” Washington Post, 8 April 2014.
Erik Wasson and Sheila Timmons, “Defectors Rise on Ryan Budget,” The Hill, 9 April 2014.
Catherina Hurlburt, Special Assistant, April 9, 2014. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)
