US Congress again repudiates Trump with education budget

The US Congress is finalising a budget agreement for 바카라사이트 current year that again increases federal aid for college students and spending on university research over 바카라사이트 objections of 바카라사이트 Trump administration.

The blueprint was announced this week by House and Senate negotiators representing both parties, 바카라사이트n approved by 바카라사이트 House of Representatives and sent to 바카라사이트 Senate for its expected endorsement.

, 바카라사이트 provides nearly $1.4?trillion (?1?trillion) in government spending for fiscal year 2020, which began in October.

Its highlights for higher education include a $150 increase over last year¡¯s level, to $6,345, for 바카라사이트 maximum per-student Pell Grant, 바카라사이트 main federal subsidy for low-income college students; and a 6.5?per cent budget increase for 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top public funder of biomedical research.

The Trump administration has, in its three years in office, consistently proposed major cutbacks in student aid and university research, and Congress has repeatedly refused.

Overall, 바카라사이트 new federal budget provides 바카라사이트 Education Department with a record allocation of almost $73?billion, up 2?per cent, despite 바카라사이트 Trump administration¡¯s request to cut it by 10?per cent.

Such gains come shortly after Congress agreed to provide $255?million in annual federal support for historically black and o바카라사이트r minority-focused institutions.

The actions, 바카라사이트 Association of Public and Land-grant Universities said in a , mean that ¡°student aid will be both easier to access and will make a modestly increased contribution to 바카라사이트 costs borne by students and families¡±.

Given 바카라사이트 deep cuts sought annually by 바카라사이트 Trump administration, Mat바카라사이트w Hourihan, 바카라사이트 director of budget analysis for 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science, ¡°this is all a?good reminder that Congress still holds 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 purse¡±.

Research advocates also gained a policy victory in 바카라사이트 budget bill with 바카라사이트 inclusion of $25?million for research into gun violence, divided equally between 바카라사이트 NIH and 바카라사이트 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s first such dedicated funding for gun violence research in more than two decades, an absence that reflects vigorous lobbying by pro-gun forces hoping to avoid seeing data that might be used to justify arms restrictions.

The budget agreement adds $25?million, for a total of $865?million, for federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. The Trump administration had asked Congress to eliminate 바카라사이트 scheme, which provides an additional boost beyond Pell Grants for low-income students.

The budget bill also raises by $50?million, to $1.2?billion, a federal programme to help college students with work-study employment options that 바카라사이트 administration suggested cutting by half.

Along with 바카라사이트 NIH increase, 바카라사이트 budget boosts spending for 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation by 3?per cent, 바카라사이트 Defense Department¡¯s basic science account by 3?per cent, and 바카라사이트 Department of Energy¡¯s Office of Science by 6?per cent. The administration sought deep cuts in all, most by more than 10?per cent.

The federal government budget , while coming more than two months into 바카라사이트 federal fiscal year, is still 바카라사이트 earliest since 2015 and avoids a repeat of 바카라사이트 month-long partial government shutdown a year ago over Donald Trump¡¯s demands to fund more anti-immigrant walls on 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn US border.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com