Government Relations Landscape Report – December 16, 2016

SMRP Congressional and Regulatory Activity

Collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security on Cybersecurity SMRP continues to work with the Department of Homeland Security on increasing SMRP’s cyber awareness, including hosting an educational webinar specifically for SMRP members and writing an article about why and how SMRP members participate in cybersecurity measures for the spring issue of Solutions.

DOL’s Overtime Rule Delayed A federal District Court in Texas issued a temporary injunction on November 22, 2016 of the Department of Labor’s pending overtime regulation. This regulation was set to go in effect December 1, 2016. This injunction delays the implementation of President Obama’s overtime regulation that would extend overtime eligibility to an estimated 4.2 million workers. If the injunction remains intact when President- elect Trump takes office in January, it may allow the new administration to modify, amend or repeal the DOL’s overtime rule, even if further judicial action is not taken to ultimately overturn the regulations.

Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Confirmed as Next Education Committee Chair On December 2, Representative Foxx (R-NC) was officially selected as the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for the 115th Congress. Representative Foxx has served on the Committee for several years and for the past six, served as chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. Rep. Foxx has outlined several priorities she would pursue as chair of the Committee, including Perkins Reauthorization (if not completed this year), rolling back federal regulations on policies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, and reauthorizing the Higher Education Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Foxx was also the original co-sponsor of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA), a bill SMRP openly supported. SMRP will continue to strengthen its relationship with Rep. Foxx and the House Education & Workforce staff.

District Energy, CHP, Microgrids: Resilient, Efficient Energy Infrastructure Briefing On December 6, SMRP attended a webcast on the future of investments in district energy microgrids. The event was sponsored by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), the International District Energy Association, and the Microgrid Resources Coalition (MRC). Four panelists spoke to discuss their role in the nation’s energy grid and offer suggestions on how they would make localities more energy efficient. Specifically, Michael Rooney, Manager of District Energy Initiatives at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy, spoke about energy workforce development initiatives. Rooney emphasized the importance of with collaboration between universities, the city of Pittsburg, and utility partners to fill in the labor gap and transfer the next generation of energy grid workers over to a younger workforce.

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ACTE Releases High-Quality CTE Document Last week on December 6, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) released a new 3.0 draft of its high-quality CTE framework. This framework is part of the ACTE’s ongoing project to identify a comprehensive, research-based quality CTE program of study framework. ACTE will then test the framework and integrate it into efforts to recognize and disseminate information on best practices within CTE. This new draft incorporates critical feedback from SMRP members, focus groups, surveys, and industry experts. This 3.0 version will be refined a final time and then pilot tested in the spring to assess its validity and utility.

To read ACTE’s High Quality CTE Framework document, click here. To learn more about ACTE’s overall CTE project, click here.

Trump Nominates Andrew Puzder as Labor Secretary On December 8, President-elect Trump announced his choice to run the U.S. Department of Labor, Andrew Puzder. Puzder’s background is in the private sector and he is the current CEO of the parent company for multiple fast food chains. If confirmed as Labor Secretary, Puzder would oversee many federal employment and training initiatives authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Registered Apprenticeship system. Purportedly, his company provides some benefits for job and career education and training to certain employees, but Puzder has also been a proponent for the increased use of automation in business to reduce labor costs. Puzder will testify in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee before confirmed by the entire Senate.

Perkins Cuts Extended On December 9, Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to provide temporary funding for the federal government through March 2017 at the request of the incoming Trump administration. This was an extended CR from the one passed in September which funded the federal government until December 9, 2016. The previous CR included an across-the-board cut which impacted Perkins Basic State Grant advance funding. The U.S. Department of Education reported that 30 states saw reductions in their Perkins October allocations. With this stopgap funding bill and no Perkins Reauthorization on the calendar for this year, continued cuts to Perkins programs will likely not be restored this year. SMRP will continue advocating on Capitol Hill for Perkins Reauthorization and for important measures to see increased funding for fiscal year 2017-2018.

CTE Month – February 2017 – Update SMRP has been coordinating activities with the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) to celebrate CTE Month in February 2017. Recently, ACTE created a thunderclap that will activate on February 1. SMRP members and companies can support the CTE Month thunderclap on Facebook or Twitter and encourage others to sign up and use the sample messaging provided. SMRP is also participating in a local school visit with ACTE and will continue to keep SMRP members posted on the large range of CTE Month activities.

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Have any ideas on how to promote CTE Month nationally or in your local community? Contact SMRP Staff to share your thoughts!

Policy Highlights

- The Trump administration says its first priorities will be on repealing Obamacare and tax reform, an attempt to avoid an intraparty clash over infrastructure investment, an issue which congressional Republicans aren’t enthused over and which Trump had said would be an early priority in his administration. These comments were made by Trump’s chief of staff Reince Priebus, however other staff members have also given conflicting predictions of what will happen with the infrastructure initiative. Trump himself has acknowledged that infrastructure will not be a core part of his early term plans and even said that he didn’t consider infrastructure a major part of his jobs programs. In particular, Trump’s December 1 promise that an infrastructure package would follow his “Buy American, Hire American” rule is causing problems because it raises conflicts with free trade advocates like House Speaker Paul Ryan. Industry advocates argue that the 'Buy America' requirements are one of the few things keeping the most labor- and capital-intensive parts of the steel-making process in the U.S. but opponents say it creates an unfair playing field among American companies. Already, U.S. transportation projects receiving federal funding must use American-made materials, and a 2014 measure included that mandate for sewer projects.

- As the Trump administration pulls back from promises to make major investments in national infrastructure, U.S Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, announced in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he will introduce the Rebuild America Now Act next year to speed up the permitting of energy and infrastructure projects. The bill requires the approval or denial of permits within a specific timeline, and if that's not met, the project will be considered approved. (Wall Street Journal)

- On December 12, the White House and Canadian government released two reports on how they would work together to protect their respective electric grids from physical and cyber attacks. "The security and resilience of the integrated U.S. and Canadian electric grid is dynamic," said one report that outlined what steps US agencies would take, led by the departments of Energy and Homeland Security. "New threats, hazards, and vulnerabilities emerge even as the two countries work to prevent, protect against, and mitigate their potential consequences and to improve their ability to respond to, and recover from, disruptive incidents. Secure and reliable electricity is essential for safe and continued operation of infrastructure owned by businesses, governments, schools, hospitals, and other organizations.”

- On December 1, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown revealed her proposed spending plan which recommends $667.3 million in funding for the state's seven public four-year universities for 2017-19, well below the $943 million requested by the system. The governor's recommendation

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keeps spending flat from last year, but college leaders say even without drastic cuts they may have to raise tuition or eliminate some services to meet their budgets.

National Media Clips

The Christian Science Monitor, The Answer To America's Working Class Job Crisis Is Hard, But Not Mysterious, December 14, 2016 Some experts suggest that America's changing economy will rely increasingly on workers who have some level of postsecondary education. Some high-school counselors are encouraging students to pursue career and technical education and other training to prepare for the future workforce.

The Wall Street Journal, There’s an Antidote to America’s Long Economic Malaise: College Towns, December 12, 2016 The political backlash that led to Donald Trump’s presidential triumph this year was powered partly by anger that global trade and technological innovation didn’t deliver prosperity or social stability. Many of the places that bounced back after losing manufacturing jobs to China are home to a major university, which helped attract companies to replace those that shut down.

The Times Union, Science Class To Become A Hands-On Experience, December 12, 2016 New York's state Board of Regents on Monday gave final approval to new science standards that will emphasize hands-on and project-based learning. The standards will go into effect in July, and state officials are working on an implementation plan to help districts with the transition, officials said. The department is also hoping to build a so-called Statewide Science Education Ecosystem Network, made up of various STEM "assets and initiatives" across the state that would support collaborations and partnerships with school districts, higher education institutions, professional organizations, informal science institutions, business and industry, and local and regional science groups. The department is also on the hunt for federal STEM grants and funding opportunities to help New York transition to the new standards.

Carroll County Times, Maryland WorkSmart Partners State Commerce, Community Colleges To Build Economy, December 11, 2016 The new Maryland WorkSmart program is enlisting the help of 16 state community colleges to work with local businesses to develop customized workforce training programs. Officials say they hope the program will provide a "one-stop shop" for businesses seeking to train workers.

The Wall Street Journal, Automation Can Actually Create More Jobs, December 11, 2016 Since the 1970s, when automated teller machines arrived, the number of bank tellers in America has more than doubled. James Bessen, an economist who teaches at Boston University School of Law, points to that seeming paradox amid new concerns that automation is “stealing” human jobs. To the contrary, he says, jobs and automation often grow hand in hand.

Reuters, Trump Names Dow Chemical CEO Liveris to Head Manufacturing Council, December 10, 2016

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President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Dow Chemical CEO and Chairman Andrew Liveris to lead the American Manufacturing Council, a board that will advise the secretary of commerce. Liveris said the council will prioritize manufacturing policies that make the US an attractive place to do business.

My San Antonio, Humble ISD Provides Real-World Educational Experience Through CTE Programs, December 9, 2016 As director of the Career and Technical Education Department at Humble Independent School District, Marley Morris describes his occupation as "the coolest job ever." "Career Technology Education is what I do," Morris said. "I get to serve students and teachers of Humble ISD every single day and I love it." Unfortunately, he said the program for which he so enjoys serving as director is "the best kept secret in Humble ISD."

CNBC, Trump War On 'Job-Destroying' Regulations Could Kill A Lot Of High-Paying Jobs, December 8, 2016 Donald Trump has vowed to roll back "job-destroying" environmental regulations, but in his bid to save same fossil fuel jobs, he could shut the door to other, high-paying jobs. But jobs involved in generating renewable power, boosting energy efficiency, or otherwise improving the environment are numerous in the United States, and they often pay relatively well. A widely cited study from Resources for the Future, a nonpartisan research group, found that $1 million in additional spending on environmental regulations across four industries actually resulted in an average net gain of 1.5 jobs. In the plastic manufacturing and petroleum refining industries, regulatory expenditures created a net 6.9 and 2.2 jobs, respectively. A 2011 study by Brookings found that median clean economy wages were 13 percent higher than the total U.S. median, and many require "relatively little formal education."

Daily Herald, Training, Apprenticeships Transition Students Into Workforce, December 8, 2016 Does "college-ready" necessarily lead to "career-ready?" Being better prepared academically certainly improves a student's chances for success in postsecondary education. Yet "college-ready" doesn't necessarily translate into college completion, or the means to pay for college or employment commensurate with the degree earned.

The Wall Street Journal, Economists Doubt the U.S. Can Regain Many of the Factory Jobs Lost in Recent Decades, December 8, 2016 Forecasters in The Wall Street Journal’s monthly survey of economists doubt the numbers of bygone years can be restored. They estimate the U.S. will add about 7,000 manufacturing jobs by the end of 2017, about 40,000 by the end of 2018 and about 50,000 by the end of 2019, according to the average forecast—moving upward in coming years, but at a pace far too slow to replace what has been lost.

The St. Louis American, Community College Offers Free Boeing Training Programs, December 8, 2016 St. Louis Community College, in partnership with Boeing, offers accelerated pre-employment programs to train individuals for potential jobs as assembly mechanics and composite mechanics at Boeing. Training is free for those who qualify and will be conducted at the college’s Center for Workforce Innovation near its Florissant Valley campus.

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Sentinel & Enterprise, State Community College Expands Cybersecurity Associate's Program, December 6, 2016 Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts is adding to its cybersecurity associate program to include certificates and potential online classes. The program will create "critical jobs at the forefront of networking and cybersecurity," President James Mabry said.

Providence Journal, U.S. Education Chief Gets Firsthand Look at R.I.'S Computer Science Initiative, December 5, 2016 US Education Secretary John King Jr. this week praised Rhode Island as a "national model" for its investment in career and technical education programs, especially computer science. Gov. Gina Raimondo has made it a priority to offer computer science at all public schools in the state to prepare students for the workforce.

The Brownsville Herald, Harlingen EDC Votes to Fund Study on Preparedness, December 4, 2016 Is there a “stigma” attached to children taking an educational pathway toward a technical career? State Rep. Eddie Lucio III thinks there is, and he’s prepared to do something about it. Several Texas cities will study career and technical education at high schools and postsecondary institutions in the Rio Grande Valley. The survey is part of an effort to highlight CTE's value and importance, and will take two years to complete.

Erie Times-News, Harkins: State Subcommittee Recommends Career Education Improvements, December 4, 2016 Members of Pennsylvania's House Select Subcommittee on Technical Education and Career Readiness are recommending ways the state can improve career and technical education, including strengthening business partnerships and addressing industry demand. Legislators say they hope their recommendations can close the state's lingering skills gap. Recommendations will better prepare students for manufacturing and other industry jobs.

The Washington Post, Robots Won’t Kill The Workforce. They’ll Save The Global Economy., December 2, 2016 Across the world, the labor pool isn't growing fast enough to support our needs. An increase of 2.5 billion people may sound catastrophic. But what matters for economic growth is not the number of people but the rate of population growth. Since its peak in the 1960s, that rate has slumped by almost half to just 1 percent, and the U.N. forecast assumes that this slowdown will continue. Women are having fewer children, so fewer people are entering the working ages between 15 and 64, and labor force growth is poised to decline from Chile to China. At the same time, owing to rapid advances in health care and medicine, people are living longer, and most of the coming global population increase will be among the retirement crowd. These trends are toxic for economic growth, and boosting the number of robots may be the easiest answer for many countries.

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