DOCSLIB.ORG

Department of Higher Education Fy 2019-20 Joint Budget Committee Hearing Agenda (1 of 3)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Department of Higher Education Fy 2019-20 Joint Budget Committee Hearing Agenda (1 of 3) DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION FY 2019-20 JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE HEARING AGENDA (1 OF 3) Wednesday, January 9, 2019 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm 1:30-2:45 PM: COLORADO COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION/DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION Presenters: • Dan Baer, Executive Director* • Renny Fagan,Vice Chair, Colorado Commission on Higher Education Topics: • R1 and R2/Affordability: Page 1, Questions 1-6 in the packet • Higher Education Funding Model: Page 3, Questions 7-9 in the packet • Enrollment Trends and Financial Health of Institutions: Page 4, Questions 10-13 in the packet • Request R4 Colorado Teacher Scholarship: Page 5, Questions 14-16 in the packet • Colorado Opportunity Scholarship: Page 7, Question 17 in the packet • Colorado Student Leaders Institute: Page 7, Question 18 in the packet 2:45-3:00 PM: BREAK 3:00 – 5:00PM: COLORADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, LOCAL DISTRICT COLLEGES, AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGES INTRODUCTIONS AND OPENING COMMENTS Presenters: • Joe Garcia, Chancellor, Colorado Community College System • Dr. Leah Bornstein, President, Aims Community College • Dr. Carrie Hauser, President, Colorado Mountain College • Jeff Barratt, Executive Director, Emily Griffith Technical College • Teina McConnell, Executive Director, Pickens Technical College • Michael Klouser, Director, Technical College of the Rockies Topics: • R1 and R2/Affordability: Page 11, Questions 1-4 in the packet • Higher Education Funding Model: Page 15, Questions 5-8 in the packet • Higher Education Structure: Page 18, Questions 9-10 in the packet • The Future of Higher Education: Page 20, Questions 11-14 in the packet *Subject to change DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION FY 2019-20 JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE HEARING AGENDA (1 OF 3) Wednesday, January 9, 2019 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm 1:30-2:45 PM: COLORADO COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION/DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION HIGH ER EDUCATION STRUCTURE/R1 AND R2/AFFORDABILITY 1. Discuss the role of the State in funding higher education institutions. What is on-budget versus off budget? How important is State support? As the Committee is aware, Colorado continues to rank among the lowest (47th) among states in per pupil funding. In 2000-01, state support covered about two-thirds of the cost of a student’s education; since then, the state’s share has declined to approximately one third, shifting the cost burden to Colorado’s students and families. State funding is a critical aspect of higher education support, and it is through this mechanism that higher education retains its nature as a public good. On average, in Colorado, state support comprises 20 percent of Education and General funding for institutions. (Education and General expenditures cover the core costs at institutions of higher education.) But the reliance and impact of state funding varies by institutions: state funding is 12% at the Colorado School of Mines, and 42% at Adams State University. The other main source of Education and General funding is tuition revenue, which is an on-budget appropriation in the Long Bill. State funding can offset the tuition needed to cover Education and General costs. Off-budget items are those that are generally considered as auxiliary, non-core functions. Bookstores, printing, dining halls, concessions and parking are examples of off-budget items. Revenue generated by these functions are byproducts of the market and student volume. 2. How do nonresident students affect funding available for higher education? As states divested in higher education during and after the recession, institutions used in-state tuition increases to offset state revenue. Non-resident tuition revenue provides an additional revenue stream—in some cases a significant one—to Colorado institutions of higher education. The ability to attract and retain non-resident students varies by institution, and it is tied to the market for higher education. Flagship institutions, like the University of Colorado at Boulder, have an easier time attracting non-residents. Other institutions like MSU-Denver are not able to capture the same share of non-resident students, leaving the state and resident students as the main sources of revenue. 3. How do auxiliary enterprises and other “off budget” components affect available funding? Should the State consider these components when thinking about higher education funding? Off-budget items may provide some additional funding and fungible dollars for institutions. However, these auxiliaries have costs and the revenue is generally not used to support the educational mission of the institution because auxiliary functions are by their nature meant to be self-supporting. It is the department’s belief that the state should focus on how 9-Jan-2019 1 HED1-hearing its investment can impact the core educational mission of institutions, reduce reliance on tuition, and drive innovation. 4. Discuss the role of the Department in regulating higher education programs. Colorado has a decentralized higher education system in which governing boards may largely direct their own program offerings, dating back to the early 2000s. Do we have overlap or new program development that is duplicated due to the decentralization? How are new programs analyzed and how does the CCHE handle this issue? Senate Bill 12-297 amended CRS 23-1-107(1) to clarify that Commission approval is not required for new programs, “so long as the new program is consistent with the institution’s statutory role and mission.” Department staff review statutory role and mission; affirm that the program is capped at 60/120 credits (for associate/bachelor’s degrees, with some exceptions); and that the program curriculum incorporates general transfer pathways (GT- Pathways) requirements. In addition, extended studies programs, for which institutions are requesting state support (through Colorado Opportunity Fund eligibility), are reviewed by department staff and must be approved by the Commission (per CRS 13-1-109 and CCHE policy IV). Certain proposed degrees have additional statutory requirements, including educator preparation programs and most baccalaureate degrees at community colleges. In these cases, Department staff bring the proposed program to the Academic Council (chief academic officers) for review and advisement before presenting a recommendation to the Commission. The Department retains authority for regular review of academic programs consistent with master plan goals and to “aid governing boards in making decisions regarding program expansion, contraction, consolidation or discontinuance” to “meet the needs of Colorado residents” (CCHE Policy I, Part C), with consideration of equitable access to academic programs in different parts of the state. The review authority also includes evaluation of graduate programs with a view toward eliminating duplication “where the need for duplication is not clearly justified by special excellence, geographical and other particular needs served, or the unique contribution of duplicate programs” (CRS 23-1- 107(a.6)). 5. Discuss the affordability of higher education. How do R1, R2, and the tax credit proposals address this problem? The Department and the Commission have engaged in numerous discussions about affordability. The Commission is seeking to develop an “affordability standard” for Colorado, and in so doing has considered other states’ approaches that include “free college”; a “shared responsibility model” that suggests how much a student and family should reasonably be expected to contribute from savings and student wages; and an “affordable debt model” that focuses on a reasonable amount of debt a student should have based on a graduate’s earning potential. While none of these approaches fully takes into account Colorado’s unique governance and revenue situation, they all—when applied to Colorado—suggest that too much of the increasing costs of higher education have been financed through increased tuition, which has grown faster than family incomes over the last decade even considering the economic expansion the state has enjoyed. R1 is therefore designed to allow institutions to cover inflationary and healthcare benefit costs without increasing tuition for Colorado residents. The presidents of the University of Colorado and the Colorado State University systems co-authored an opinion editorial in the December 17, 2018 Denver Post, which the Department believes accurately summarizes affordability in higher education. In short, they explain, “The challenges related to Colorado higher education funding weren't created in a day and won’t be solved in a single budget year, but Gov. John Hickenlooper’s 2019-20 budget request is a definite step in the right direction. He requested a $130 million increase for Colorado colleges and universities, a significant move that would freeze tuition increases for Colorado students and families, particularly helping those in the middle class. It would be a wise investment in Colorado’s homegrown talent and economic future.” 9-Jan-2019 2 HED1-hearing 6. How much will this request really affect what students pay, given that Colorado’s decentralized system allows institutions to establish their own policies for allocating financial aid (including state aid) and that four-year institutions employ complex pricing strategies? While Colorado’s student financial aid system is decentralized, it is not without Commission policy or Departmental guidance to help institutional financial aid offices distribute aid in a fair, student-centered manner. The Commission’s policy on state financial aid is specifically designed
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Messina Group the Growing Role of Small Donations In
    Paola Beristian Internship: The Messina Group The Growing Role of Small Donations in Campaigns Washington, D.C. has a badly kept secret: money equals access. While political scientists have long struggled to acquire enough data to present concrete evidence of this, some academic papers and testimonials by former Congressmen paint a clear connection between donor money and access to lawmakers and bureaucratic offices. This has allowed the interests of a select few people and corporations to rule over the law-making body of the country; however, recent trends in fundraising suggest a shift in strategies by Democratic candidates which focuses more on grassroot operations and smaller campaign contributions rather than elaborate fundraising events. Therefore, the amount of access donors have to politicians is curtailed. ActBlue, the consolidated site utilized by Democrats to raise money, has been the machine behind this change, and it holds the potential to empower elections where campaigns are funded by individuals, leading to fundamental shifts in the country’s democracy and the way Congress operates. Despite 72% of the public believing that dark money–donations given to politicians by large corporations in exchange for access to their offices– can buy access to the law-making process, political scientists were unable to connect donations to voting patterns or bills through the data they had available. This was until 2009 when Amy McKay, a political scientist, used the Affordable Care Act to study how donations affected legislation. As a result of the study, McKay found that a “comparison of letters to a Senate committee written by lobby groups to legislative amendments introduced by committee members reveals similar and even identical language, providing compelling evidence that groups persuaded legislators to introduce amendments valued by the group.
    [Show full text]
  • The Democratic Dispatch
    Democracy is ALWAYS in Fashion! New Voter Registration T-Shirts at the CDP Store! Do you want to help register voters so we can defeat Cory Gardner and Donald Trump in 2020? The nifty QR code on the shirt takes you directly to GoVoteColorado.com, where you can make sure your voter registration is up to date. It even works here -- try it with your phone and see for your self! Click here and buy a new voter registration t -shirt! On your Ballot this Fall: Prop CC End TABOR's Stranglehold on Colorado Sunday, August 18, 2019 Page 1 of 14 Credit: Denver Post This November, voters will have the opportunity to end Doug Bruce's strangehold of Colorado by voting "Yes" on Proposition CC. What is Prop CC Each year, Colorado is only allowed to spend an amount of money that falls under the TABOR cap, which is a constitutional limit on spending. Prop CC is a ballot measure that, without raising taxes, would allow Colorado to retain the revenue we currently bring in to be invested in: Public Schools Roads, Bridges, and Transit Higher education Specifically, the funds would be split evenly between the three. If you hear about this, you may hear this being called "Debrucing". Doug Bruce, the father of TABOR Sunday, August 18, 2019 Page 2 of 14 What is "Debrucing"? Debrucing is named after the man who put TABOR on the ballot in 1992, Doug Bruce, who is a former Republican state representative and acolyte of Grover Norquist, and is a convicted felon.
    [Show full text]
  • CFPB Plans Symposia Series on Consumer Protections
    In classic Greek mythology, a golden apple of discord inscribed "For the fairest" was awarded to Aphrodite, beginning a chain of events that led to the Trojan War. GrayRobinson's newsletter reports on the most recent issues, individuals, and discourse deemed fairest in Washington. April 19, 2019 We’ve reformatted The Golden Apple as a publication of GrayRobinson. It looks a little different, but it’s the same Golden Apple. Hope you enjoy our new look! Kathleen Kraninger, Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), gave her first public address this week before the Bipartisan Policy Center. Kraninger reported on her conclusions after a three-month “listening tour” that included meetings with all the Bureau’s stakeholders; first among them, she said, “The CFPB’s mission and the agency itself are critical to our economy are not going away.” Kraninger plans to prioritize consumer education, particularly about the broader topic of “financial wellbeing,” which includes the ability to withstand a financial shock. She said she would exercise the Bureau’s rulemaking and guidance authority “where appropriate,” and announced upcoming revisions to rules enforcing the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Kraninger has just assumed the chair of the Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council, where her focus will be on strengthening coordination and collaboration. CFPB plans symposia series on consumer protections Separately, CFPB Director Kraninger announced the first in a series of symposia “to explore consumer protections in today’s dynamic financial services marketplace.” The first of these, which does not yet have a date, will focus on clarifying the meaning of abusive acts or practices under Section 1031 of Dodd-Frank.
    [Show full text]
  • Keating-Onsight Poll
    To: Interested Parties From: Chris Keating, Keating Research Curtis Hubbard, OnSight Public Affairs Date: July 9, 2019 Re: Colorado Democratic Primary Voter Poll Keating Research and OnSight Public AFFairs have teamed up once again to provide informative, accurate results using live-interviewer telephone surveys and was Colorado’s most accurate in the 2016 Presidential and the 2018 Gubernatorial in Colorado. The Colorado U.S. Senate Democratic Primary Voter Poll was conducted July 1-3, 2019, and is the first installment in the effort to track the 2020 Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate in Colorado. The Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate is wide open. In a hypothetical match-up in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff leads the pack with 23% and an 8-point lead over Secretary of State Jena Griswold in second place with 15%, and former state Sen. Mike Johnston comes in third with 12%. No other candidate garners more than 2% of the vote including Alice Madden (2%), John Walsh (2%) and Dan Baer (2%). With 42% undecided, the race to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in the General Election remains wide open. The fact that an undeclared entrant could garner second reaffirms this fact. • Romanoff leads among older voters (ages 50+) with 29% of the vote, followed by Griswold with 12% and Johnston with 11%. • Griswold leads among younger voters (ages 18-49) with 20% of the vote, followed by Johnston with 15% and Romanoff with 11%. Jena Griswold had the highest net favorability ratings of all the candidates in this field.
    [Show full text]
  • "Concentrate All Your Thoughts Upon the Work at Hand. the Sun's Rays Do Not Burn Until Brought to a Focus." - Alexander Graham Bell
    Aug 21, 2017 "Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." - Alexander Graham Bell Perlmutter is back in congressional race, Moreno suspends campaign Denver Post U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter announced Monday morning he's back in the race for his old seat in Congress from the 7th Congressional District. The Democrat from Arvada said in April he would run for governor but in June he said had lost the competitive fire and dropped out of that race. The Colorado Pols website first reported Monday morning that Perlmutter would officially seek re- election, and The Denver Post first reported Perlmutter's statement on his decision. Colorado Politics was the first to report Perlmutter was reconsidering his earlier decision and would likely run for his seat in Congress again, and that other candidates were reconsidering, as a result. State Sen. Dominick Moreno announced Monday he is suspending his campaign, leaving state Sen. Andy Kerr, state Rep. Brittany Pettersen and Dan Baer in the Democratic primary. No Republicans have yet announced. Instead of taxes, Colorado gets fees: How lawmakers learned to dodge the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights Denver Post When Colorado voters enshrined the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights into the state constitution in 1992, it had a simple premise: If lawmakers want to raise taxes or issue debt, they should ask voters for permission. In practice, lawmakers rarely ask. But that hasn't stopped them from charging Coloradans billions more for government services and borrowing costs anyway.
    [Show full text]
  • ASIL Task Force on Policy Options for US Engagement with The
    ASIL TASK FORCE ON POLICY OPTIONS FOR U.S. ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ICC TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword ..............................................................................vii Executive Summary .....................................................................ix I. Background ..........................................................................1 II. The Operative Legal Framework .......................................................8 A. ICC-Specific Legislative Framework ................................................ 8 B. War Crimes Rewards Program .....................................................11 C. Other Atrocities Prevention and Response Legislation . 11 III. U.S. Engagement with the ICC ......................................................13 A. U.S. Interactions with the ICC in the United Nations . 13 1. Peacekeeping .................................................................13 2. Referrals of Situations to the ICC Prosecutor . 14 3. Proposals to Defer ICC Investigations or Cases . 17 4. Other UN Resolutions Referring to the ICC ....................................17 B. U.S. Engagement on the Crime of Aggression and the Kampala Review Conference ...............................................................18 C. Other U.S. Interactions with the Assembly of States Parties . 20 D. Support for ICC Investigations ....................................................20 1. Operational Field Support .....................................................21 2. Support in the Arrest and Surrender of Fugitives . 22 3. Protection
    [Show full text]
  • Colorado Democratic Primary Voter Poll – July 2019
    July-3- 2019 – Topline Results Sample: 500 likely June 2020 Democratic Primary Voters 70% Democrats / 30% UnaffiliateD Field Schedule: July 1-3, 2019 Colorado Democratic Primary Voter Poll – July 2019 ONLY THE NAME ON THE LIST QUALIFIES My name is name of interviewer. I’m calling from XXXX Research. I’m not selling anything. We’re Doing a survey here in Colorado on some topics that I’m sure you will finD interesting. Screener questions S2. Are you registereD to vote in the Colorado? Yes ..............................................................................................100% Continue interview S3. What are the chances that you will vote in the June 2020 Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate – will you Definitely vote, probably vote, are the chances 50- 50, or will you probably not vote? Definitely vote ............................................................................ 83% Continue interview Probably vote ............................................................................. 14% Continue interview 50-50 chances............................................................................. 3% Continue interview Probably not vote ....................................................................... -- Terminate Don’t know / not sure Don’t read ............................................... -- Terminate 4. Generally speaking, woulD you say that Colorado is heading in the right Direction or in the wrong Direction? If respondent says “I don’t know” ask: Which way woulD you lean towarD - right Direction or wrong
    [Show full text]
  • Waters, Mchenry Agree on Flood Insurance Extension, Pledge to Work on Reauthorization CFPB Proposes Rules on Fair Debt Collectio
    In classic Greek mythology, a golden apple of discord inscribed "For the fairest" was awarded to Aphrodite, beginning a chain of events that led to the Trojan War. GrayRobinson's newsletter reports on the most recent issues, individuals, and discourse deemed fairest in Washington. May 10, 2019 Waters, McHenry agree on flood insurance extension, pledge to work on reauthorization House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and ranking member Patrick McHenry (R-NC) announced yesterday that they have introduced legislation to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to September 30, 2019. The NFIP is scheduled to expire on May 31. They said the extension would give Congress time “to reach bipartisan consensus on much-needed reforms,” and added that they will “continue to work together” toward long-term bipartisan flood insurance reauthorization. CFPB proposes rules on Fair Debt Collection Practices The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Tuesday to implement the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), updating the rules to reflect changes in technology. The rule would limit debt collectors to no more than seven phone calls per week and would require debt collectors to wait at least a week after a conversation with the debtor before calling the debtor again. It would allow debt collectors to contact consumers by email or text message with no limits, but consumers could unsubscribe from these notices. Collectors would not be allowed to contact consumers via social media or through work email. The rules would apply primarily to third-party debt collectors, not to in-house creditors.
    [Show full text]
  • “To Err Is Human. to Blame Someone Else Is Politics.”
    May 22, 2018 “To err is human. To blame someone else is politics.” -Hubert H. Humphrey The Second Regular Session of the Seventy-first General Assembly adjourned on May 9, 2018. The First Regular Session of the Seventy-second General Assembly will convene on January 4, 2019. General Assembly approves Senate Bill 18-200 to return PERA to full funding PERA on the Issues Late Wednesday evening, May 9, the Colorado General Assembly voted to approve Senate Bill 18-200, sending legislation that will return PERA to full funding over 30 years to the Governor for his signature. All stakeholders—PERA members, retirees and employers—will be impacted by the legislation. It will reset PERA’s path to financial resilience, making the retirement fund stronger and more stable. Having already been approved by both the Senate and the House, the legislation passed out of conference committee Wednesday evening and, later on the 9th, was again approved by both chambers. Some of the key provisions of the bill in its final form include: • PERA receiving an annual direct distribution from the state budget of $225 million. • Increasing employer contributions by 0.25 percent beginning July 1, 2019 (except Local Government employers). • A phased-in increase of employee contributions for most members by an additional 2 percent, reaching a total of 10 percent of pay by 2021. • Suspending the Annual Increase (AI, or Cost of Living Adjustment) for 2018 and 2019. • Capping the Annual Increase at 1.5 percent and increasing the waiting period from one to three years. • Increasing the age and service requirements for new hires as of January 1, 2020 to: • Any age with 35 years of service • Age 64 with 30 years of service • Age 65 with five years of service • Age 55 with 25 years of service for state troopers • Age 65 with five years of service for state troopers • Increasing from three to five the number of years used to calculate Highest Average Salary (HAS) for non-vested members as of January 1, 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Colorado Survey Results
    Colorado Survey Results Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Donald Trump’s job performance? of Andrew Romanoff? Approve .......................................................... 7% Favorable........................................................ 35% Disapprove...................................................... 89% Unfavorable .................................................... 17% Not sure .......................................................... 4% Not sure .......................................................... 48% Q2 Generally speaking, do you vote in Democratic Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion or Republican primaries, or do you not usually of John Walsh? vote in primary elections? Favorable........................................................ 13% Democratic primaries......................................100% Unfavorable .................................................... 15% Republican primaries ...................................... 0% Not sure .......................................................... 72% Don't usually vote in primary elections............ 0% Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Angela Williams? of Dan Baer? Favorable........................................................ 13% Favorable........................................................ 8% Unfavorable .................................................... 14% Unfavorable ...................................................
    [Show full text]
  • CCHE AGENDA Colorado Department of Higher Education
    CCHE AGENDA May 3, 2019 Colorado Department of Higher Education 1600 Broadway 5th Floor Conference Room COMMISSIONER & ADVISOR LEARNING SESSION 11:30 am BUSINESS MEETING 1:00 pm CALL-IN NUMBER: 1-877-820-7831 PARTICIPANT CODE: 128479# _________________________________________________________________ 1600 Broadway, Suite 2200Denver, Colorado 80202(303) 862.3001 DR. ANGIE PACCIONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Chair, Luis Colón Vice Chair, Renny Fagan Maia Babbs Mary Beth Buescher Stephanie Donner Cassie Gannett Jeanette Garcia Vanecia Kerr Pardis Mahdavi Monte Moses Colorado Commission on Higher Education Tom McGimpsey May 3, 2019 Colorado Department of Higher Education 1600 Broadway, 5th Floor Conference Room __________________________________________________________ 11:30am -12:30pm COMMISSIONER & ADVISOR LEARNING SESSION TOPIC: Private Schools – Heather DeLange 1:00pm - 5:00pm BUSINESS MEETING I. Opening Business A. Attendance B. Approval of the Minutes for the April 5, 2019 Commission Meeting C. Reports i. Chair ii. Vice Chair iii. Commissioners iv. Commission Standing Committees v. Advisors D. Executive Director Report E. Public Comment II. Consent Items A. Recommend Approval of Updated Postsecondary Workforce Readiness (PWR) Diploma Endorsement – Carl Einhaus B. Recommend Approval of Revisions to Commission Policy IV, Part J: Colorado Educational Exchange Program – Emma Fedorchuk and Emily Burns C. Degree Authorization Act: Recommend Approval of Christian Learning Institute Request For Authorization As A Seminary/Religious Training Institution – Heather DeLange D. Recommend Approval of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education at Colorado Christian University – Dr. Brittany Lane E. Recommend Approval of Secondary Math Education at Colorado Christian University – Dr. Brittany Lane F. Recommend Approval of Early Childhood Education at Relay Graduate School of Education – Dr. Brittany Lane Governor Jared Polis Executive Director Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Senate Action
    In classic Greek mythology, a golden apple of discord inscribed "For the fairest" was awarded to Aphrodite, beginning a chain of events that led to the Trojan War. GrayRobinson's newsletter reports on the most recent issues, individuals, and discourse deemed fairest in Washington. October 18, 2019 And how was your week? Good news first: our Washington Nationals clinched the National League Championship on Tuesday night. This is what it looked like from center field. They play some team from the American League in the World Series, which starts in some other city next Tuesday. They’ll be back at Nationals Park on Friday, October 25. But we woke up yesterday to the news that Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) had died, and we still haven’t quite taken that in. Cummings, who was first elected to Congress in 1996, chaired the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. He was known for his deep compassion, a strong and fearless sense of right and wrong, and a nearly unmatched ability to make friendships across the aisle. We agree with the Oversight Committee’s ranking member, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), who told Politico that “Words are not adequate to express the loss.” Supreme Court will rule on CFPB constitutionality This afternoon the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the case of Seila Law v. Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, which challenges the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s structure. The Department of Justice and CFPB director Kathy Kraninger had filed a brief agreeing with the plaintiff and asking for this review, and the House of Representatives has asked to be allowed to defend the structure of the CFPB.
    [Show full text]