Posts By: Harry Shipps

America Forward Coalition Members Step Up – July 2021

Every month, America Forward is highlighting a few examples of the vital work being done by our Coalition members to support students, families, educators, workers, elected leaders, advocates, and communities across the country. If your organization has resources, an announcement, or a story that you would like to see included, please send it to america_forward@newprofit.org. Roca, Inc.  Roca, Inc. understands
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America Forward Weekly Tip Sheet: Policy and Advocacy (7/6)

Below is the latest America Forward “Tip Sheet,” a weekly update on Federal activity related to education, workforce development, and other priorities of the America Forward Coalition. Last Week in Washington  Last week, all eyes remained on the bipartisan infrastructure framework that a group of 10 Senators and President Biden agreed upon last week. While Democrats would like to see
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America Forward Weekly Tip Sheet: Policy and Advocacy (6/21)

Below is the latest America Forward “Tip Sheet,” a weekly update on Federal activity related to education, workforce development, and other priorities of the America Forward Coalition.   Last Week in Washington   Last weekend, President Biden was in Europe for the G-7 Summit, where world leaders engaged on shared priorities, including COVID-19 pandemic response, vaccine distribution, climate change, and
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Key Investments in President Biden’s FY2022 Budget Request

Last week, President Joe Biden released his full FY2022 budget request. The full request comes approximately 6 weeks after the President released his discretionary (or “skinny”) budget request on April 9. At the time, America Forward wrote that the President’s proposal, which directed billions in new funding to non-defense discretionary priorities, represented a “potentially transformative investment in our education and
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Key Policies in President Biden’s Address to Congress

In his first address to Congress on Wednesday, President Joe Biden outlined plans for historic federal investment in students, workers, families, and communities across the country. Together, the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan represent more than $4 trillion in new funding intended to speed recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and fulfill the President’s commitment to turn “peril
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The CORPS Act and Advancing National Service in Response to COVID-19

By Melina Kiper, America Forward Advocacy Manager   Last week, Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) were joined by a bipartisan coalition of eight Democrats and seven Republicans to reintroduce the “Cultivating Opportunity and Recovery from the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act.” In addition to increasing national service positions for the next three years to support recovery efforts
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America Forward’s Statement on President Joe Biden’s FY2022 Discretionary Request

Earlier today, President Joe Biden released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Discretionary Budget Request - his “skinny budget."  The release did not include detailed agency-by-agency budget estimates, which will be sent out in the month of May, but the initial funding targets will allow the FY22 budget process to begin on Capitol Hill.  Congressional appropriators will now start drafting the
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America Forward Statement on the Signing of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

On Thursday, March 11, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion package in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Below, please find a statement from America Forward about the impact of the bill and what comes next. "The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 delivers urgently needed support to communities across the country, and
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America Forward Statement on Confirmation of Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona

America Forward released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted, 64-33, to confirm Dr. Miguel Cardona as the next U.S. Secretary of Education: We congratulate Secretary Cardona on his historic confirmation by the full Senate - the final vote was a signal of lawmakers' confidence in Secretary Cardona's ability to lead the Department of Education's efforts to safely reopen
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House Reconciliation Bill: Advancing an Equitable, Holistic Recovery

As students, families, educators, and school communities across the country work to respond to and recover from the convergent crises of the past year, evidence-based, holistic supports are more important than ever.  On February 10, 2021, the House Committee on Education and Labor passed a budget reconciliation bill that would enact key provisions of President Joe Biden’s “American Rescue Plan.”
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