Congress, White House Embark on Closed-Door Negotiations on Next COVID Bill

Last week, the Senate introduced the Healthcare, Economic Assistance, Liability, And Schools (HEALS) Act, a long-anticipated, $1 trillion-dollar COVID-19 relief bill.

Within the bill, there are many measures impacting education, including $105 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund, created through the CARES Act. Much of that funding is contingent on in-person instruction this fall, and an unusually large proportion is dedicated to private schools. The bill fails to provide dedicated funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The HEALS Act is considered the opening bid for Senate Republicans, who have now begun to negotiate a final package with their Democratic counterparts and the House of Representatives—which put forth a nearly $3.5 trillion proposal in May. Key White House officials have been meeting with Congressional leaders through the weekend and into this week, but a deal has yet to emerge.

There is a lack of clarity about a potential final product, including both content and timing—a dynamic that is not atypical before the release of a large legislative deal. However, there is little clarity about what the next step will be, as a scheduled Congressional August recess is slated to begin at the end of this week, leaving little time to negotiate and approve a bill.

Action Alert

The Senate HEALS Act has missed the mark on many key CEC priorities, including dedicated emergency funding for IDEA, keeping public funds in public education and supporting the work of educators to serve students, whether in-person, remotely, or through a hybrid model because all our students deserve support. Now is the time to get loud.

As Congress continues to negotiate a final COVID-19 response package, lawmakers need to hear from you.

Please follow this link to our one-step action alert to make your voice heard.