Latest news with #HouseBill4
UPI
6 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Senate sends bill axing foreign aid, public broadcast funds to House
The U.S. Senate early Thursday approved a bill to cut foreign aid and public broadcasting funds. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo July 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate early Thursday voted to rescind some $9 billion in federal funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, two areas of the government that the Trump administration has long targeted for cuts. The senators voted 51-48 mostly along party lines to approve House Bill 4 with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joining the Democrats in voting against it. The bill, which now goes to the House of Representatives, will cut about $8 billion from international aid programs and about $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The bill passed at about 2:20 a.m. EDT Thursday. "President Trump promised to cut wasteful spending and root out misuse of taxpayer dollars," Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said on X prior to the vote. "Now, @SenateGOP and I are voting to make these cuts permanent. Promises made, promises kept." The vote comes as the Trump administration faces criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, for having promised to reduce government spending but then last month passed a massive tax and spending cuts bill that is expected to add $3.3 trillion to the U.S. deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Meanwhile, the Cato Institute states it could add nearly double that, as much as $6 trillion. The Corporation of Public Broadcasting, which funds local news and radio infrastructure, has been a target of the Trump administration for funding a small portion of the budgets of PBS and NPR, which he accuses of being biased. Murkowski chastised her fellow Republicans for attacking a service that informed Alaskans that same day that there was a magnitude 7.3 earthquake and a tsunami warning. "Some colleagues claim they are targeting 'radical leftist organizations' with these cuts, but in Alaska, these are simply organizations dedicated to their communities," she said on social media. "Their response to today's earthquake is a perfect example of the incredible public service these stations provide. They deliver local news, weather updates and, yes, emergency alerts that save human lives."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Board approves proposed tuition increases at Murray State, WKU
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Students who are currently residing at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Murray State University (MSU) or Western Kentucky University (WKU) will probably need a bit more money this upcoming school year. Officials say at its June meeting, the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) board approved a recommendation to raise undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees for resident students at EKU, MSU and WKU by $420 for the 2025-26 school year, in accordance with CPE's tuition parameters. The CPE says the university boards approved these increases prior to CPE board approval: At EKU, this action will increase base undergraduate resident tuition and fees from $10,020 to $10,440, or by 4.2%. This revenue will offset a projected 3.8% increase or $10.3M, in fixed costs. At MSU, this action will increase base undergraduate resident tuition and fees from $9,900 to $10,320, or by 4.2%. This revenue will offset a projected 4.6% increase, or $9.1M, in fixed costs. At WKU, this action will increase base undergraduate resident tuition and fees from $11,452 to $11,872, or by 3.7%. Despite this increase, anticipated revenue is projected to decrease by $326,000. However, fixed costs also are projected to decrease by 1.3%, or $3.2M. Jim Irsay to be inducted into Colts Ring of Honor The CPE says the board also took the following actions: Approved two new academic programs: a Bachelor of Science for surgical first assistants at the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in nonprofit leadership studies at Murray State University. Approved tuition reciprocity agreements between select Kentucky public postsecondary institutions and institutions in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. The agreements enable Kentucky residents to attend these out-of-state schools at in-state rates, and vice versa. Approved the reallocation of dollars in Kentucky State University's performance improvement fund, authorized by House Bill 250, which will be passed by the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly. Unspent funding in the amount of $2 million originally designated for the development of an engineering program will now support new online programs and enhanced accounting and auditing functions. Approved the CPE agency budget for fiscal year 2025-26. Approved changes to the statewide dual credit policy to align with the passage of House Bill 193 and House Bill 4 during the 2025 legislative session, as well as other technical changes. Approved a revision to CPE's Tuition and Mandatory Fee Policy to make student-endorsed special use fees and certain asset preservation fees subject to tuition and fee parameters, beginning in 2025-26. Previously, these fees were exempt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
East Texans react to failure of STAAR test bill
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) — The Texas Senate and House failed to come out of their closed-door negotiations with a compromise on House Bill 4, a bipartisan plan to eliminate STAAR testing in Texas Public schools. Lindale FFA member among 10 selected for scholars program 'The Senate and the House had a conference committee, which is ample people from House and the Senate, and they couldn't come to agreement, unfortunately,' State Rep. Joanne Shofner (R), Nacogdoches, said. The bill died after both chambers couldn't agree on a final version before the session deadline. 'Not only am I disappointed, but my granddaughter is very disappointed,' Shofner said. State Rep. Jay Dean / (R) Longview said the bill still has a chance to be brought back to life. 'I believe in trust that we'll end up going back to special session and get it fixed,' Dean said. Representative Dean said House Bill 4 was included as part of an overall education package and hopes this isn't the end. 'I'm going to do my best to, you know, try to persuade him to, hey, let's get this fixed,' Dean said. 'Let's get this straight.' East Texas Food Bank kicks off Summer Food Program in Tyler However, one organization in support of ending STAAR testing said the proposed changes made by the Texas Senate would actually make things worse than the status quo. 'The Senate rewrote the bill near the end of the session and made it worse than we have now,' Texas State Teachers Association, Clay Robison said. The association supported the proposed changes made by the Texas House, which included switching from one test to three tests throughout the year, with a shorter grading process. 'We're glad that the Senate bill died,' Robison said. He said the Senate's version gives too much power to the TEA's education commissioner, Mike Morath, allowing him to amend school grading standards without needing approval from the state legislature. 'If school districts contested the change in the grading standards or contested their accountability ratings, they would have been subject to state sanctions, including takeover by the state,' Robison said. Robison said the Texas State Teachers Association will not support the bill in its current version from the Senate. Lindale Fire Department welcomes new chief, officers 'We think we're better off with the bad, flawed system that we have now than we would have been with the new Senate version,' Robison said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to replace Texas STAAR test fails
The Brief A bill to replace the STAAR test failed to pass the Texas legislature The House and Senate could not agree on key differences. The Texas State Teachers Association opposed the Senate's version, preferring no bill to what they saw as overreach by the education commissioner. AUSTIN - Texas lawmakers failed to come to an agreement on a bill that would have replaced the STAAR test in the state. Dig deeper House Bill 4, authored by state Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado), would have replaced the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) with three shorter tests during the school year. Under the bill, the tests would have been given out in October, from mid-January to early-February, and late May. Different versions of the bill passed the House and Senate, but the two chambers could not agree on differences. The Senate was pushing to keep a social studies test and for the Texas Education Agency commissioner to be able to set strict standards for school districts' letter-grade system. The House wanted the state legislature to approve any changes to the A-F ratings made by the TEA. The STAAR test has been used for students in grades three through 11 since 2012. What they're saying The Texas State Teachers Association had urged state legislators to vote no on the Senate version of the bill. "We think we are better off that there is no bill at all than what the Senate wanted to do. We thought the Senate gave far too much authority to the unelected state commissioner," the union wrote on social media. The Source Information in this article comes from documents from Texas Legislature on House Bill 4 and statements by the Texas State Teachers Association.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to scrap the STAAR test fails in the Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – A bill aimed at scrapping the STAAR exam, co-authored by State Representative Brooks Landgraf, has failed in the Texas Legislature this session. House Bill 4 would have State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for three shorter tests given throughout the school year. Rep. Langraf released a statement saying, in part, 'As I've reported, the bill I co-authored to scrap the STAAR was passed overwhelmingly here in the Texas House of Representatives. Then we sent the bill—HB 4—to the Texas Senate. Rather than vote up-or-down on the good bill we sent to them, the Senate amended HB 4. Rather than scrap STAAR, the Senate amendments would have just created STAAR 2.0. Lipstick on a pig. This is an old trick that's been done before, and as a member of the conference committee, I wouldn't go along with it. I think it would've been insulting to our students, teachers and taxpayers to change the name the test and pretend like we got rid of STAAR. After desperately trying to get the Senate to go back to the original bill that would have actually scrapped STAAR, they dug in and refused. In this case, not passing the bill would be better than lying to the people of Texas about scrapping STAAR. With the legislative session adjourning Monday, this all means HB 4 is dead. HB 4 (as passed by the House) would have been great for Texas students, teachers and taxpayers. It would have also been good politics for any lawmaker who helped pass it. I won't give up the fight to scrap STAAR, and neither should you. But we will have some more work to do.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
