With Outstanding Policy Differences Unabated, Negotiators Try to Agree on Timeline for Latest Aid Package – NASFAA
Since last week’s unveiling of Senate Republicans’ counter proposal to House Democrats’ coronavirus relief package, few policy differences have been resolved, but negotiators appear to be coming to a consenus on a timeline as Congress continues to watch its August recess wane.
While the self-imposed timeline does not force negotiators to come to an agreement, it offers a framework into how talks might develop in the coming days and whether additional aid will be agreed to before the end of August, or instead begin to bleed into September when Congress will be forced to confront the annual fiscal deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
“We’re not at the point of being close to a deal,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters on Tuesday. “We did try to agree to set a timeline that we’re going to try to reach an overall agreement, if we can’t get one, by the end of this week, so that legislation could then pass next week.”
While there are a number of significant policy riders unrelated to higher education that are stalling negotiations, neither party has come to an agreement on topline funding numbers for aid related education programs. Under the Democrats’ HEROES Act, $37 billion would be provided to higher education institutions, while the HEALS Act, proposed by Republicans, would direct $29 billion.