House Republicans move forward with tax and spending legislation
House Republicans have begun drafting budget reconciliation legislation that advances key elements of President Trump’s domestic agenda, including tax reform, border security, immigration enforcement, defense and energy. Using reconciliation rules, GOP leaders can pass certain tax and spending legislation with a simple majority, bypassing a Senate filibuster.
As part of this legislation, The House Education and Workforce Committee approved a measure expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students in short-term workforce training programs, aligning federal support for job training with that for four-year degrees. Expansion of the Pell Grant system, which provides financial assistance to low-income students for education, has been a long-term NRCA priority. Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee is reviewing immigration reforms that include higher fees for certain legal statuses and new work permit restrictions, with revenues supporting enhanced enforcement. Other committees are contributing to the legislation, with the Ways and Means Committee set to address tax provisions and the Energy and Commerce Committee tasked with finding savings by reforming Medicaid.
President Trump issues Executive Order regarding workforce programs
On April 23, President Trump issued an Executive Order, “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Jobs of the Future,” which directs the secretaries of commerce, education and labor to develop a plan to “review all federal workforce programs to modernize, integrate, and re-align programs to address critical needs in emerging industries,” according to a fact sheet released with the order. The agency heads will have 90 days to develop “a streamlined and integrated plan to re-orient federal workforce programs to prepare the American economy for the opportunities presented by reshoring and re-industrialization.” A major focus of the order is expanding the number of registered apprenticeships, which operate under rules set by the Department of Labor, in existing and new industries. It further directs the agencies to jointly develop a plan within 120 days that is designed to support 1 million new registered apprentices per year.
President Trump issues Executive Orders related to immigration and transportation
On April 28, President Trump signed Executive Orders, including one targeting “sanctuary” cities and states. It directs the Homeland Security Secretary and Attorney General to identify jurisdictions not fully cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, potentially reducing their federal funding and opening them to legal action. The move supports the administration’s broader immigration crackdown, despite previous court action blocking similar efforts. Another order strengthens enforcement of existing rules requiring commercial truck drivers to be proficient in English, citing safety concerns and inconsistent past enforcement.
Chairman Cassidy proposes changes to independent contractor rules
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate HELP Committee, released a white paper emphasizing the economic value of independent work and proposing expanded access to health and retirement benefits for independent contractors. Highlighting that most of the 27 million independent workers prefer their flexible status, Cassidy proposes a legal safe harbor for companies offering portable benefits without risking misclassification, among other reforms. He calls for modernizing labor laws to support independent workers without altering traditional employment.
