No Surprises for Higher Ed in Spending Bill

After a fraught and drawn-out appropriations cycle, Congress released its final $1.2 trillion package of spending bills early Thursday morning. The measures would provide little in the way of new funds for programs important to colleges, largely aligning with the Senate’s proposed budget and avoiding billions of dollars in cuts suggested by House Republicans. If the legislation passes, the Education Department would receive $79.1 billion, a relatively small $500 million decrease from last year’s budget.