Last Week in Congress (11/10–11/14/25)
An update will be shared every week that Congress is in session. This will include a short summary of the past week in Congress, as well as a listing of all education-related bills introduced in the House and Senate, relevant Committee and Floor activity, and education-related hearings.
Government Shutdown Ends after 44 Days.
Late on Monday, November 10, the Senate passed H.R. 5371, as amended, making continuing appropriations and extensions for Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs, for FY2026. The measure, which will fund the entire government through January and the branches listed above through the end of FY2026, contains measures giving back-pay to impacted federal employees, reversing RIFs initiated and implemented during the shutdown, and pausing further RIFs through the end of January. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 60 yeas to 40 nays. On November 12, after approximately 54 days, the House returned to session and voted to approve the amended bill by a vote of 229 yeas to 209 nays. The President signed the bill into law that evening, ending the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
· H.R. 6002 (Crow, D-CO), to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the set of individuals eligible to transfer Post-9/11 educational assistance to eligible dependents (Veterans’ Affairs).
· H.R. 6011 (McClain, D-MD), to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the VA Work-Study program (Veterans’ Affairs).
· H.R. 6026 (Gottheimer, D-NJ), to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Education to submit a report on the availability, accessibility, and affordability of childcare for veteran families (Education and Workforce; Veterans’ Affairs).
· H.R. 6034 (Horsford, D-NV), to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to certain veterans and members of the Armed Forces who require extra time to complete remedial and deficiency courses (Veterans’ Affairs).
· On November 10, the Senate passed H.R. 5371, as amended, making continuing appropriations and extensions for Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs, for FY2026. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 60 yeas to 40 nays.
· On November 12, the House voted to approve H.R. 5371 by a vote of 229 yeas to 209 nays, and the President signed the bill into law.