Home >> Committees >> Government Relations

Government Relations Committee

Report from ASPIRE-MT Government Relations Committee (GRC)
Sept 2005
Submitted By: Ray Carlisle, Committee Chair

1. Statewide statistics: For the third year, the GRC collected Annual Performance Reports (APR) from most MT TRIO programs. These reports were used to update statistics presented in the Montana TRIO Fact Book 2005.

 
2. Montana TRIO Fact Book:  A 20-page Montana TRIO Fact Book 2005 was created by updating the format of the 2004 Fact Book and collecting new student profiles and statistics. The Fact Book was distributed to members of Montana’s congressional delegation during the March 2005 Policy Seminar and to state legislators as part of the state meeting of ASPIRE-MT held in Helena in April 2005.  Copies were also distributed to every MT TRIO project and have been used throughout this year.
  For an pdf copy of the handbook click here.
 
3. Policy Seminar: Montana was represented at the COE Policy Seminar in March 2005 by Dan Benge, Amy Verlanic, Brian Pilcher, Jamie Schell, Judy Blakeslee, and Joanne Morrow.
    
4. MT TRIO Achievers Reception & Luncheon: the GRC coordinated with the ASPIRE-MT State Meeting Committee to recognize three TRIO achievers at the ASPIRE-MT state meeting. An evening reception was attended by Montana’s Lieutenant Governor, Commissioner of Higher Education, and several education officials, but most legislators missed due to an unexpected extended session of both houses of the legislature.  The achievers were recognized at a luncheon the following day concluding the state meeting.
    
5. TRIO Budget and Appropriation Process:  The state GRC assisted the state president in responding to the proposed elimination of Upward Bound and Talent Search in the Bush Administration budget.  The Government Relations Committee was expanded to include all directors of Upward Bound and Talent Search in MT.  Both the U.S. House and Senate have passed budget bills preserving TRIO funding at current levels; appropriation bills will be voted on in fall 2005.  Sen. Conrad Burns provided key support by co-hosting a Senate Briefing on TRIO in April.
    
6. Reauthorization of Higher Education Act:  Final action on reauthorization is expected in September/October 2005.  The GRC assisted the state president in responding to unfriendly proposals in the House reauthorization bill that would set aside 10% of TRIO funding for novice programs and an amendment that would establish national TRIO accountability benchmarks similar to No Child Left Behind.  Rep. Rehberg has agreed to oppose both provisions when reauthorization is voted on.  The Senate reauthorization bill did not include either of these unfriendly proposals.
    
7. Grants:  The ASPIRE-MT GRC received $1,000 from ASPIRE and $500 from the ASPIRE-MT budget to fund the Montana TRIO Fact Book 2005.

Coming in 2005-06:

• Continued advocacy for Upward Bound, Talent Search, and TRIO appropriation
• TRIO Fact Book 2006
• Schedule individual program visits by state legislators, members of congress?
• 2006 Policy Seminar

Past committee reports can be found in the Archives section.