John Mannion

This bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from transferring specified offices and functions to other federal agencies.Specifically, the bill prohibits ED from entering into or carrying out interagency agreements related to the following four offices: the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the Office of Postsecondary Education, the Office of Indian Education, and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.This prohibition applies to the transfer of functions such as administering or operating programs, making grants, carrying out technical assistance, enforcing rights and requirements (e.g., data collection requirements), conducting administrative and oversight functions, and monitoring grantees.Additionally, ED may not transfer a function or program of one of the four offices to another ED office and then subsequently enter into an interagency agreement related to the function or program.The bill does not apply to agreements in effect on February 1, 2025, or renewals with substantially similar terms.ED must, within two weeks of the bill's enactment and on a quarterly basis, provide to Congress (and publish on its website) a report and cost analysis for each interagency agreement entered into on or after February 1, 2025. ED may not use specified FY2026 or FY2027 funds for travel expenses unless ED provides this required information.(As of July 30, 2026, ED has entered into 14 interagency agreements to transfer functions of ED to other federal agencies, including the ED offices listed in the bill.)

The Next Mission Act directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a grant program that provides supplemental career services to military members and their spouses transitioning to civilian life. Grants will go to nonprofit organizations that offer services such as career assessments, job interview preparation, industry-specific training pathways, and job placement assistance to eligible individuals at no cost. To qualify for grants, organizations must be private nonprofits with a proven track record in career services and job training, demonstrate rigorous evaluation practices, have partnerships with employers and other entities, and be able to provide online training to reach rural participants. The program must be established within one year of enactment and will operate for three years, after which the Secretary of Defense must submit a report to Congress on outcomes including the number of individuals trained and employed, job retention rates, and median salaries. The bill also requires grantees to assess whether the program could be expanded to reserve military members and service members located overseas.

This bill amends the Higher Education Act to direct the Secretary of Education to encourage colleges and universities to develop and implement evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention plans on their campuses. The Secretary is instructed to coordinate these efforts with the Department of Health and Human Services and align them with recommendations from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and existing federal mental health programs. The legislation allows the Secretary to work with nonprofits, community organizations, and campus mental health experts to support these planning efforts, though it explicitly does not create new legal requirements for colleges or grant the Secretary new regulatory powers. The Secretary must report to Congress on the implementation of these efforts one year after the bill's enactment and again three years after enactment. The bill does not specify dedicated funding amounts for these efforts.

H.R. 8979, the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, would establish a federal grant program to help high-need public schools hire and retain mental health professionals, including school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. The bill provides grants to states based on their share of federal Title I funding, which states would then award as subgrants to local school districts to recruit, retain, or contract with mental health providers for high-need schools. The legislation aims to help schools move toward recommended staffing ratios of 250 students per counselor, 500 students per school psychologist, and 250 students per school social worker. States receiving grants must provide matching funds equal to 20 percent of the federal grant amount, and funds are awarded in 5-year periods that may be renewed based on demonstrated progress. The bill authorizes $5 billion for fiscal year 2027 and additional unspecified amounts for subsequent years, with the funding reflecting the prevalence of mental health conditions among school-age children and research showing that youth with school-based mental health access are more likely to seek treatment.

The Restarting Education After Disasters Act authorizes the Secretary of Education to provide federal payments to states to help public and private schools recover and resume operations after major disasters or emergencies. Schools that were closed for 30 or more days receive priority funding, with the amount determined by student enrollment numbers and the severity of damage. Schools can use the assistance for data recovery, replacement technology, transportation, temporary educational facilities, instructional materials, curriculum development, facility repairs, and support services—but not for major construction projects. The bill requires states to ensure private schools receive a proportional share of funding equivalent to their enrollment, and it prohibits using these funds to replace existing federal or state disaster assistance. The legislation authorizes $200 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support these school recovery efforts.

This bill directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a competitive grant program that awards funding to community colleges and career and technical education centers to develop training programs using immersive technology—such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality—to prepare workers for in-demand jobs. Eligible organizations can receive grants of up to five years to create or improve career pathways that teach practical skills through these technologies, with priority given to programs that partner with employers, serve individuals facing employment barriers, target rural communities, or help workers transition from declining industries. The bill authorizes $50 million annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2035, with grantees required to submit progress reports on student outcomes and the Department of Labor required to share best practices with Congress every two years. Additionally, the bill dedicates 1-5 percent of annual funding for independent evaluation and technical assistance to ensure program effectiveness.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2200 South Salina Street in Syracuse, New York, as the "Wallie Howard Jr. Post Office Building".

This bill prohibits colleges and other educational institutions from withholding a student's academic transcript solely because that student owes an unpaid debt to the school, as long as the student used Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance to pay for their coursework. It amends title 38 of the U.S. Code by adding a new provision to the chapter governing veterans' educational benefits. The bill primarily affects veterans and service members who used Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to attend school and later fell behind on tuition, fees, or other charges owed to the institution. Under current practice, some schools withhold transcripts as leverage to collect unpaid debts, which can prevent veterans from transferring credits, applying to other schools, or securing jobs that require proof of their education. The bill does not include specific funding or an implementation timeline, and it took effect once ordered to be printed following committee amendment in September 2026, pending further House action.

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act provides three tax incentives aimed at supporting local news outlets. First, it creates a tax credit for individuals who subscribe to local newspapers—covering 80 percent of subscription costs (up to $250) in the first year and 50 percent in subsequent years. Second, it offers a payroll tax credit to local newspaper publishers for wages paid to local news journalists, covering 50 percent of wages (capped at $12,500 per employee per quarter) for the first four quarters and 30 percent thereafter. Third, it provides a tax credit for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees that advertise in local newspapers, radio, or television stations—covering 80 percent of advertising costs (up to $5,000) in the first year and 50 percent (up to $2,500) in subsequent years. All three credits expire after five years from the bill's enactment. The legislation targets local media outlets defined as having original local news content, serving regional communities, employing at least one local journalist, and having no more than 750 employees.

Protecting Students with Disabilities ActThis bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate the Department of Education's (ED's) oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (The IDEA authorizes grant programs that support special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities. Currently, the IDEA is administered by the Office of Special Education Programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in ED.)Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate, or otherwise restructure any office within ED that administers or enforces programs under the IDEA.Further, appropriated funds may not be used to (1) terminate, reassign, or alter the responsibilities of any personnel of any such office; or (2) contract with, or delegate to, any entity outside of ED to administer or enforce IDEA programs.(On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities, calling for the closure of ED and giving authority over education to the states. Further, the Trump Administration has announced plans to transfer ED's oversight of services for students with disabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services.)