Over 2,600 Bills Are Introduced in Opening Week of New Congress - Higher Education & National Affairs American Council on Education

Sep 21, 2026

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Over 2,600 bills and joint resolutions were introduced in the first week of the 90th Congress, including 329 Senate measures and 2,300 House proposals. Many House bills were duplicates because members could not combine sponsorship. Proposals affecting higher education emphasized grants for education and research, support for veterans, NSF administrative changes, and expanded education for handicapped children and physical education teachers, alongside tax credits for college expenses. The President also outlined budget estimates, selective service streamlining, educational television, and strengthening Head Start.

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Over 2,600 Bills Are Introduced in Opening Week of New Congress

Bills affecting higher education

Budget estimates and selective service proposals

Educational programs mentioned

Case Institute and Western Reserve federation

# President Asks DraftLaw 'Streamlining,Plans Budget Message Volume XVI,Number 2 # Over 2,600 Bills AreIntroduced in OpeningWeek of New Congress The White House said this week President Johnson will sub-mit his budget message to the 90th Congress Jan.24 or 25but that dates for other special messages—including educa-tion—have not yet been set.In his State of the Union message Higher EducationandNational Affairs American Council on Education·1785 Massachusetts Avenue,N.W.,Washington 36,D.C. January 13,1967 Sonators and Representatives introduced a total of 2,629bills and joint resolutions in the first week of the 90thCongress which opened Jan.10.They included 329 Senatebills and joint resolutions,and 2,300 in the House.Many of the House bills are duplicates,since House rules prevent members from combining tosponsor a single bill. Nearly all the proposals affecting higher education were similar or identical to legisla-tion introduced,but not enacted,in the last Congress.They included bills to:Providegrants by the National Science Foundation to colleges and universities for education andresearch in the physical,social,and biological sciences,mathematics and engineering;toincrease payments to veterans studying under the new GI bill and to extend benefits to on-the-job training;to revise the administrative structure of the NSF;to improve the educa-tion of handicapped children;to amend the NDEA to include institutes for physical educationteachers;to establish a graduate school in American government to be known as theFranklin Delano Roosevelt Institute;to establish a National Advisory Council on Education;and to establish a national education policy. Also re-introduced was a bill to provide for judicial review of the constitutionality ofgrants and loans under the Higher Education Facilities Act and other education and healthlaws,which is similar to a measure passed by the Senate last year.As in the previousCongress,numerous bills were introduced to provide tax credits or tax deductions forcollege expenses,and to allow teachers tax deductions for expenses of advanced education.Several different proposals were offered to return a share of Federal tax revenues to thestates for educational purposes. Among the new bills were proposals to provide direct loans to certain students study-ing abroad,and to consider establishing a University of the Americas. Jan.10 the President estimated Fiscal 1967 expenditures of $126.7 billion,with a deficit of $9.7 billion,and a Fiscal 1968 budget of $135 million.He said the 1968 deficit would be $8.1 billion,if the economy remains strong and Congress enacts his proposal for a surchargeof six percent on both corporate and personal income taxes. In his Jan.10 message the President mentioned only briefly specific programs ofinterest to higher education."We should streamline our Selective Service System,"he said.He added that the National Commission on Selective Service soon will submit itsreport of recommendations."Let this be the Congress that made our draft laws as fair aspossible,'"he said. The President said educational television should be developed "into a vital public re-source to enrich our homes and classrooms,"but he did not elaborate.He did not mentionthe Teacher Corps program,which is to expire in 1967,but said the Head Start programshould be strengthened.He said this program should begin for children three years old"and maintain its educational momentum by follow-through in the early grades." The federation of Case Institute of Technology and WesternReserve University was approved Jan.10 by Case trustees.Western Reserve trustees had approved the plan at a meet-ing Jan.5.The new name of the institution,to become one Case,Western ReserveFederation ApprovedBy Two Trustee Boards of the nation's ten largest private universities,will be Case Western Reserve University. Effective date of the federation has not been announced,but a special study groupheaded by Dr.

FAQs

How many bills and joint resolutions were introduced in the first week of the 90th Congress?

A total of 2,629 bills and joint resolutions were introduced in the first week of the 90th Congress, including 329 Senate measures and 2,300 House proposals.

What major areas did proposals affecting higher education focus on?

They focused on grants for science and research, support for veterans’ education, changes to the NSF structure, improved education for handicapped children, amendments to include institutes for physical education teachers, and new education policy structures.

What did President Johnson mention in relation to higher education in his message?

He briefly discussed streamlining the Selective Service System, called for educational television to enrich homes and classrooms, and said Head Start should be strengthened, with support starting for three-year-old children.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Maeve