Last month, QCC leadership joined community college representatives from across the country in Washington, D.C. for the 2026 ACCT National Legislative Summit (NLS). The Summit is the nation’s premier advocacy event for community colleges, bringing trustees, presidents, and senior leaders together to meet with members of Congress and highlight the critical role community colleges play in workforce development, economic mobility, and educational access.
During the Summit, QCC representatives met with Congressman Jim McGovern and Daniel Ki, counsel to Senator Elizabeth Warren. These meetings provided an important platform for QCC’s leadership that included President Dr. Luis Pedraja, to emphasize the urgent federal priorities impacting students and institutions.
Among the top advocacy issues were strengthening and expanding Pell Grants, making Pell funding tax‑free, protecting institutional aid programs, sustaining support for workforce development initiatives, and ensuring community colleges remain central to federal strategies that address national workforce shortages. QCC leaders also underscored the importance of programs like WIOA, CCAMPIS, Adult Basic Education, and the Strengthening Community College Training Grants—all of which directly support students, working families, and local employers.