As a member of Congress, I have fought for safer schools, smaller class sizes, and more accountability for our schools.  Our students deserve the best possible learning environment and opportunities, and we must address these issues for our children to be able to compete in the global economy of the 21st Century. 

We need to provide more and better-trained teachers to reduce class sizes, especially in grades 1-3, so that our children get the attention they need to grow and learn.  We should provide more funding for school construction to replace, rebuild and modernize our schools that are in disrepair.  We need to ensure that all of our classrooms have access to the latest technologies like the Internet. 

We should also put discipline back in the classroom and support character education in our schools.  In fact, on Wednesday, I addressed my colleagues on the House floor and urged them to support a bipartisan amendment to the education bill to fund character education programs.  I am happy to say that this amendment was approved. 

In addition, we must increase our teachers’ pay to the level that they deserve and that will attract the best and brightest to this noble profession. 

The bill passed by the House last week may not solve all of the problems with our educational system, but I believe it is a step in the right direction.  I will continue to work to see that we truly provide all children the best possible education. 

“With this historic vote this morning, we are returning some of the taxpayers’ money,” said Congressman Ross. 

Ross said, “the House and Senate have worked diligently to create a bill that will provide meaningful tax relief for working families.  While I recognize that this bill doesn’t contain some of the priorities some would have liked, it was negotiated in a democratic process, which is the cornerstone of our government.  I believe that progress must come before partisanship and this legislation is an effort to give the American people some of their tax money back for their hard work.”

“Some of the provisions that I have strongly supported, including elimination of the estate tax, marriage tax penalty relief, and increasing the child tax credit are included in the final package that we passed.  In addition, this tax package contains a reduction in the income tax rates, incentives for families to plan for retirement by increasing the maximum IRA contributions, and raises the education savings account limits that can be used to help pay for college,” said Ross. 

“The compromise that was reached between the House and Senate late Friday evening and early Saturday morning insures that Social Security and Medicare will be protected and our nation’s debt will be paid down, concerns that kept me from voting for the first income tax cut bill earlier this year,” said Ross.  “It also leaves room to fund priorities important to me like strengthen our nation’s defense, improving education for our children and modernizing Medicare to include a prescription drug benefit for our seniors.”

Ross concluded by stating, “it is my sincere hope that the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, can continue to find ways to work together, like we have on this historic legislation, to improve the quality of life for all Americans.