Education

As a former teacher, the husband of a special education teacher and the father of two daughters who are certified to teach, education has certainly played a major role in our family.  Over the past few years, I have concentrated on measures that would provide sufficient funds to meet the goals set out in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), passed in 2002.  The key ingredients to the changes under the NCLB include greater accountability features, more flexibility and local control and increased resources for reform.

I will urge my colleagues to sponsor additional funding in the proposed education budget. If we cannot adequately address the brick and mortar education issues in Congress, then it is my fear that we will be even further from contending with new pressing issues such as educational technology, bilingual education and the rising cost of post secondary education.  I will work to close the funding gap, ensuring that every child obtains the education he or she deserves. 
 
We must do more to hold down the skyrocketing cost of college tuition.  Today’s college students are graduating with increasing levels of student loan debt.  The average student graduates with $17,500 in loan debt; almost 45 percent more than just 11 years ago.  Education is the great equalizer in the United States. We cannot afford to allow a college degree get beyond the reach of more and more students. And we cannot ask parents to go bankrupt putting their kids through school.  I will work to bring down the cost of a college education.  This is why I supported the College Student Relief Act of 2007 in January.  The bill will make college more affordable and accessible by cutting the interest rates on subsidized student loans in half – from the current 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent.

This Congress is rededicating itself to education. Future generations depend on it.