Working to Strengthen our Education System

Working to Strengthen our Education System

As the son of two retired school teachers and the father of two daughters, Representative Kilmer strongly believes that every student should have access to outstanding educational opportunities. Furthermore, our federal policy should treat educators like the professionals they are and should promote recruiting, retaining, and training great educational professionals.

• Students should not have to experience financial hardship just to get a decent education that prepares them for the jobs of the future. Congress needs to advance an array of policies that make higher education opportunities—whether it is a two-year, four-year, or technical training programs—more accessible. Representative Kilmer strongly backed H.R. 1911, the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, which President Obama signed into law and ensured that student loan interest rates remain affordable.
   
• In his leadership role in the New Democrat Coalition’s America COMPETES Working Group, Representative Kilmer led a roundtable of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) policy experts in both Washington D.C. and Washington State to foster ideas for STEM activities to be included in a reauthorization of America COMPETES. As Congress considers this reauthorization, Representative Kilmer is pushing for increased efforts to encourage minority and women participation, greater industry participation in STEM activities throughout all levels of education, increased STEM teacher training, and increasing the talent pool of STEM educators.
   
• When the House of Representatives sought to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Representative Kilmer fought to maintain dedicated funding for English language learners and proficiency programs; STEM education; before- and after-school programs; summer school programs; and literacy initiatives.
   
• Recognizing the need to invest in our workforce, Representative Kilmer introduced the Skills Investment Act, which would help workers save for education and job training through the establishment of worker-owned, employer-matched savings plans called Lifelong Learning Accounts.
   
• As a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Representative Kilmer strongly advocates for STEM education programs. Representative Kilmer has cosponsored H.R. 2536, the Computer Science Education Act of 2013, which would make computer science a core academic subject, and H.R. 2587, Planting STEM in the Classroom Act to promote greater awareness of STEM opportunities and encourage partnership between federal workers and students.
   

Recognizing the importance of supporting financial literacy, Representative Kilmer introduced and passed an amendment in the House to H.R. 4984, the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act, to direct universities and the Department of Education to introduce students to the financial management resources provided by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission. As students take on increasingly complex financial responsibilities, these resources can help lay the foundation for a lifetime of responsible financial management.