Education

If there is one objective that should command absolute bipartisan consensus, it is that every child should have access to a good education and an opportunity to succeed in life. As a nation, one of the most important priorities should be to ensure that all Americans have the best education in the world. It is vital to the interest of our nation that we maintain quality public education.

In our global economy, receiving a good education has never been more important. A quality education includes a host of activities, all of which need and deserve full funding. Programs that serve a variety of student groups, from pre-kindergarten to college students to adults seeking education, have one common goal: to provide the tools our citizens need to succeed in today's economy.

In addition, our educational system needs to be held accountable to the taxpayers who support this public system. Although the vast majority of funds which contribute to our public schools come from local and state taxes with the federal share accounting for a much smaller percentage, I believe that federal government has a critical role in assisting states to develop high education standards and supplementing state funding efforts with targeted programs. 

Below are some of the key pieces of legislation I have supported in the 111th and 110th Congress' to provide Americans with access to a good education.

K-12 Education: As states begin tackling a projected $350 billion in budget shortfalls these investments will prevent cuts to critical education programs and services.  ARRA includes $200 million for competitive grants to school districts and states to provide financial incentives for teachers and principals who raise student achievement and close the achievement gaps in high-need schools and $100 million for competitive grants to states to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce.  The Act also includes $1 billion for 21st century classrooms, including computer and science labs and teacher technology training.  According to preliminary estimates provided by the Congressional Research Service, El Paso-area school districts could receive tens of millions of dollars in funding for construction and renovation projects, Title I grants to help disadvantaged children, and grants for IDEA special education.  In addition, I will work with my colleagues in the 111th Congress to ensure the National School Lunch Program [http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/] provisions in the Child Nutrition Act receive funding so that children throughout America have access to well-balanced meals. 

Early Childhood Development:  ARRA includes a $2 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant in order to provide child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work.   The Head Start Program will receive $2.1 billion to provide comprehensive development services to help 110,000 additional children succeed in school. The IDEA Infants and Families program will received $600 million for formula grants to help states serve children with disabilities age 2 and younger.

Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (Signed into law May 7, 2008)

In recent months, turmoil in the U.S. credit markets has made it difficult for some lenders in the federally guaranteed student loan program to secure the capital needed to finance college loans, leading some lenders to scale back their lending activity. While no student or college has reported any problems accessing federal student aid to date, it is only prudent for the federal government to make sure that contingency plans are in place that would provide students and families with continued, uninterrupted access to federal loans, regardless of what’s happening in the credit markets. Signed into law on May 7, 2008, the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 provides new protections, in addition to those in current law, to ensure that families can continue to access the loans they need to pay for college.

America Competes Act  (Signed into law August 9, 2007)

The America Creates Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science (America COMPETES) Act became law on August 9, 2007. The act responds to concerns that the United States may not be able to compete economically with other nations in the future due to insufficient investment today in science and technology research and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development. The America COMPETES Act is intended to increase the nation's investment in science and engineering research and in STEM education from kindergarten to graduate school and postdoctoral education. It is designed to focus on two perceived concerns believed to influence future U.S. competitiveness: inadequate research and development funding to generate sufficient technological progress, and inadequate numbers of American students proficient in science and mathematics or interested in science and engineering careers relative to international competitors.

College Access and Cost Reduction Act  (Signed into law September 27, 2007)

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act (H.R. 2669) was signed into law on September 27, 2007.  This law provides the single largest increase in college aid since the GI bill.  It will do so at no new cost to taxpayers by cutting excess subsidies paid by the federal government to lenders in the student loan industry.