Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

A good education system is the foundation of our nation's future. We have a responsibility to ourselves and to our children to make sure that future generations have the tools they need to succeed and to compete in the 21st century.

In order to give our nation's students the tools they need to succeed in school and in life, I support:

* Access to quality early education programs, such as Head Start
* 21st century facilities and green schools
* Robust STEM education
* Bullying and violence protection and awareness and safe school environments
* Increased access and affordability for higher education (For more information on federal aid programs, visit my Students' Page)

I also supported many bills in the 111th Congress that improve our students' chances for success. I proudly voted for H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. While this was not signed into law, provisions of this legislation were included in H.R. 4872, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which I voted for and President Barack Obama signed into law on March 30, 2010. This law reformed the student loan system by originating all student loans through the federal Direct Loan program, raising the maximum award for Pell Grants, and saving $61 billion over ten years by cutting wasteful subsidies to private lenders. I also supported H.R. 106, the American Opportunity Tax Credit Act, which aims to make higher education more affordable for all Americans by providing a tax credit for higher education expenses.

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