Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

A strong public school system will prepare the next generation of Americans for the jobs of the future and promote economic security. All of America's students should have access to a high-quality education that will create opportunities and help them achieve the American Dream. We must make sure our children receive the tools they need to succeed in school, including early childhood education programs, school modernization projects and investments to increase high-quality learning opportunities.

I am a strong supporter of STEAM education because we need a trained workforce that can compete in the global economy. Introducing students to STEAM activities, like robotics at Jane Addams Junior High, will help make them aware of opportunities and careers they may not know are available to them. I have visited Jane Addams Junior High School, and other STEAM focused programs, to talk to students about careers in manufacturing -- and how they can use their skills to help better their communities. When I visit manufacturers in Illinois they tell me that they have job openings but don't have the right candidates to fill the positions. STEAM education is crucial to providing good jobs for future generations and allowing Illinois businesses to succeed.

Higher education is also important to success in our 21st century economy but remains prohibitively expensive and out of reach for many Americans. I was able to afford to go to college because of Pell Grants, student loans and a part-time job. Investing in scholarships, promoting Pell Grants, and expanding the availability and accessibility of student loan programs are imperative for our nation to provide opportunity for all. I was proud to help introduce H.R. 1595, the Student Loan Relief Act of 2013, a bill that was part of the effort that kept student loan rates from doubling on July 1, 2013.

My guest to the 2015 State of the Union was Homira Wardak, a sophomore at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. Homira's strong work ethic and dedication to her academic studies is inspiring, and she represents students from across the country who can achieve so much when they attend outstanding institutions of higher education.

Investing in early childhood education, promoting STEAM educational opportunities and reigning in the cost of higher education are just some of the ways in which Congress can help create an education system that prepares students for the future.

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