E-Newsletter

E-Newsletter
October 28, 2005

Dear Friends:

College tuition is soaring and our economy needs a highly educated and skilled workforce. So it is particularly troubling that Republicanson the House Education and Workforce Committee this week passed more than $14 billion in federal student aid - the largest cuts in history. Expanding access to higher education should be our nation's priority, not divesting from education to pay for tax cuts and the war in Iraq.

Democrats on the Education and Workforce Committee defeated a Republican attempt to sneak a highly controversial school voucher plan into legislation aiding K-12 students and schools affected by Hurricane Katrina. Despite its failure in commitee, Republican will continue to include the vouncher proposal as part of a budget reconciliation package they will send to the House Budget Committee next week. Tens of thousands of students will be hindered from returning to school if this Republican voucher plan is included in the disaster relief bill.

Today, my colleagues and I voted on a resolution condemning the vile statement made this week by Iran's president when he called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." Such words are not empty rhetoric but poison aimed at inspiring hate, violence and terrorism. Please click here to read my full floor statement.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Serving Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District

http://www.mccollum.house.gov/vertical/Sites/%7B6CD95013-7C42-4AD8-A464-EB8D8679E9C9%7D/uploads/%7BEB050EBD-A83D-46CD-A7FF-6FC7416E0F87%7D.PDF