Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Issue Position: Education

For 18 years, I worked tirelessly to initiate and pass the Tennessee Lottery to fund college scholarships, after-school programs, and pre-K education for Tennessee's students. Today, I am proud to continue working to improve education from the U.S. House of Representatives. Click on the banner below for more information on how the Tennessee Lottery can help you pay for college.

One of the first legislative issues the Democrats addressed in the 110th Congress was affordability of higher education. I share that concern and have been proud to vote for the Student Loan Sunshine Act to establish requirements for lenders and institutions of higher education in order to protect students and other borrowers receiving educational loans. Among the top achievements of the 110th Congress is the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, signed into law on September 27, 2007. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which makes the largest single investment in college financial aid since the GI Bill of 1944, will help millions of students and families pay for college at no new cost to taxpayers, boosting college aid by roughly $20 billion over the next five years. Roughly 5.5 million low- and moderate-income students will benefit from this increase. The legislation will also cut interest rates on need-based student loans in half, from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent, over the next four years. Additionally, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act will ease the financial burdens college costs impose and expand college access for low-income and minority students by providing tuition assistance for excellent undergraduate students who agree to teach in high-need subjects in high-need schools; investing in minority serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities; encouraging and rewarding public service by providing loan forgiveness for college graduates that go into public service professions; and developing new strategies to help colleges contain tuition costs.

In February 2008, the House passed the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, continuing this Congress' urgent goal of making college more affordable and accessible. The bill addresses the soaring price of college, and removes other obstacles that make it harder for qualified students to go to college. Some of the major provisions of this bill encourage colleges to rein in price increases, restore integrity and accountability to the student loan programs, and increase college aid and support for veterans and military families.

In addition to addressing rising college prices and removing other obstacles families face on the path to college, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act also builds on the Democratic Congress's commitment to investing in minority students. The legislation focuses on expanding college access and preparing minority students for competitive and innovative jobs - a key part of strengthening our workforce and our economy. H.R. 4137 would:
* Expand need-based aid for minority students,
* Strengthen critical college readiness and support programs,
* Make key investments in minority-serving institutions and graduate programs, and
* Simplify the student aid application proves and improve consumer financial literacy.

Additionally, the House adopted an amendment introduced by Rep. George Miller, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor that, among other things, would increase the amount of money available to HBCUs through the federal government's HBCU Capital Financing Program and lower the interest rate for such federal loans. I communicated with Chairman Miller and House leadership for months to advocate for enhanced federal support for LeMoyne-Owen College, Fisk University and other HBCUs around the nation. Prior to adoption of that amendment, I was proud to join Chairman Miller in sponsoring H.R. 4157, a bill to amend the HBCU Capital Financing Program. Supporting LeMoyne-Owen and HBCUs around the nation has been high on my agenda since taking office. In 2007, I cosponsored an amendment with Congressman Jim Cooper (D-Nashville) on H.R. 3043, the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, to increase funding for HBCUs by $125 million or 40 percent. Later versions of the bill, unfortunately, excluded this HBCU funding increase. However, Congressman Cooper's commitment to HBCUs did not wane and neither did mine. In February, I was proud to speak in support of Congressman Cooper's amendment to the College Opportunity and Affordability Act. The measure, which was adopted, will provide extra funds for HBCUs across the country.

Early education and secondary education are at the forefront of our minds this Congress. The House has already reauthorized the Head Start program, a measure that I was proud to support. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) will be reauthorized this year, as well, and I will collaborate with my colleagues to make improvements to the current law. I continue to monitor the development of the NCLB bill to ensure that it includes reasonable mandates and allots sufficient resources to meet them. I strongly support the nation's educators and I will continue supporting initiatives to recruit, train, and retain quality teachers through No Child Left Behind and other legislation, too.

I was proud to receive an A grade on the National Education Association's Legislative Report Card for voting in favor of and cosponsoring legislation advancing NEA's legislative priorities. These votes include the 21st Century Competitiveness Act, to strengthen math and science instruction, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to combat workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

I also cosponsor numerous bills to encourage teachers' professional development and improve America's classrooms, including:

H.R. 582 - Teacher Training Expansion Act, which creates incentives for schools and education groups that provide increased training and support for teachers who work with children with disabilities;

H.R. 2287 - Teacher Tax Credit Act of 2007, which allows an annual $2,000 tax credit for K-12 teachers, instructors, counselors, principals, and aides;

H.R. 2617 - Preparing Excellent Teachers Act of 2007, which supports teacher education and mentoring relationships between new and experienced teachers;

H.R. 1828 - Teaching Fellows Act of 2007, which establishes a national teaching fellowship program to encourage individuals to enter and remain in the field of teaching at public schools;

H.R. 1971 - Teach for America Act, which provides recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting a national teacher corps in underserved communities;

H.R. 2903 - Keep Teachers Teaching of 2007, which promotes teacher retention; and

H.R. 2859 - Prepare All Kids Act of 2007, to assist states in making voluntary high quality full-day pre-kindergarten programs available and economically affordable for the families of all children for at least 1 year preceding kindergarten.

Education is one of the top concerns among families across the 9th District and I am proud to represent the many schools, enrichment centers, institutions of higher education, and others that call Memphis home and educate and enhance our community. I meet regularly with the Memphis Education Association and the Tennessee Education Association, as well as the National Education Association, and I will continue to hear their concerns as Congress works on NCLB and other legislation that affects Tennessee's students. It is an honor to work closely with the esteemed colleges and universities in Tennessee's 9th District; the opportunities they provide for our community are immense and I am committed to supporting them. I secured federal funding for the University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis, and Southwest Tennessee Community College, as well as KIPP Diamond Academy, that totaled over $7,000,000. From my regular school visits to read with young learners and the meetings I hold with university officials and researchers, to my communications with members of the House Education Committee, I enjoy every opportunity to learn about Memphis's needs and to advocate for education at all levels.

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