Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Access to quality public education in America is the key to our country's prosperity.

The difference between the Democrats' education record and that of the Republicans is that Democrats support actually funding the education initiatives passed by the Congress, including the No Child Left Behind Act. Only by funding such initiatives can teachers and students best perform to their maximum ability.

The Republican budget this year was $9.4 billion short in funding for the No Child Left Behind Act. That translates into more 2.4 million children not getting the help they need in reading and math. This essentially results in an unfunded mandate on states that are unfairly left holding the bag.

I support expanding Pell Grants and other student aid programs that give Americans from all financial backgrounds access to higher education. It is clearly an issue of priorities and fairness. More federal funds would be available for domestic programs, including education programs, if the money that was given back to the wealthy through a series of Republican tax cuts remained within the federal budget.

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