We must ensure that every child in the United States has access to a high-quality education. I am committed to increasing our nation's investment in early learning programs, elementary and secondary schools, public universities, and career and technical education programs. I will fight for policies that strengthen our education system by closing the achievement gap, raising standards for student achievement, and giving our teachers the support they need to help all kids reach their full potential. I understand that having a well-educated workforce is critical for our nation to remain competitive in a 21st century economy.
To guarantee that all students are given an opportunity to succeed, Congress must do more to meet the challenges facing our schools. I believe we need to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to ensure that all graduating students are college- and career-ready, and to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to support job training efforts for the careers of tomorrow. I believe we need to expand access to higher education by strengthening the Pell Grant program, and to reduce the burden of student debt by protecting low interest rates for federal student loans. I also believe we need to do more to support STEM education, as well as student innovation and creativity. I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to support each of these goals for the people of the 1st Congressional District.