Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

As the father of two young daughters, the quality of our nation's education system is a high priority for me. Through quality education, we can prepare our most precious resource -- our children -- for a life of prosperity. And, as the proud home of multiple universities, including the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University, higher education is a signature industry of our region. It is important to ensure that our students are academically prepared for and can afford higher education, that our universities are well funded, and that our public school teachers have the resources they need to enrich our students. I will continue working to promote greater educational opportunity at all levels, while creating an economy that can provide the ultimate incentive for all of those years of hard work -- a fulfilling career.

During the 113th Congress, I have supported important education initiatives:

* I cosponsored H.R. 1032, the Making College Affordable Act. This legislation would help families save for college by increasing the tax exempt contributions that can be made to a Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA).

* I supported H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for Fiscal Years 2014-2019. This legislation eliminates and consolidates more than 70 redundant or poorly functioning federal programs, saving taxpayer money. By prohibiting the Department of Education from imposing certain conditions and state standards and assessments on state and local school systems and streamlining how federal money goes to our public schools, this legislation empowers local teachers, administrators, and parents. H.R. 5 passed the House of Representatives with my support on July 19, 2013.

* I supported H.R. 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act, which passed the House with my support and became law on August 9, 2013. This legislation moves all new student loans to market-based interest rates, preventing the politically manufactured doubling of federal student loans due to the previous rates' expiration. The Smarter Solutions for Students Act is a permanent solution that makes college more certain and affordable for those using federal student loans.

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