Education and Workforce

As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, and being the first in her family to graduate from college, McMorris Rodgers is committed to ensuring students have every opportunity possible to gain access to quality education.

Providing quality education is key to increasing America’s competitiveness and creating a skilled, 21st century workforce. Today, over half of China’s undergraduate degrees are in math, science, technology and engineering. Yet, only 16 percent of American undergraduates pursue these fields. To meet the demands of an increasingly advanced, global market we must better train and equip our nation’s workforce.

Education Accomplishments

• Passed amendment enhancing American competitiveness in math, science and foreign language to increase the number of students entering these critical fields

• Supports legislation focusing on academic achievement and working to ease the transition from high school to postsecondary opportunities

• Successfully fought to keep the Perkins Loan Program from being eliminated in the FY06 and FY07 budgets

• Introduced the bipartisan American Competitiveness Amendment to H.R. 609: The College Access and Opportunity Act. The amendment strengthens American competitiveness by increasing the number of teachers qualified to teach advanced placement courses and authorizing the recruitment of well-qualified Americans to serve as adjunct teachers in secondary school.
  

Legislation Cosponsored

HR 2386 College 529 Invest in Education Savings for Tomorrow Act
Makes permanent the tax provisions relating to Section 529 state college savings plans. A Section 529 plan is a state administered college savings program that encourages planning for college education through carefully targeted tax provisions.

H.R.4097 Family Education Reimbursement Act of 2005
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a Family Education Reimbursement Account Program to assist hurricane displaced students during the 2005-2006 school year.

Press Releases

•McMorris Rodgers Introduces Legislation to Help Keep America Competitive (July 31, 2007)
•McMorris Rodgers Supports Online Scholarship Database for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Students (June 6, 2007)
• McMorris Rodgers Leads Bipartisan Effort to Restore Funding to Perkins Loans Program (March 20, 2007)
• McMorris Supports Student Loan Bill, While Advocating for Increased Access to College for Current and Future Students (January 17, 2007)
• McMorris Votes to Expand Access to Higher Education (March 30, 2006)
• McMorris Introduces Amendment to Increase America’s Competitiveness (March 29, 2006)
• McMorris Fights to Save Perkins Loan Program (March 28, 2006)
• Deficit Reduction Act expands college access for low- and middle-income students in Eastern Washington (December 2, 2005)
• McMorris Holds Education and Workforce Roundtables (August 31, 2005)
• McMorris Announces Gains in Student Achievements (July 18, 2005)