THE PROBLEM: Charter schools empower parents to play a more active role in their child’s education, open doors for teachers to pioneer fresh teaching methods, encourage state and local innovation, and help students escape underperforming schools. Despite high demand and an estimated 420,000 students on charter school wait lists, significant barriers to quality charter school growth exist. Charter... Read more »
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, recently introduced the Protecting Academic Freedoms in Higher Education Act (H.R. 2117) to defend states, schools, and students from excessive regulatory burdens. THE PROBLEM: Late last year, the Department of Education released a package of regulations they claimed would improve student financia... Read more »
Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, has introduced the first in a series of education reform bills planned by the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Rep. Hunter's legislation, the Setting New Priorities in Education Spending Act (H.R. 1891), would begin the process of weeding out inefficient and unnecessary K-12 educati... Read more »
On April 5, 2010, an underground explosion at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, West Virginia tragically took the lives of 29 miners. As Congress awaits the results of state and federal inquiries into this tragedy, it is vital to legislate responsibly, taking the time to identify the most effective changes to protect underground coal miners. Republicans are committed to toughening... Read more »
Taxpayers are spending billions of dollars each year to combat child hunger and improve the health and wellness of needy children and families. Rather than extending and improving current programs, Democrats have proposed legislation (S. 3307) to dramatically expand the number and scope of federal meal programs – adding billions in new spending, layers of new government mandates, and heavy burdens... Read more »
Today is a very good day for powerful union leaders. Congress was summoned back into session – with great complexity and expense – to vote on a multi-billion dollar bailout for unionized state workers. At the same time, the Obama administration is preparing to rollback reporting requirements for union bosses because of the “burden” of “unnecessary government regulation.” The State Bailout: A Boon ... Read more »
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has summoned House Members back to Washington for a rare August session. What pressing national priority justifies pulling Members back from their districts and constituents? It’s simple. Democrats want another bailout. Doubling Down on Failed Stimulus Democrats already inflated spending on state school systems by nearly $100 billion with their unpopular and ineffective ... Read more »
President Obama traveled to New Jersey today to raise support for his economic policies among small business leaders. It makes sense to hear from small business owners about their ideas to promote a strong and stable economic recovery. After all, they are the nation’s primary source for job creation. Let’s hope this time the president did less talking and more listening because a look at just a fe... Read more »
On April 5, 2010, a massive underground explosion at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, West Virginia tragically took the lives of 29 miners. Immediately, Congress recognized changes were needed to protect underground coal miners – toughening and modernizing mine safety laws, and holding federal regulators and inspectors accountable for enforcing those laws. Democrats Put Speed Ahe... Read more »
The head of President Obama’s “fiscal responsibility” commission recently made headlines for stating the obvious: the nation’s $13 trillion (and counting) in debt is a “cancer” on our country. Erskine Bowles, commission co-chair and former White House Chief of Staff for President Clinton, called for solutions to our debt crisis that address spending, saying, “I just want to see the vast majority c... Read more »
