Education Department Priorities Restore Competitiveness and Rebuild Economy, Secretary Duncan tells Congress
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan testified today before the House Education and the Workforce Committee emphasizing important progress made in education during President Obama’s first term and highlighting urgent educational challenges that remain, such as rewriting the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
“Education is not just an expense—it’s an investment,” said Secretary Duncan. “In fact, it is one of the most critical investments in the future that we, as a Nation, can make. America cannot win the race for the future without investing in education—it’s that simple.”
President Obama’s fiscal year 2014 budget reflects a strong commitment to students and families. Specifically, the president’s budget increases federal investment across several key education programs including: early learning aimed at ensuring all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and life, K-12 education that makes school safer, rigorous, and attuned to needs of the whole child, and making college affordable for all, especially low-income students.
“For each of the past two years, Republicans have released budgets filled with giveaways to the wealthiest Americans at the expense of educating our nation’s children,” said Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. “In contrast, I’m glad to see the president’s fiscal year 2014 budget proposal seeks to ensure our nation is equipped to grow our economy and help retain our global competitiveness.”
Miller drew stark contrasts between the president’s budget and the budget released by House Republicans in March. Unlike President Obama’s proposal, the proposed Republican budget for fiscal year 2014 drastically cuts vital education resources and makes it more difficult for students to get a college education and pay off debt. The Republican budget not only leaves in place the across-the board cuts known as sequestration but calls for more cuts to education programs across the country, freezes the maximum Pell award at fiscal year 2013 levels for the next ten years, and allows interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent for 7.2 million students.
Last week, Republicans on the committee passed legislation that would make a college education more expensive by charging students and families nearly $4 billion more in higher interest payments for their loans. The independent, nonpartisan Congressional Research Service estimates that students and parents will pay more for their student loans under the Republican plan – more even if interest were to double on July 1.
Miller also pointed out the urgent need for Congress to work together to reform and update the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in order to address current national needs and the laws' shortfalls. In the face of Congressional inaction, the Department has awarded 37 states and the District of Columbia needed relief from parts of ESEA.
“I wish we did not need to discuss waiver renewals. I wish we were working in a bipartisan fashion to renew this law—the way we have done for years. It’s the only way we could get a bill to the president’s desk and signed into law,” said Miller.
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