Education
At his second stop, Southridge High School in Beaverton, Cardona held a roundtable discussion with students and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici about the President's American Family Plan, a proposal that includes two years of free community college. "When graduates of community college graduate, they have a 21% increase in their earning potential," said Cardona. "I think if we really focus on it as a country, we can get it done. And I think it would not only help those students but give us an opportunity to do a better job connecting to the workforce needs in our country."
Tomorrow, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will continue his tour in Oregon to discuss the provisions within President Biden's Build Back Better agenda that provide students pathways to affordable higher education, including providing two years of free community college. During this trip, the Secretary will also discuss the historic investments from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), dedicating money for summer enrichment programs when he visits a bilingual summer enrichment program in Hillsboro, Oregon, funded in part by ARP.
In Oregon, Cardona will hold a roundtable with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) to discuss the president's pledge to publicly fund two years of community college.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) and Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden this week urged President Biden to provide student loan borrowers with urgently needed relief by extending the current pause on payments and interest for federally held student loans.
The Protecting Our Students in School Act would prohibit corporal punishment in schools that receive federal funding, and establish a grant program to help improve school climate and culture. It was introduced June 10 in the U.S. House and Senate by a trio of Democrats: U.S. Reps. A. Donald McEachin of Virgina and Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, along with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.
On June 10, Reps. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) recently reintroduced the Protecting Our Students in School Act of 2021, which takes steps to eliminate the harmful, antiquated practice of hitting children in public schools. In addition to removing corporal punishment in public institutions, the bill puts in place measures to create supportive school climates with positive discipline strategies that are backed by science.
Oregon congresswoman and LCC alumni Suzanne Bonamici joined the ceremony as the keynote speaker and was awarded the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. "As I reflect on the past 17 months of the pandemic, the magnitude of loss of loved ones, jobs, businesses and opportunities remains unfathomable," Bonamici said. "But we've also seen resilience beyond what we might have thought possible."
Oregon received $354 million of the $36 billion dedicated to education in the $1.9 trillion ARPA, according to U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. Within the state the money will be distributed to 29 public and private schools across the state, including Yamhill County's two universities –- George Fox and Linfield –- as well as the two community colleges that operate in the county, Portland Community and Chemeketa. George Fox University will receive $6.94 million in ARPA funds, while Linfield is expected to net $3.99 million.
Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) introduced a bill that would repeal a tax break for business meals implemented by the Trump administration. The bill would redirect the money—which amounts to more than $5 billion over two years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation—to the Child Care and Development Fund. The fund awards grants to state programs to help low-income families find childcare for work-related reasons.