The NEA Board of Directors will be lobbying on Capitol Hill this week on three issues: the debt ceiling, police reform, and community schools.
Board members will urge lawmakers to raise the debt ceiling without delay, no strings attached. They will stress that education funding has declined by $8.3 billion over the last decade (after adjusting for inflation). They will also make the case for police reform to help prevent more unspeakable tragedies like the murder of Tyre Nichols.
Please join our Board in calling for action via the alerts below.
Looking ahead, on Feb. 13 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the new chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, will hold a town hall at the Capitol to discuss raising compensation—an important element of solving the educator shortage and elevating the profession. NEA President Becky Pringle, AFT President Randi Weingarten, and educators from around the country will participate in a robust discussion led by Sen. Sanders.
The town hall will be livestreamed—stay tuned for a link!
In solidarity,
Marc Egan
Government Relations Director
National Education Association
CHEER: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) reintroduced the Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 715) to require background checks for all purchases of firearms, which an overwhelming majority of Americans support.
CHEER: Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) reintroduced the bipartisan ESP and School Support Staff Family Leave Act to help expand the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and ensure it covers the 2.7 million education support professionals currently blocked from accessing FMLA benefits.
CHEER: Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) reintroduced the African American History Act to help tell the rich, complex history of African Americans, including the impacts of racism, white supremacy, and the struggle for justice.
JEER: Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Ending Common Core and Expanding School Choice Act (H.R. 65) to expand voucher programs that rob public schools of scarce resources.
JEER: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) introduced the SOAR Permanent Authorization Act (S. 69) to renew the District of Columbia voucher program.
