The NEA Board came to Washington last week and lobbied Congress on these issues:
GPO/WEP repeal. After the elections, the Social Security Fairness Act (S. 597/H.R. 82) is coming to the House floor—a historic first! Urge your representative to VOTE YES and your senators to push to bring the bill to the Senate floor.
Education funding. Before adjourning until after the elections, Congress passed a stopgap measure to fund the government through Dec. 20. We’re pushing for the largest possible increases—targeting the students most in need—in the final FY2025 education funding bill.
Safe storage of guns. Named for a teenager who accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun, Ethan’s Law (S. 173/H.R. 660) requires common-sense measures that could prevent nearly one-third of all youth deaths from firearms as well as school shootings.
Judicial nominations: Make confirming judges a Senate priority—before the 118th Congress ends, confirm as many as possible who are committed to the issues important to educators, their students, and their students’ families.
Executive nomination: Urge your senators to support Suzanne Summerlin for General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Ms. Summerlin is deputy general counsel and deputy executive director of the Federal Education Association, the NEA affiliate that represents educators in schools for military-connected students.
Help amplify the messages delivered by NEA’s Board last week. Tell Congress what you think!
In solidarity,
Marc Egan
Government Relations Director
National Education Association
Measures included in Ethan’s Law—measures most Americans support—could prevent nearly one-third of all youth deaths from firearms and could prevent school shootings as well.
CHEER:Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) introduced the Parent PLUS Parity Act to ensure equal access to student loan programs for Parent PLUS loan holders.
CHEER:Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) reintroduced a resolution condemning the escalating censorship crisis that has targeted and removed thousands of books from schools, libraries, and universities across the country.
CHEER:Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) reintroduced the NEA-endorsed Climate Change Education Act (S. 4117/H.R. 7946) to establish a Climate Change Education Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
