NEA Vice President Princess Moss participated in two events on Capitol Hill last week.

A “shadow” hearing convened by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) explored the adverse effects of the reconciliation bill on K-12 education. In addition to NEA Vice President Moss, Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) attended.

“As the Trump administration continues to attack our nation’s public school students and educators, we must continue to organize, advocate, and mobilize for the public schools our students and neighborhoods deserve,” NEA Vice President Moss said.

A town hall on Capitol Hill led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) explored the teacher pay crisis. Participants included NEA Vice President Moss, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), AFT President Randi Weingarten, and more than 100 educators across the country.

“Forty percent of teachers have to work extra jobs just to make ends meet.” Sen. Sanders said. “The situation has become so absurd that four hedge fund managers on Wall Street make more money in a single year than every kindergarten teacher in America combined—nearly 120,000 teachers.”

NEA Vice President Moss applauded Sen. Sanders for introducing the Pay Teachers Act and Sen. Markey for introducing the Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act. Both bills take important steps to give educators the recognition, respect, and compensation they deserve.

Meanwhile, recent events once again confirmed the importance of raising our voices in support of educators and public education.

At the end of June, the Department of Education announced it is withholding nearly $7 billion in FY2025 education funding. In response to bipartisan pressure from constituents and members of Congress, on July 18 the administration pledged to release about one-fifth of the money—$1.3 billion—for summer and after-school programs.

Tell Congress what you think!

In solidarity,