I’m proud of my work on the Every Student Succeeds Act that provided the first update to No Child Left Behind in the last decade and will give power back to state and local governments and strengthen our education system by rolling back Common Core. 

I helped pass the STOP School Violence Act that invests in early intervention and prevention programs to stop school violence before it happens. This legislation will create grants to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement to identify signs of violence and prevent people from harming themselves or others. We must work to end incidents of gun violence in our schools, and I was proud to help this legislation become law.

As the first member of my immediate family to graduate from college, I understand how important college affordability is to students. My year-round Pell Grant initiative was successfully signed into law, allowing North Country students to access Pell funding during the summer.

Overwhelming student loan payments are holding millions back from buying homes, starting families, and saving for retirement. I’ve worked with my colleagues to introduce legislation that provides graduates and our next generation of workers with a powerful tool to pay off student loans faster while starting their careers.

One issue I hear from businesses is their desire to find more employees who are not only technically proficient, but that can also think outside the box and possess creative and design skills. That is why I introduced an amendment to the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act that integrates arts and design into the curriculum.