Late last night the House wrapped up their business for the week by passing the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137) and the Economic Stimulus Package. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act provides access to college for low- and middle-income students by strengthening Pell Grants, exposing problematic financial aid practices, and updating programs to better meet the needs of the current student populations. It is an injustice when skyrocketing tuition forces potential students to withdraw or abandon their dreams of pursuing higher education. This legislation holds colleges and universities accountable to ensure that students from all walks of life have access to the same programs, benefits, and services when pursuing higher education.

After weeks of discussing the economic stimulus plan, the House passed the updated version of the bill that extends the rebates to include seniors who live off their Social Security benefits, as well as our disabled veterans. This extension ensures that those who made this country what it is today receive funding from the package. Although this package will provide a short-term fix by offering relief to cash strapped Americans and businesses, it is important to note that this plan is only a short-term solution. Over the next few weeks and months, Congress will be discussing how to stabilize our economy for the long-haul and it is my hope that these talks are held in the same bipartisan fashion as the past few weeks.

 Also yesterday I cosponsored a resolution to condemn the inexcusable action of the Berkeley, CA City Councils’ treatment of U.S. Marines. On January 29, the Berkeley City Council passed three resolutions regarding the Marine Corps.  The first directed the City Attorney to investigate Marine recruiters for violating the city’s anti-discrimination laws.  The second directed the City Manager to send letters to the Marines telling them that they were “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”  The third commended Code Pink for its harassment of the Marines. The behavior of the Berkeley City Council is disgraceful. The City Council has chosen to voice their displeasure with the war at the expense of our brave men and women in uniform. It is my hope that this resolution will come to the floor next week so we, on both sides of the aisle, can reaffirm our commitment to the U.S. Marines.

Permalink |