John Boehner, January 16, 2004

The new year has been underway for some time now, but the new legislative year is just getting started. 2004 is a unique year - mainly because of the upcoming presidential election. Compared to non-campaign years, this may lead some to believe there will be massive "political gridlock" throughout 2004. However, there are some important legislative items Congress will tend to during the year ahead. And, similar to years past, many of these legislative issues fall into my own House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Heading into the new legislative season, jobs and education are the top domestic policy concerns for many Americans. Over the last several years, I’ve worked on a variety of legislative projects impacting both of these issues - ranging from the No Child Left Behind Act to pension protection measures to legislation making health insurance more affordable and available to employers and employees. This year will be no different. Here’s a brief preview of a few of the higher-profile jobs and education issues my Committee and the Congress will tackle in 2004.

Confronting College Costs. This year, Congress is set to renew the chief federal law impacting colleges and universities and the students who attend them: the Higher Education Act. In fact, the increasing importance of a college education - coupled with the troubling trend of out-of-control college cost increases - makes this renewal one of the most pressing items on the congressional agenda.

Our Committee will consider legislation to make information about college cost increases more available to parents and students (the consumers of higher education) and to encourage federally-subsidized colleges and universities to do more to avoid tuition hikes that hurt students and parents. We’ll also ensure student aid programs are fairly administered and serving those students most in need, refocusing the Higher Education Act on its original mission. If you are a student or parent seeking more information on the "college cost crisis" or looking for a place to voice your own opinion, I invite you to visit the Committee’s website at http://edworkforce.house.gov. You’ll find a special "College Cost Central" with up-to-the-minute news on the Higher Education Act and even a special online survey focused on rising college tuitions and fees. Results will be tabulated and used during the Higher Education Act debate in our Committee later this year.

Job Training. Expanding the economy and creating new jobs has been a top priority, especially in the wake of the recent recession and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The pro-growth agenda the President has proposed - cutting taxes for all working Americans, encouraging investment by small business owners, and reducing the marriage penalty and the death tax - is working. Just as it’s important to follow the proven path of tax relief, we also need to provide more job training for workers struggling to compete in our rapidly-evolving economy. Last year, my Committee and the House approved a legislative package to do just that. The measure would sharpen our nation’s premier job training system (known as the "One Stop Career Centers" system) by streamlining bureaucracy and opening the door for faith-based job training providers to do what they do best: train job-seekers. The package now awaits Senate approval before the President will sign it into law.

Special Education and Head Start. Last year, my Committee and the House approved two education measures that now await Senate action. One bill would dramatically reduce the amount of paperwork for special education teachers - a major burden for these particular educators - and continue to build upon the major federal special education funding increases we’ve enacted over the past several years. And another seeks to strengthen our early childhood education programs by maintaining Head Start’s strong health and nutrition programs while aiming to close the school "readiness gap" by improving the program’s academic components. President Bush is eager to sign both bills into law.

During the campaign season, we’ll hear a great deal about jobs and education. And for good reason: these issues impact all of us. But amidst all of the political rhetoric sure to fill the airwaves and headlines in the months ahead, we’ll be taking action on Capitol Hill on both--setting the stage for some lively legislative debates in 2004.

Congressman John Boehner, a Republican, represents the Eighth Congressional District of Ohio.