Education

Mr. Chair, Americans' top priority is creating jobs. But six weeks into the 112th Congress, the Republican leadership has yet to bring a single, solitary jobs bill to the floor. Once again, we are here today to exercise one of our primary constitutional responsibilities as members of Congress--to pass appropriations legislation to fund the many basic and essential programs the federal governments, on which millions of Americans rely. Today is an incredible opportunity, for Republicans and Democ... Read more

Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) today released the following statement on President Obama’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2012. “I applaud President Obama’s budget which goes to great lengths to reduce the deficit, while also placing a high priority on investing in education. By including new investments in innovative, outcome-oriented programs that build on the “Race to the Top” model and keeping the maximum Pell Grant at $5,550, his budget helps prepare students for the jobs of the future. It... Read more

After sitting with the Democratic and Republican members of Colorado’s Congressional Delegation to reinforce bipartisan unity, Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) issued the following response to President Obama’s State of the Union address. “Education reform is the cornerstone of my policy agenda, both in Colorado and in Congress. As a Coloradan, I am proud that President Obama highlighted Bruce Randolph in Denver and our state’s success in education reform, which we hope to replicate across the sta... Read more

Last night, Congressman Polis took to the floor of the House of Representatives in support of the DREAM Act—a bipartisan, targeted legislation that gives students who are already here and have grown up in the United States a chance to contribute to our country’s well-being by serving in the Armed Forces or pursuing a higher education. Text of Congressman Polis’ floor speech follows: Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the young people whose futures are impacted by our Congress' failure to ... Read more

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the young people whose futures are impacted by our Congress' failure to find a path forward with regard to the DREAM Act or to find some way of determining what they should do, what they should be--these Stateless individuals, these young people, these children of our Nation. The DREAM Act is truly one of the most, if not the most, important pieces of legislation that we have discussed on the floor of the House. Certainly, for the individuals involved, i... Read more

The DREAM act is one of the most important pieces of legislation I’ve ever discussed on the floor of the House. It means everything to hundreds of thousands of de facto Americans. To them and all of us it is supremely important and supremely urgent. We have a choice between forcing the brain drain from our country or retaining the best and brightest to contribute to our country and make it stronger and more prosperous. The young people covered under this bill are the children any parent would be... Read more

After nearly two years of building momentum and support for a floor vote, Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) today proudly led the House debate in support of the DREAM Act—a bipartisan, targeted legislation that gives students who are already here and have grown up in the United States a chance to contribute to our country’s well-being by serving in the Armed Forces or pursuing a higher education. Text of Congressman Polis’ floor speech follows: “The DREAM act is one of the most important pieces of ... Read more

I rise today in sport of the DREAM Act. The lives of hundreds of thousands of de facto Americans hang in the balance. The DREAM Act would provide a route for young people who were brought here, who know no other country, to take on the full rights and responsibilities as Americans. The DREAM Act is not only a human rights issue, it's an economic issue and it's a competitiveness issue. These young people are some of our very best Americans and it's not an American value to force the sins of the f... Read more

Continuing his push to improve nutrition education and provide healthier school meals, Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) and Chef Ann Cooper praised the passage of critical child nutrition legislation—S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act—containing the most significant improvements to child nutrition, fitness, and school meal programs in more than 30 years, by providing $4.5 billion in new spending over the next 10 years. “As a former Superintendent of a public charter school in Denver a and ... Read more

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Act of 2010. The passage of this bill, which would reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act, is critical to our nation’s children – to their health and well-being, and to their academic success in school. Making sure that our children get a world-class education cannot be accomplished if our children don’t get the proper nutrition to make it through the day and learn. I have a background of involvement in public education, both as Su... Read more