WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) returned to Washington today to help save over 1,500 Connecticut teaching jobs. Nationwide, the bill will keep 161,000 teachers in classrooms and avert the layoffs of 158,000 police officers and firefighters.
“Providing a good education for every child is the most important thing we can do to ensure a prosperous future for our country,” said Himes. “We will not continue to lead the world if we do not give our children—the future workforce—the tools they need to innovate, create, and lead the economy in the 21st century. Because this bill is fully paid for and will not add to the deficit, I am proud to support it.”
The bill is fully paid for. It appropriates $10 billion to provide grants to state and local governments to help them retain and hire teachers and other educational professionals. It also provides $26 billion to extend, for sixth months, increased federal funding to help states cover the costs of their Medicaid and food stamp programs. The bill the House passed today is the Senate amendment to a measure Himes supported last month, but the Senate amendment to the bill must be approved by the House before the legislation can be sent to the president.