Congressman Dave Loebsack today continued his fight to expand access to higher education by strengthening the Pell Grant program, which supports low income students, in a thoughtful, strategic way. As a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Loebsack has championed numerous pieces of legislation to increase access to higher education and specifically Pell Grants. He authored a provision that created the year-round Pell program in the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which wa... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today joined Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) in introducing legislation that will keep student loan interest rates at 3.4 percent for an additional two years. On June 1, 2013, interest rates on student loans are set to double to 6.8 percent from 3.4 percent if Congress does not act. Last year, as the only member of the Iowa delegation to serve on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, which has jurisdiction over this legislation, Loebsack helped lead the fight to en... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today reintroduced the Working to Encourage Community Action and Responsibility in Education (WE CARE) Act to help ensure that schools and communities work together with families to meet student needs inside and outside the classroom. The WE CARE Act will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to more strategically engage the community in the education of our students. “I grew up in poverty, so I know the big difference community supports can make in a ... Read more

Today, Congressmen Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Tom Petri (WI-06) introduced bipartisan legislation that would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to emphasize the importance of 21st Century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity and innovation, and collaboration. The 21st Century Readiness Act (H.R. 2536) gives states and districts added flexibility to develop and enhance these skills as part of their own initiatives. “Today's students will need more than reading, writin... Read more

Today, Congressman Dave Loebsack introduced the Statistics Teaching, Aptitude, and Training Act of 2011 (STAT Act) to improve statistics education and statistical literacy. “Our nation’s economy is becoming increasingly reliant on data, and organizations and businesses need employees with statistical knowledge and skills,” said Loebsack. “Unfortunately, many students are often unprepared to fill this demand. This legislation would help us to emphasize statistics education and make sure that our ... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) issued the following statement regarding the President’s joint address this evening: “The President’s address tapped into some of the worries and concerns that I have been hearing around Iowa. A renewed commitment to the key drivers of the economy, the middle-class and Main Street, is essential to moving Iowa and the rest of the country forward. “From advancing my workforce development initiatives to spur industry growth though jobs training, to infrastructure pr... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA), in conjunction with Congressman Ben Chandler (D-KY) and several colleagues, wrote to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Leaders Steny Hoyer and John Boehner, and Chairmen George Miller, David Obey, and Barney Frank, urging them to include energy-efficient school modernization into a comprehensive jobs package to aid our economy. Congressman Loebsack’s 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act has strong, bipartisan support, passed the House previously t... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) introduced the Hunger Free Schools Act to increase access to school meals programs, enhance children’s learning, and support a robust farm and food economy. The Hunger Free Schools Act ensures that children who are eligible for free school meals receive them and that those children are enrolled with minimum paperwork. The bill focuses on automatically enrolling low income children for free school meals and on providing free school meals to all children in schools... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has authorized checks for up to $3,000 to be given to students who have applied for educational benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill but who have not yet received their government payment. Due to a backlog, many students have not received their education benefits. The checks will be distributed to eligible students at VA regional benefits offices across the country starting Oct. 2, 2009. “I know from first-ha... Read more

Today Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) voted to make college more accessible, transform the way our student loan programs operate, modernize our schools, and strengthen our community colleges – all at no additional cost to taxpayers. Additionally, the Congressman’s green school initiatives as well as several components of his workforce development legislation were added into the final bill. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) is a major step forward in President Obama’s initiat... Read more