09.11.07

Maria's Monday Memo

Senator Maria Cantwell's Weekly Update for Washington State

 
 
Congress Returns from Recess with a Full Agenda
 
As summer comes to a close, Congress has returned from August recess to a full agenda, including Iraq, children’s health care, and the farm bill.  Last week, Congress received important reports from several sources on the current situation in Iraq.  Political and security benchmarks are not being met and insufficient progress is being made to resolve the political disputes necessary to stabilize the country. I believe the President needs a new strategy and it is time for the U.S. combat troops to start coming home. The status quo is not acceptable and our soldiers, their families, and the Iraq people deserve better. Ultimately, the future of Iraq must decided by the Iraqi people.  I look forward to hearing more from the General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker status report this week. 
 
Children’s health care is also part of the agenda and I will continue working with Congress to pass the final CHIP bill by the end of the month. Passage of this legislation will provide health care coverage for nearly 10 million children nationwide and will cut in half the amount of uninsured children in Washington state. 
 
As we move into fall, we in the Senate are working toward preparing for the 2007 Farm Bill.  The bill presents us with an excellent opportunity to enhance the food stamp program, put more fresh fruits and vegetables in schools, pursue conservation strategies in conjunction with the agriculture community and encourage the production and use of renewable energy and biofuels.  Washington produces more than 90 percent of the nation’s red raspberries, 74 percent of the hops, and 60 percent of the apples, and over 50 percent of the pears and sweet cherries—protecting these specialty crops are a top priority mine. 
 
I am looking forward to working out the differences between the House and Senate energy bills—both landmark pieces of legislation that take big steps towards improving our environment. We are hoping to take the best of both bills and move America towards a cleaner future.
 
Washington state is the most trade dependent state in the nation. We are working hard to ensure that those hurt in the short-term have a safety net and opportunity to enhance their skills in the workforce.  With Trade Adjustment Assistance set to expire at the end of the month, I am working to pass a TAA bill that increases its training benefits and spreads them to more workers and communities impacted by foreign competition. 
 
Lastly, I hope that the president will use the new opportunity to appoint a nominee for Attorney General who will be free from a political agenda and more fateful to enforcing the law. I am looking forward to working with other Senators during the confirmation process to make sure the President is held accountable for putting forward a candidate that adheres to these principles.
 
 
Making College More Affordable
 
Last week, the Senate voted to make sure more Americans can afford to go to college.  The College Cost Reduction Act provides the most significant increase in student financial aid since the G.I. bill.  The bill makes student aid more accessible for generations to come—it cuts interest rates, caps monthly loan payments, and offers loan forgiveness to those in public service careers, such as nursing, teaching, and law enforcement.  Over the past twenty years, the cost of college has tripled and more and more families have been priced out of better futures for their children as federal aid has fallen behind. To reverse these trends, the bill provides a $20 billion increase nationwide. 
 
Washington state will receive $33 million more in the first year and a total of $334 million over the next five years.  This would increase the average grant in the state by $360 in 2008 to $2,870 and increase the eligibility for students to receive a maximum grant reward.  This bill both makes sure more Americans qualify for federal aid and increases the amount available to each student. That's a huge victory because the best guarantee of a good job in today's global economy is a quality education, and these changes to the financial aid program are long overdue.  As a recipient of Pell Grants myself, I was the first member of my family to graduate from college. Making college more affordable has been of the utmost importance since I took office and I will continue working to make education accessible to everyone.