Education
I am committed to ensuring that every child can access a world-class education, that our teachers and school leaders have the support they need to educate their students, and that every student who works hard and wants to attend higher education is able to afford it.
As a proud member of the Education and Labor Committee since my first term in Congress, I am working hard to improve our education and workforce systems so they work for every child, student, and family in the Greater Lehigh Valley.
Children and Early Learning
Across Pennsylvania, too many families struggle to find high-quality and affordable child care. The cost of child care has increased by 25 percent in the last decade and 50 percent of families live in child care deserts. This is why I am a leader of the Child Care for Working Families Act. This legislation would establish a child care and early learning infrastructure that ensures working families can find and afford the child care they need to succeed in the workforce, and that children will receive the early education they need to thrive.
I am also proud to be a leader on child abuse prevention and treatment, to make sure every child has the resources for a healthy start and to succeed in their early years. I have introduced three bills, the Jenna Quinn Law, the WE CAN Act, and the SPEAK Up Act, which will improve child abuse and prevention programs and reporting.
In addition, I know that for children to be able to learn in the classroom successfully, they need to have their basic needs met. Child hunger and malnutrition is one such basic need that is an issue of the highes moral imperative. That is why I am proud to sponsor the Schools Preventing Hunger in At-Risk Kids Act, which would expand free school meals for more children in need of extra nutrition support.
Higher Education
The Greater Lehigh Valley is lucky to be home to more than 10 institutions of higher education, which provide a range of educational opportunities for students and support our local economy by producing a highly skilled workforce.
I believe that every student who works hard and wants to access higher education should be able to afford it. I am proud to support comprehensive efforts to make our nation’s higher education and workforce development systems more affordable and accessible for all families. During the 116th Congress, I joined in introducing the College Affordability Act, which would comprehensively update our higher education system, lower the cost of college for students, improve the quality of higher education, and expand opportunity by providing students with the support and flexibility they need to succeed while in college and beyond.
Additionally, I am proud to sponsor the Simplifying Student Loans Act, which would reduce the cost of college by making it cheaper and easier for student loan borrowers to repay their federal student loans. I am also proud to sponsor the Expanding Disability Access to Higher Education Act, which would support students will disabilities in applying to college and succeeding while in college, and the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act, which would help colleges and universities better support the mental health needs of their students.
More on Education
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild reintroduced the Simplifying Student Loans Act to reduce the financial burden on current and future borrowers by restructuring the federal student loan repayment system.
Washington, D.C.—Today, H.R. 5407 the bipartisan Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act championed by Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) and Rep. Fred Keller (PA-12) passed the U.S. House of Representatives and heads to the Senate. The bill would amend the Higher Education Act to promote positive mental health among college students.
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Susan Wild (PA-07) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the bipartisan Promoting Responsible Emergency Protocols (PREP) for all Students Act of 2022 to make sure educational institutions are prepared to protect all students — regardless of age, developmental stage, and ability. U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Susan Wild voted to pass H.R. 2471, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, that contains monumental investments for our country and particularly for the Lehigh Valley. The bill will create more good paying American jobs, support the most vulnerable members in our community, and help rein in costs so working families can get ahead in today’s economy. The package delivers critical emergency funding to support Ukraine and the global fight to protect democracy.
“I am extremely proud to have cast my vote today to pass the Build Back Better Act and move forward on an agenda to lower the cost of living, rebuild our economy, and strengthen the middle class. By lowering the cost of some prescription drugs, expanding access to affordable child care and home care for seniors and disabled people, extending the Child Tax Credit, and making universal pre-k available to families across the country, this legislation includes historic investments in a 21st century economy that works for everyone.”
Washington, D.C. -- Today, Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) led a group of her colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to urge him to take necessary steps to support and protect student loan borrowers.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) introduced bipartisan legislation alongside Rep. Fred Keller (PA-12) to combat the student mental health crisis. The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would amend the Higher Education Act to promote positive mental health among college students and encourage more comprehensive planning on college campuses to prevent suicide and other mental health crises. Rep.
WASHINGTON – Today, Reps. Susan Wild (PA-07), Joe Courtney (CT-02) and Donald Norcross (NJ-01), members of the House Committee on Education and Labor, touted investments in child care, education, job training, and child nutrition advanced through the Committee’s section of the Build Back Better Act.
Washington – This week, Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) introduced the Regional Innovation Act of 2021, bipartisan legislation to bolster American technology leadership by creating new regional hubs of innovation. The bill would incentivize collaborative partnerships between local governments, colleges and universities, private industry, non-profits, and community organizations to promote and support regional technology hubs in places like the Greater Lehigh Valley. Rep.
Today, Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) announced she secured funding for nine of the ten Community Project Funding requests she submitted to the House Appropriations Committee on behalf of community projects throughout PA-07.