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Rep. Angie Craig Fights for Special Education, Career and Technical Skills and Rural Healthcare Resources

June 13, 2019

Rep. Craig’s amendments to stress importance of funding for special education, Perkins Grants, rural healthcare adopted by House

Today, amendments to a House spending package that U.S. Rep. Angie Craig introduced to stress the importance of special education funding, career and technical education, and rural healthcare were adopted by the House.

Rep. Craig came to Congress to fight for economic opportunity for Minnesota families - that's why she introduced amendments to prioritize funding for special education and Perkins grants, as well as an amendment to increase funding for rural healthcare programs.

Fully funding special education helps every Minnesota student succeed and ensures that schools have all the resources they need to give students a high-quality education. Rep. Craig introduced this amendment with Rep. Pete Stauber, continuing their bipartisan push for a high quality education for every student. The amendment was adopted by the House this morning, and the package itself provides over $14 billion for special education, a nearly 8% increase over the 2019 enacted level.

As a member of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, Rep. Craig knows that Minnesota's economy depends on bright, talented young people having the skills they need to succeed in high-paying, high-skilled jobs. To that end, she introduced an amendment to ensure Congress prioritizes funding for Perkins Grants, which help young people attend Career and Technical Training programs, contribute to our economy, and rethink post-secondary education.

Rep. Craig also introduced an amendment to give the Health Resources and Services Administration's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy additional resources. Specifically, Rep. Craig's amendment would help the agency coordinate and prioritize its work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is tasked with establishing a Rural Health Liaison by the 2018 Farm Bill.

Once fully established, the Rural Health Liaison will be responsible for working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service to better coordinate rural health resources across federal agencies to ensure every Minnesota family has access to the care they need, no matter where they live.

"I'm honored to see these critical amendments move through the House as they reflect the priorities of the working families I hear from when I travel across the district," said Rep. Craig. "Fully funding special education, expanding job opportunities for young people, and working to expand healthcare in rural areas demonstrate an investment in the economic opportunity of every Minnesotan, and a commitment to the idea that everyone should have a fair shot to earn a good life in this country."

In Congress, Rep. Craig Serves on the House Agriculture Committee where she advocates for policies that make the voices of rural Minnesotans heard. She is also a member of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, and continues to work across the aisle to advocate for the passage of the IDEA Full Funding Act, which would require the federal government to meet its obligation to fully fund special education.