Jim Himes represents Connecticut’s 4th District in the United States House of Representatives where he is serving his seventh term. He serves as the Chair of the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth and the National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee.
Jim grew up as the child of a single working mom in a small town. As a member of Congress, Jim works hard to provide all American children the same opportunities he had to succeed: access to a first-rate public school, affordable and effective health care, a decent and safe home, and a supportive community.
A path to the middle class starts with high-quality education and job training. Nothing is more essential to our long-term prosperity than our children’s ability to become the next generation of entrepreneurs, engineers, teachers, and leaders.
Elementary & Secondary Education
Every child in America deserves access to free high-quality education. We must ensure our schools are robustly funded and work to address educational disparities. In Congress, I regularly vote for increased investments in Title I funding for our schools. I was proud to help pass the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund in the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act, which provided well over $1 billion for Connecticut’s K-12 schools. For years, I have supported efforts to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and meet the federal government’s commitment to cover 40 percent of the costs of educating students with disabilities.
Higher Education & Job Training
In order to meet the demands of the 21st-century job market, students need access to affordable higher education and improved career and technical options. I have long advocated for increased funding for Pell Grants to provide need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students. I have also pushed to expand Pell Grants to include high-quality, short-term training programs. We must do more to address the skills gap by ensuring students and displaced workers are trained for the skills that businesses and industries need.
We need to invest in our education systems and provide the training and skills necessary for Americans to compete. This means supporting our colleges and technical schools and expanding apprenticeship opportunities. I was proud to join my colleagues in the House in passing the National Apprenticeship Act, which would create nearly 1 million apprenticeship opportunities and broaden access to paid, on-the-job training.