Congressman John B. Larson proudly represents Connecticut's First District. Now in his twelfth term, John sits on the influential House Ways and Means Committee—including the Subcommittee on Tax Policy and the Social Security Subcommittee, where he serves as the Chairman. Throughout his time in Congress, John has proven himself a staunch advocate for Connecticut's working families, our manufacturing and small business ecosystem, and commonsense solutions for the problems Americans face everyday.
Born and raised in the federal housing project of Mayberry Village in East Hartford, John is fond of saying he is the product of public housing, public education, and public service. His father, Raymond, worked for Pratt & Whitney, while his mother, Pauline, served on the Town Council. John graduated from East Hartford High School in 1967 and from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in 1971.
It is crucial everyone has access to high-quality education at all levels. As a former teacher, Representative Larson knows the importance of education and is working to ensure every student has access to what they need to succeed.  
During Rep. Larson's time in the Connecticut State Senate, he worked with Dr. Ed Zigler, a visionary fighting for education and families. Rep. Larson's legislation creating a pilot for Family Resource Centers, which were eventually expanded across the state, was based on Dr. Zigler's model for "school-based or school-linked childcare and family support services designed to promote the optimal growth and development of children beginning at birth." Now, he continues this fight to ensure all students have the resources to thrive.
Pre-Kingergarten:
Research shows the best way to lay a strong foundation for learning is giving students access to pre-kindergarten. All students benefit from starting school earlier but the impacts are particularly pronounced for lower-income students. Universal Pre-K is a necessary tool to lower the achievement gap.
Parents must be able to send their children to the preschool setting of their choice—from public schools to childcare providers to Head Start—leading to lifelong educational benefits, allowing more parents to go back to work, and building a stronger foundation for Connecticut's future economic competitiveness.
K-12:
All of our children deserve a safe and quality education, and the future of our country depends on keeping up with global competition. Rep. Larson is fighting to ensure the federal government is supporting our children and their educators.  
Our schools, like much of our national infrastructure, are in desperate need of repair. It is estimated there is $46 billion
 in work that must be done to bring them up to adequacy. Rep. Larson introduced the America Wins Act, a bill that would provide $30 billion over ten years for education infrastructure.
Above all, schools must be a safe and secure environment for students and teachers. Unfortunately, Congress has abdicated its responsibility to take action. Gun violence is a complex issue but the answer is not allowing guns into our schools. For more information on Rep. Larson's gun violence prevention efforts, see here.  
College Education: 
The cost of college is skyrocketing, putting higher education out of reach for some and saddling others with decades of student debt. Not only is this a burden on individuals but it's a drag on our economy. 
Rep. Larson has supported numerous pieces of legislation to forgive student debt and make college more affordable for future students. Additionally, Rep. Larson introduced the ACTION for National Service Act, which would give all students access to higher education. For every year of service an individual gives the country through a program like AmeriCorps, the person would receive funding equivalent to two years of state school tuition to be used for tuition payments or student loan repayment. For more information about ACTION for National Service, see here.