House Panel Spars Over Scope, Cost of Education Investments in Biden’s Infrastructure Agenda
Hugh T. Ferguson
April 29, 2021
As President Joe Biden marks his first 100 days in office, the House Education and Labor Committee wasted no time in delving into his newly unveiled proposal, the American Families Plan, and how the size and scope of those policies would impact the economy.
Committee leaders in their questions to a panel of education and workforce experts took diametrically opposed views on infrastructure, with Democrats largely praising the federal investments and Republicans decrying fiscal irresponsibility.
House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.) expressed optimism in the potential for an economic recovery from the pandemic, citing the rates of vaccine distribution, but warned that the government would need to address rates of unemployment and the rising costs of higher education to ensure equity.
“These challenges have hit some communities harder than others. This is particularly true for low-income individuals and people of color who entered the pandemic with inadequate access to quality child care, education, health care, and workplace protections.” Scott said. “We cannot be satisfied with a return to the pre-pandemic status quo. We have the responsibility to build back an even better economy.”
