All In: Student Pathways Forward

Federal Policy Episode - Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici & National Skills Coalition Managing Director of Government Affairs, Katie Spiker

November 22, 2021 Marc Goldberg Season 1 Episode 108
All In: Student Pathways Forward
Federal Policy Episode - Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici & National Skills Coalition Managing Director of Government Affairs, Katie Spiker
Show Notes

This special edition of the All In: Student Pathway Forward podcast is focused on federal policy with a featured guest who is one of the strongest legislative champions in Congress for community colleges and workforce development, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, serving Oregon's 1st congressional district. Congresswoman Bonamici discusses how her federal policy work supporting community college students and workers has been shaped by her own community college student experience at Lane Community College. The Congresswoman talks about her leadership on current legislation that addresses the unmet financial need of community college students and emphasizes the different paths a student or worker can take to thrive including community college and workforce development programs but also registered apprenticeships. 

Katie Spiker, the Managing Director of Government Affairs at the National Skills Coalition, provides a valuable update from the Hill on the historic passage of the infrastructure bill and describes the status of the Build Back Better Act. She offers a helpful summary of what funding can assist higher education students, workers, apprentices and small and medium sized businesses in these two key pieces of legislation. Katie also shares how important it is for community college students, faculty, staff and champions to continue to advocate for legislation towards an inclusive economic recovery. 

The interviews with Congresswoman Bonamici and Katie Spiker were recorded prior to the House of Representatives passing the Build Back Better Act on Friday, November 19.