One of the most important things we do as a society is educate our kids. Opportunity in education is the gateway to opportunity everywhere else -- in our economy, in our society and in our democracy. All children, no matter who they are or where they live, deserve an equal chance to develop their skills and intellect. But today in America, too many...

Senator Alexander’s Response: “No: Congress must find a long-term solution, not a short-term fix” Making Loans Fair for Students and Taxpayers This is the season for high school graduations. More than two million of those graduates are going to college and many of those students will need a loan to help pay for it. On July 1,...

Over the last decade, the U.S. Department of Education has become so congested with federal mandates that it has become, in effect, a national school board. If you remember the childhood game “Mother, May I?,” then you’ll have a pretty good sense of how the process works – states must come to Washington to get...

WASHINGTON — THIS summer, more than nine million undergraduates will take out an average of $6,700 each in federal loans to pay for college next year. They will borrow, on average, $24,803 to earn their degrees. While this continues to be one of the smartest investments they will ever make, Congress should take one step toward making it an...

Last year’s fungal meningitis outbreak was a nightmare for Tennesseans. Our state alone suffered 152 cases, including 15 deaths. Last year’s fungal meningitis outbreak was a nightmare for Tennesseans. Our state alone suffered 152 cases, including 15 deaths. The tragedy would have been much worse if not for the heroism of state officials...

Major news outlets in recent days have reported that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is raising money from the private sector—including from health-care executives—for use by a private entity that is helping to implement ObamaCare. The entity, Enroll America, is run by a former White House...

On Friday, a ruling by a federal court of appeals panel confirmed the worst of what many of us in the Senate have warned about the overreach of President Obama’s administration: The court ruled that President Obama violated the Constitution when he used his recess power to appoint three individuals to the National Labor Relations...

Consider for a moment how many of us have benefited from U.S. research universities’ advances in antibiotics, X-rays or transistors — and how many more sit on pins and needles in anticipation of the next innovations in cancer treatment, spinal cord repair or drought-resistant seeds. Now imagine a world where these American institutions...

EVERYONE knows that today every American’s job is on the line, and that better schools mean better jobs. Schools and jobs are alike in this sense: Washington can’t create good jobs, and Washington can’t create good schools. What Washington can do, though, is shape an environment in which businesses and entrepreneurs can create...

There’s been a lot of talk lately about “making history” on health care. The problem is, there are different kinds of history. In this case, the Democratic majority seems determined to pursue a political kamikaze mission toward a historic mistake. If it succeeds, the result will be disastrous for Democrats in 2010 and,...

Americans need health care reform this year. Republicans believe we must have a health care plan that you can afford and that your government can afford, so your children do not get a big debt piled on top of them.  We must make sure everyone is covered.  And we must make sure that Washington does not come in between you and your...

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander is floating a new education idea in Washington that is worth serious consideration. His plan would provide $500 Pell Grants to underprivileged kids. The money could be used for anything from in-school extracurricular activity expenses to private school tuition. Inside most of today's public and private classrooms, all...