Obey Honored as an Advocate for Education

WASB and NSBA honor Congressman with Special Recognition Award

(posted 9/8/08)

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) presented U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI) with the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Special Recognition Award on Thursday, Sept. 4 in Wausau for his leadership in restoring key education funding in the 2008 federal budget.

“Thank you for this recognition,” said Obey after accepting the award. “As far as I’m concerned, the two most important things politicians need to do on the domestic front are to provide education to every kid in the country and to provide access to healthcare for every kid in the country.”

To ensure that education advocacy efforts are continued, Obey said the most important action voters can take is to elect candidates that support education funding and initiatives.

“We should elect our representatives on the basis of if they are competent and have the right set of values to produces outcomes that benefit the great middle class of this country,” Obey said. “My advice is to get involved before it counts. Politics isn’t a sideline sport and neither is democracy.”

As chairman of the U.S. House of Represntatives’s Committee on Appropriations, Obey led the fight in preserving school funding. In the last budget, Obey helped increase special education funding by $175 million even though the budget presented to him would have slashed funding by $300 million. He also helped restore funding for educational technology, innovative educational state grants, school counseling and supplemental educational opportunity grants.

“Congressman Obey has made education a priority,” said WASB President Tim Sivertson. “He recognizes that this nation faces immense challenges in its promise to all students to remain competitive in the global economy.”

Recognizing the importance of preparing students for the 21st century, Obey rejected the president’s efforts to cut back on K-12 learning initiatives such as after school programs, 21st century community learning centers and career and technical education. He has also helped restore funding to help schools with transporting children with disabilities.

“You’ve certainly benefited our district,” Chetek superintendent Al Brown said to Congressman Obey. “If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have some of the things that we have now.”