Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  I commend Leader Reid, Chairman Harkin, Chairman Baucus, and Senator Dodd for their leadership that has brought us to this critical point.  We are on the verge of passing historic legislation that will do more than any bill in recent history to make our country healthier, our economy more stable, and our working families more secure. ....

The Bemidji Pioneer highlights the reactions of Minnesota's senators to the Health Reform bill introduced by Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday.

The Fostering Success in Education Act will improve school stability by directing child welfare agencies to collaborate with local education agencies (LEAs) to ensure that foster children remain in their current schools after they move to new school districts, when it is in their best interest to do so.

“A quality education can serve as a positive counterweight to the abuse, neglect, and instability that homeless children and children in foster care have experienced,” said Senator Franken, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “That’s why Senator Murray and I are introducing legislation to increase their educational stability and success. The loss of a home or the very placement of children in foster care has deprived many children of their opportunity to obtain a decent education. It’s time that we listen to these youth and take steps to ensure that we don’t deprive homeless and foster children of their right to an equal education.”