Last month, Franken introduced a bill that would aim to improve how principals are trained and guided throughout their careers. Cosponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and three others, the bill would create competitive five-year matching grants for school districts and their partners to work to recruit and train principals for high-needs schools.

Aspiring principals would do a year-long “residency” in such a school before taking a job. New and experienced principals in the program would agree to spend at least four years at the helm of a high-needs school and receive on-the-job training and mentoring.

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Sen. Al Franken, D–Minn., issued this statement Thursday morning following the Senate’s approval of the health care legislation:

“Too many Minnesotans – too many Americans – are suffering as a result of our broken health care system.”

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St. Paul, Minn. — U.S. Senator Al Franken says next year’s re-writing of the No Child Left Behind education law should include more money to train school principals.

The DFL-er has introduced legislation that would establish federal grants to pay for an apprentice program that places aspiring or current principals in high-need schools.

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WASHINGTON — Sen. Al Franken’s remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday left little doubt how he planned to vote on a landmark bill to overhaul the nation’s health care system.

Franken, D-Minn., spoke clearly in support of the legislation, which the Senate is expected to pass early Christmas Eve on a strictly party-line vote.

In fact, clarity was the theme of the speech by the junior senator from Minnesota as he accused the bill’s critics of “deliberately confusing” Americans about what’s in it. And he chided supporters of the bill for “overselling” it.

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How, in 2009, can a large U.S. corporation maintain a culture of tolerance for assault and abuse within its own ranks? How can a company that purports to support our men and women in uniform and our defense missions overseas deny an American citizen her day in court?

In an era in which government has delegated significant responsibility and taxpayer dollars to private contractors in supporting our military, Congress has even greater responsibility to monitor how these contractors do business.

No corporation — no matter how powerful, how well-connected, how seemingly impenetrable — should be permitted to rob its workers of their rights.

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In 1917, progressives in America began a quest to create a system to provide health insurance to all Americans. Today, almost a century later, we are poised to take a giant step toward realizing that goal. Viewed through the lens of history, this is truly an amazing accomplishment.

To earn my vote, health insurance reform must improve access to affordable health care for Minnesota families – and this bill clears that bar with room to spare. This bill does not fix all the problems with our health care system, and I will not stop working to improve the quality and lower the costs of health care for all Americans. But progressives can be proud of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and take a large measure of credit for important provisions it will codify as the law of the land.

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Here’s DFL Sen. Al Franken’s reaction to the health care deal reached by Senate Democrats:

“Throughout this debate I have tried to keep focused on the concerns I hear as I travel Minnesota,” said Sen. Franken.”Minnesota families tell me they are afraid of losing coverage because of a pre-existing condition, going bankrupt due to health care crisis, or not being able to afford any coverage at all as their premiums skyrocket.”

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The Senate Democratic caucus is unified following a Saturday meeting and poised to pass a much-weakened health care reform proposal before Christmas day.

“The mood was great,” said Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) of the party gathering earlier Saturday. “It was a very, very good mood, even [among] those of us who have disappointments about what is and isn’t in.”

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Financially strapped dairy farmers can draw on a new $290 million assistance program, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is implementing the Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment — DELAP — program has provided under the 2010 agriculture appropriations bill.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Al Franken today introduced legislation aimed at increasing the number of high-quality principals serving in high-need schools.

“One of the most common features of successful schools in high-needs communities is the presence of an effective school principal,” Sen. Al Franken said in a statement announcing the bill (PDF). “But despite the importance of school leadership, the federal government has not devoted adequate attention and resources to improving the quality of principals in schools. Our bill will create a pipeline of effective principals for high-need schools by providing high-quality programs with funding to recruit and train principals to take on the challenge of leading those schools.”

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