I firmly believe that in order to do my job as effectively as possible, my responsibility starts with listening to you. This week I had the opportunity to meet with a number of our neighbors to talk about issues they care about - ranging from protecting our environment to making healthcare more affordable and improving our education system.

This week we passed two important bills that will restore local control for our schools:

1. House Joint Resolution 58 will give teachers more freedom to educate students without worrying about bureaucrats in Washington looking over their shoulder.
2. House Joint Resolution 57 will give teachers more control over their education plans and prevent the Department of Education from usurping power from states.

These important bills will help ensure that our students receive the best possible education and that federal, unelected bureaucrats aren't imposing one-size-fits-all standards that have proven to be ineffective.