On the recordApril 10, 2014
I thank my good friend Senator Pat Toomey from my neighboring State of Pennsylvania--I am from West Virginia--for working with me on this vital issue to make sure our kids remain safe in every single school across this country. I am a father of three, a grandfather of eight, and there is nothing more important to me than protecting my children and grandchildren. The bill Senator Toomey and I are working on is common sense. Our bill makes sure all employees who work with our students pass a background check to make sure they have no criminal records or an abusive history. That includes everyone from principals, teachers, secretaries, cafeteria workers and janitors--anyone who has contact with our schoolkids. This is a real problem that demands our attention and demands it now. Since January 1, 130 teachers across America have been arrested for sexual misconduct. At this rate that is more than one teacher per day who will sexually assault a student. As a parent, as a grandparent, and as a representative of the great State of West Virginia, inaction is simply unacceptable. There are more than 4 million teachers and school staff employed by our public school districts throughout the United States, and there are millions of additional workers who have direct access to students, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers and janitors. Yet there is no--I repeat, there is no--national background check policy in place for people who work directly with our kids every day.…
