Education

Alex knows that an investment in a child’s education is an investment in the future of America. He grew up attending Los Angeles public schools, where his teachers encouraged him to dream big. Alex wants all children in California to have access to quality public education so they can pursue their own dreams. He is proud to advocate for funding to support teachers and staff, school infrastructure, and student well-being. As a first-generation college graduate, Alex knows the hurdles that too many Californians face in accessing quality, affordable higher education, and he is determined to make higher education accessible for all. During his first term in congress, Padilla introduced the Basic Assistance for Students in College (BASIC) Act to ensure college students are able to meet their basic needs while pursuing their education. He also led several pushes calling on the Biden administration to cancel up to $50,000 of debt for federal student loan borrowers to provide relief to nearly 4 million Californians with student debt.

As a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in mechanical engineering, Alex is a strong supporter of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational opportunities inside and outside the classroom. He has also helped launch, and co-chair, the first-ever Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Caucus. The HSI Caucus aims to educate Members of Congress about the contributions and importance of allocating adequate resources to accredited, degree-granting institutions of higher education with at least 25 percent total undergraduate Hispanic full-time student enrollment. 

Recent News

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to help college students experiencing food insecurity more easily access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.),...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of National Hispanic Heritage Month, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Caucus, today announced a pair of legislative initiatives to celebrate the importance of HSIs and expand higher education opportunities for Latino students. This week,...
New Letter Comes One Year After President Biden’s Announcement of Student Debt Cancellation that the Supreme Court Blocked WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Representatives Ayanna...
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to help college students experiencing food insecurity more easily access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.),...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of National Hispanic Heritage Month, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Caucus, today announced a pair of legislative initiatives to celebrate the importance of HSIs and expand higher education opportunities for Latino students. This week,...
New Letter Comes One Year After President Biden’s Announcement of Student Debt Cancellation that the Supreme Court Blocked WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Representatives Ayanna...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s federal student loan forgiveness plan in Biden v. Nebraska — denying tens of millions of Americans life-changing relief from the weight of...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the Supreme Court rejected the use of affirmative action in higher education admissions in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-Chair of the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions Caucus, joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in reintroducing the College for All Act, legislation that would expand access to college for millions of working-class children. This legislation represents the most...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well Representatives Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) led a letter...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate adopted a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to recognize the week of November 7, 2022, as National School Psychology Week. This resolution honors the more than 35,000 practicing school psychologists in the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that applications are now open for Spring 2023 general/legislative and press internships in his Washington D.C. and California offices. The internship program provides undergraduate college students and recent college graduates a front...
CALIFORNIA — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) held a virtual briefing today with the U.S. Department of Education, California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI), and a student loan holder to discuss the Biden administration’s student debt relief plan and...
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