PORTLAND, ME – Today, Educate Maine presented U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) with its Weston L. Bonney Education Leadership Award during the 3^rd annual “Pipeline to Prosperity” Symposium and 17^th annual Education Leadership Luncheon. The award, named in honor of former Maine State Board of Education member and business leader Weston Bonney, recognizes those who have demonstrated “commitment, vision and courage in support of Maine students.”

“Ensuring that every generation has access to a quality, affordable education should be one of our highest priorities in this country,” Senator King said. “An investment in education is an investment in our children and their future, which will put us on a path to long-term economic prosperity by empowering them with the tools and skills needed to compete in the global marketplace. I am grateful for this recognition and pledge to continue to fight alongside organizations like Educate Maine that are committed to helping advance the interests of America’s students.”

Senator King has been actively engaged in education issues as a member of Congress. In August of 2013, he played a leading role in organizing a bipartisan group of senators to craft the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, legislation that overwhelmingly passed the Senate and House and successfully prevented student loan interest rates from doubling. Senator King, along with Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.), has recently led the charge in trying to simplify the student loan repayment system, introducing the Repay Act which would make loan repayment more affordable for the middle class by eliminating duplicative repayment options, streamlining eligibility terms, and ensuring that borrowers who enroll in income-based repayment will never direct more than 15 percent of their discretionary income to their loan payments.

Educate Maine is a business-led organization driven by the belief that education is the key to individual advancement, an engaged citizenry, and sustainable economic growth. The group strives to help prepare Maine students for college and career life, while increasing access to high quality educational opportunities. Educate Maine was created in 2011 when the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education and the Maine Compact for Higher Education merged.

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