Students who are too young to vote or feel they do not have a voice in politics would be heard if legislation proposed by GW sophomore Samuel Kelner passes Congress.

The Samuel Kelner Commission on Youth Authorization Act, which was referred to a House subcommittee in June, would create a panel of eight student appointees to submit policy recommendations in annual reports to the president and Congress on public education, youth employment and wages, higher education financing and youth drug abuse and violence.

Former President Bill Clinton expressed approval of the proposal in summer 1999, and Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), Kelner’s congressman, authored the legislation.

The President would appoint four students, and the House speaker and
House and Senate minority and majority leaders would each select one appointee.

Each student term would last one year, beginning August 1 and would be eligible for reappointment until they are 18 years old.

If the Samuel Kelner Commission on Youth passes the 107th Congress, $100,000 each year will be appropriated until 2006, when the commission expires.

The bill was referred to the House Subcommittee on Education Reform from the House Committee on Education and Workforce June 20.