Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, U.S. Representatives Mike Waltz (FL-6) and Lois Frankel (FL-21) re-introduced the bipartisan Keeping Girls in School Act in the U.S House of Representatives to help remove the barriers keeping girls around the world from accessing a quality education.

“As a Green Beret who has operated all over the world, I have seen firsthand that in societies where women thrive, extremism doesn’t,” said Rep. Waltz. “Adolescent girls are disproportionately at risk of dropping out of school than boys. The Keeping Girls in School Act will help ensure girls can safely access the proper education they deserve. Girls’ education is essential to our national security and this legislation will help make the United States and the world safer places.”

“When girls are educated their futures are brighter. This means greater prosperity and security for their families, communities, and the world,” said Rep. Frankel. “11 million girls are at risk of never returning to school around the world right now, which means there are 11 million reasons that we need to care about this issue. This bill will tackle the barriers keeping girls out of school, and help build a more peaceful, prosperous, and equitable world.”

The Keeping Girls in School Act directs the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to address the barriers adolescent girls face in accessing a quality secondary education in countries where drop out rates for female students are much higher than that of their male peers. International development projects authorized by this Act will respond to new barriers that have emerged over the last year, such as inequitable access to digital resources, in addition to preexisting barriers that prevent girls from staying enrolled in school and completing their education.

The bill also requires an updated strategy to strengthen U.S. investment in the skills, capacities, and futures of adolescent girls globally.