Kamala Harris promises to remove college degree requirements for some federal jobs to create more opportunities. She’s running against Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
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On September 13, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris made a big promise in her speech. If she wins the presidency in the November elections, she plans to remove the need for a college degree for some federal jobs.
Harris is running against former President Donald Trump and wants to open up more job opportunities for people without a four-year college degree.
Harris explained that many Americans don’t have a bachelor’s degree. More than 62% of adults aged 25 or older don’t have one. In the 2020 elections, people without college degrees made up three out of five voters.
Harris said, "As president, I will get rid of the unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs to increase jobs for folks without a four-year degree." She believes that a college degree isn’t the only way to show skills and success. "A degree does not necessarily indicate a person's skills," she said.
She wants to show that there are other important ways to succeed, like apprenticeships and technical programs. Harris said, "The U.S. should recognize the value of paths to success beyond a college degree."
She also wants private companies to think about changing their job requirements. "I will challenge the private sector to do the same," she added.
A recent survey by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation showed that many Americans question the value of college degrees because they are so expensive. Over half of U.S. adults who never went to college or dropped out said the cost was a big reason why they didn’t enroll.
Harris and Trump are both trying to win voters with promises about the economy. Harris wants to cut taxes for the middle class, while Trump wants to cut taxes on overtime pay. Both candidates support removing taxes on tips.
Harris gave her speech in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, but had some interruptions from protesters. These protesters were unhappy about U.S. support for Israel’s conflict in Gaza, which has caused many deaths and a serious humanitarian crisis. The violence began with an attack on Israel by Hamas militants on October 7.
The protesters in the U.S. have been calling for an end to the war and restrictions on weapons shipments to Israel. Harris responded by calling for a ceasefire and a deal to rescue hostages. She said, "Now is the time to get a hostage deal and ceasefire," and added, "I respect your voice, but right now, I am speaking."
