Congressman Kilmer to Visit Bates Technical College in Tacoma

Rep. Derek Kilmer will make his first official visit as a Congressman to a public technical or community college on Monday, May 13, at Bates Technical College.

Kilmer, who represents the 6th congressional district including Gig Harbor, Tacoma and Bremerton, will visit the Downtown Campus, where he will take part in a discussion with students, tour select high-demand programs, and participate in a roundtable lunch discussion with college stakeholders.

The visit will begin at 11 a.m. in the Diversity Center, where Kilmer will hold a candid discussion about the potential of rising student loan interest rates.

Kilmer, who sponsored a bill last month to prevent student loan rates from doubling, said on a Facebook post that “student loans are the key to the door of higher education. In a time of ever-rising college costs and challenging job markets, now is not the time to double their interest loan rates.” 

Following the half-hour student discussion, Kilmer, President Dr. Ron Langrell and college representatives will tour the Occupational Therapy Assistant, Dental Assisting and Machinist programs, all high-demand, booming occupations that help fuel Washington state’s economy.

The visit will conclude with a lunch prepared and served by the college’s Culinary Arts program.