Political Quotes

“I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 5 and to support the substitute to this bill, offered by my colleague, the Gentleman from California, Congressman George Miller. We can all agree, Mr. Speaker, that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is in dire need of reauthorization. But this bill is not the best effort we can offer our children. This bill offers less support and less accountability for students, educators, and parents throughout the nation. It cuts critical funding and fails to give our students a well-rounded education. But what makes H.R. 5 even worse is that it works against the initial purpose of the Act--it offers our students less equity and it leaves behind those children who are the most in need. It fails to give our lowest performing and lowest income schools the support systems they need to succeed in the classroom. Mr. Chair, several amendments were introduced yesterday to correct some of the severe flaws in this bill. For example, I commend the passage of the amendment offered by my colleagues Congressman Young and Congresswoman Gabbard to protect Native education programs. But it is a grave disappointment to me that this amendment was even necessary--that critical programs for our Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students were threatened under H.R. 5. I stand in opposition to the underlying bipartisan bill which still fails as a whole to provide a quality education for all America's students.…”