Frank Riggs

good morning. As my colleagues know, I guess this partisan debate really boils down to whether we want to see the glass as half empty or half full, and it is too reminiscent of I think the all too common American mindset of what have you…

I am rising tonight to see if I can perhaps shed a little bit more light than heat on the ongoing debate in this House about education priorities. I think I have some credibility on this subject since for the last 2 years in this Congress…

We are seeing a tremendous and I believe pent-up demand for more choice, more selection, if you will, in public education. We are beginning to see waiting lists created in charter schools around the country. Our legislation stipulates that…

Mr. Speaker, it is truly a pleasure to be here on the House floor today to vote on H.R. 2616, the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998. It represents the end of a rather lengthy and somewhat legislatively arduous journey, but I want my…

this is a historic moment. Only twice before in the history of our great Republic have we stood at the brink of such dramatic action concerning a sitting President. The burden upon us as Members of this House is great, and one that I do…

I am particularly pleased in the waning days of this Congress, the 105th Congress, in our country's history, we are going to be able to go to conference with the Senate on hopefully a comprehensive approach to combating juvenile crime. As…

yes, and my opinion is that that local school district should have to go to court to adjudicate an unclear or conflicting provision between Federal and State law. And then if a Federal court order results, then obviously that local school…

Reclaiming my time, yes, it in fact was. We heard expert testimony. I realize that people can differ. My response to this is we heard from many people who are concerned about the fact that our limited or non-English speaking students…

But as I understand what the gentleman is saying, if there is a legitimate legal or policy dispute in the eyes of a local school district and ultimately its governing board and its top administrators, and if that dispute is between Federal…

I just, first of all, want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for what I think is a good-faith decision on his part to raise this issue for debate but perhaps not to pursue an amendment. We disagree on, if you will, the…

I am very comfortable with language that would say that a court order, Federal court order would take precedence over State and local law with respect to bilingual education or State local policy. But, Mr. Chairman, I cannot support an…

I take the floor tonight because I think it is very important that a Member of this body speak out with respect to some of the inferences or suggestions that have been made that are in a way somewhat related, although I would suggest very…

That mandate is embedded in current law, and what we are trying to do now by proposing reforms to the Federal Bilingual and Immigration Education Acts is to give local school districts more say, more flexibility, more discretion, more…

I think someone has to challenge the statement of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). Everyone does not do it. And for him to suggest that, I believe, is degrading and insulting. And the point, again, that I wanted to make here on…

I would reverse the gentleman's argument and ask him if he is suggesting, going back to our home State of California, that in every community where a majority of the electorate supported Proposition 227, that that decision should be…

Our concern is that we do not want Federal law to necessarily override State law with respect to the day-to-day administration of bilingual education programs. I think the gentleman from California (Mr. Martinez) would acknowledge that…

I am very astounded to hear the gentleman say that our proposed reforms constitute a one-size-fits-all mandate imposed on State and local education agencies. My question to the gentleman... is does he realize that under current Federal…

I again rise to thank the majority leader for his outstanding efforts on behalf of the District of Columbia children and families. Mr. Chairman, I simply want to make sure that Members understand what we are talking about here. The Armey…

I support the provision that is in the bill that would prohibit Federal money from being spent on needle exchange programs but believe we should go one step further and adopt the Tiahrt amendment because that would extend or broaden that…

I do not see how we can support a policy that... facilitates, furthers illegal drug use and actually... puts us as lawmakers... in the position of... engaging in enabling behavior. And, furthermore, it sends the worst possible message that…

So the amendment in its current form is intended to do one thing and one thing only, and that is to prevent the City and County of San Francisco government... from being able to use Federal taxpayer funding... to require that private…

Just for the record, there were three versions, not four, not five, and I do not think there is a need to constantly exaggerate. Just for the record, the City and County of San Francisco is the only such city with this kind of law, this…

the headline says ``The Salvation Army has decided to end its contracts with San Francisco and shrink programs serving the homeless, drug addicts and the elderly because of a dispute over the city's domestic partners law. Some, if not…

I do not want people, our colleagues who might be following this debate, to labor under a false impression. Of course the Conference of Mayors, of course local officials, are going to go on record as opposing the amendment. They want as…