Frank Riggs: “Mr. Speaker, it is truly a pleasure to be here on the House floor today to vote on H.R. 2616, the Charter School…”

“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 colleagues to know at the outset that the legislation before us represents as fine a bipartisan, bicameral effort as we have seen in this particular Congress. It also represents, I think, a very important Federal education reform initiative, and I would hope that my colleagues will bear those words in mind, particularly as we enter or get closer to the November election. We are clearly today in, and how do I put this politely, the election or political spin cycle, and I understand that it is part and parcel of our political process to say and do things for political advantage, but it is simply not true to represent that this Republican-led Congress is a 'do-nothing' Congress that has produced no significant educational legislative achievements, and I cite this particular bill. This bill represents the realization, the achievement, of one of the President's primary education proposals.”