On the recordJuly 18, 2013
I appreciate Chairman Kline and the committee's work on this important reauthorization. Consolidating programs and replacing them with flexible grants is the right way to ensure that States and school districts are able to respond to the specific needs of their communities; however, the Federal Government has a unique and important trust obligation to the Native American population in this country. This trust obligation means that support for Indian education programs should be handled separately from the traditional grant programs that support disadvantaged students. Only by maintaining a separate title can we ensure that there's a dedicated funding stream that meets the needs of Native children. I thank Mr. Young for offering this important and revenue-neutral amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support both the underlying legislation, as well as this amendment.
