Katie Porter: “Mr. Chairman, for at least 212 years of our Republic the schools in our country, the public schools, have managed to…”

“Mr. Chairman, for at least 212 years of our Republic the schools in our country, the public schools, have managed to handle their own construction. They have done a pretty good job of it. It has never ever been a Federal responsibility, nor should it be. As the gentlewoman points out, there is an estimate of over $300 billion in unmet needs. I do not doubt the needs at all. The needs are there. The question is, who should be funding it? I think, as throughout our entire history, our local school districts, aided by the States, should provide for this need. If we had an allocation of $300 billion more, Members might be able to make an argument that there are sufficient funds to do this right now. But we do not have an allocation anywhere near that. To get the Federal government into this area of responsibility would undermine local control of public education. Local control is at the heart of our educational system in America.”