On the recordDecember 2, 2015
When ESEA was first signed in 1965, it was a critical piece of civil rights legislation. In fact, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill, he said it bridges the gap between helplessness and hope for millions of students affected by it. The bill before us today maintains President Johnson's commitment to the achievement of every child, regardless of race, socioeconomic background, or ZIP Code. Many of my colleagues have talked about the new flexibility provided in the bill. Well, that is true, but it is flexibility to meet the learning needs of every kid, not the flexibility to fail. Flexibility does not mean freedom from responsibility. States are accountable for the achievement of each and every child under this bill, and I am confident that President Obama wouldn't sign any bill that doesn't maintain strong civil rights protections. And I would never support a bill that would allow students to be swept under the rug. This bill upholds the spirit of the original Elementary and Secondary Education Act. I am proud to support it today and support innovative solutions to improve the opportunities for learning that every child in our country has.
