Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment that transfers funds from the Department of Education bureaucracy to support the Rural Education Achievement Program, REAP. Most of the country's poorest counties are rural and are often disconnected from the nonprofits and social service agencies that fill the gaps in urban and suburban schools. After decades of population loss and divestment by State governments, many rural communities are struggling to keep up when it comes to educating our children and are being forced to close. When these schools close, children are forced to travel additional hours to get to school. Closures and consolidations also force teachers, administrators, and educators out of their jobs. Yet, America has continued to turn a blind eye, leaving our rural communities helpless. More than 9.3 million children attend rural schools. This makes up nearly one-fifth of public school students across the country. Rural children had an especially hard time keeping up when Democrats shut down our schools for 2 years and required students to learn via Zoom. Many of our children in rural communities don't have access to the internet, and some don't even have cell phone service. They deserve better than this. The Rural Education Achievement Program initiatives are designed to help rural districts that may lack the personnel and resources to compete effectively for competitive Federal grants.…”