Dan Miller: “this amendment would simply eliminate $550 million per year in new spending added by the Education and Labor…”

“this amendment would simply eliminate $550 million per year in new spending added by the Education and Labor Committee--$550 million in redundant spending which has not even been requested by President Clinton in his budget. This amendment represents one small step in my continuing efforts with my colleague from Ohio, Mr. Boehner, to achieve a fiscally responsible education bill. It is hard to argue against spending money for education. This is a motherhood and apple pie type of issue. Ultimately, the deterioration of our educational system is one of the root causes of so many problems in our society, including escalating crime, the destruction of the family, drug abuse, teen pregnancy and welfare dependency. But is more government the only solution, or is it part of the problem? I might note in passing that the more this Congress does to improve the American Education System, the more our children's education seems to deteriorate. Unlike some Members of this body, I do not believe that Federal spending, per se, is the key to improving education. Real reform should allow local school officials and parents the flexibility and choices to meet the goals and needs unique to their local educational system. As much as some in Congress and the Federal Government may like to think so, we are not smarter or wiser than the parents and teachers who are, and should be, responsible for the education of individual children.”