Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the underlying bill on behalf of an entire generation of south Florida's children. The stakes could not be higher. Our K-12 public education system is essential for preparing the next generation of Americans to excel in life and to compete for the high-skilled, high-wage jobs in the global economy. It's why access to quality public education has been a central priority for me throughout my legislative career. Yet faced with this national priority, the bill before us is a step backward, not forward. It locks in $1.3 billion of irresponsible sequester cuts, including tens of millions of dollars that will come straight out of the classrooms of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, which I represent. For an outstanding teacher like Joan Rapps at Mirror Lake Elementary in Broward County, it means fewer resources for her second graders, less extra help, and fewer opportunities to develop as a professional as she strives to help our students rise above all hurdles. We cannot allow this to happen. This Congress could be working to make it possible to have an excellent teacher in every classroom, engage parents, and empower educators with the resources they need to help every child achieve success. Sadly, with this bill, we are doing the opposite.”