Sam Gibbons: “Republicans and my colleagues on the left know that the biggest and best investment we can make as a nation is in the…”

“Republicans and my colleagues on the left know that the biggest and best investment we can make as a nation is in the proper education of our children. But one of the greatest debates that is taking place in Washington right now concerns the future of our children's education and how scarce Federal education dollars can most effectively and efficiently be spent to improve that education. I ask, should the money of hardworking parents be left in the pockets of Washington bureaucrats, and should every important decision be left to the red tape bureaucrats in Washington to develop the plan to educate our children in our schools across America? Of course not. We all know the answer. Local control wins out over Washington bureaucracy. As a parent, I know. I want the best education possible for my children. And I envision a national goal on education, a goal that offers every child in America the best education possible. The Republican plan puts our teachers, our parents and our school boards in the education driver's seat. Mr. Speaker, the ed flex bill gets us closer, closer to letting our parents, teachers, schools and communities accomplish this goal by reaching a higher standard of learning.”