Sam Gibbons: “every year Republicans have been in charge we have increased spending on public schools. The strength of America's…”

“every year Republicans have been in charge we have increased spending on public schools. The strength of America's future depends upon the education of our children, not the Washington bureaucracy. Republicans have offered an education plan that would send $1.1 billion to our local school districts. This Republican education plan would empower our local communities to hire new teachers if they see fit, to reduce class sizes, to train special education teachers, to test teacher competency, purchase more books and supplies and allow for school repairs. Mr. Speaker, every Member of this body on both sides of the aisle should agree with the intent of this plan. The main difference boils down to this: How should we deliver the money. The beauty of the Republican plan is local control. This means 100 percent of this money will go directly to the classrooms, I repeat, directly to the classrooms, not to the fat-cat Federal bureaucrats or hollow Federal programs. Republicans believe education is best accomplished on a local level and decisions should be made on the local level.”