Johnny Isakson: “I come to the well in lieu of the desk so I can look the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the chairman of the…”

“I come to the well in lieu of the desk so I can look the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the chairman of the committee, and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member, in the eye and say ``thank you,'' not out of courtesy, but out of great admiration for the great job these two men have done. Both had the opportunity to succumb to unbelievable pressures, both partisan and political, and neither did. They kept the interest of America's children and the number one issue of our President paramount. Because of them and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and the hard work of Ms. Lovejoy and, for me, without the help of Glee Smith, it would have been impossible to spend the time. I am a subscriber to a great quote: ``Our children are a message we send to a time we will never see.'' The last generation of American politicians, though unintended, sent a mixed message. Our richest and most affluent children have prospered and succeeded and grown, but our poorest and our most disadvantaged have not progressed; and in fact, the gap between them and our best and most affluent has widened. We will send a new message to a generation that we probably will not see with the development of this legislation.…”