Johnny Isakson: “However, Mr. Speaker, as we close this debate, if we think about our red or green vote, I want Members to look at what…”

“However, Mr. Speaker, as we close this debate, if we think about our red or green vote, I want Members to look at what we are really talking about. To my left is a chart which shows that over the history of funding for public education in Title I, while the gold bars which represent money have gone up astronomically, today, the same as it was 25 years ago, reading proficiency remains at the bottom. It is time for true reform. On the issue of building schools, they will not tell us that America's unmet need at the local level, and it is their responsibility, is $300 billion. They also will not tell us that represents 2.5 times more money than has been spent on Title I since it began. This is not about building buildings, this is about building and changing the lives of America's most disadvantaged children. It has been said that our children are a message we send to a time we shall never see. I am proud we have a committee and I am proud we have a President that has laid it on the line.”