On the recordFebruary 26, 2015
I appreciate this opportunity to advocate for my amendment to H.R. 5, the Student Success Act. My amendment is based on the principle that strong oversight of taxpayer dollars should be the utmost priority for any Federal agency, including the Department of Education. I know my colleagues have strong and varied opinions--as has been exhibited on this floor over the past few hours--on the merits of this bill or not, but as this amendment comes forward, I would ask that we look at the accountability factor that is in this amendment. As the husband of an educator, education has long been a priority in my family. My wife's experiences have also given me a firsthand look at the challenges teachers face when school resources are tight. Some school districts in northeast Georgia and all over the country often struggle to make ends meet. They have to hold each other and every member of their staffs accountable for the money they spend. I think it is time we apply this same commonsense principle to the Department of Education. When fiscal responsibility and oversight are not taken seriously, we lose opportunities to help educators and students. When the Federal Government is a good steward of public funds, we have more resources to direct to good initiatives that will actually make a difference in classrooms across the country.…
