Patsy T. Mink: “I said the other day I deeply appreciated the opportunity to be on the working group and commend the gentleman from Ohio…”

“I said the other day I deeply appreciated the opportunity to be on the working group and commend the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for the outstanding work that they did in pulling together the essentials for this legislation. Mr. Chairman, this is a core bill. As we said in the debate on the rule, there were many things on our side that we wanted to have included: The construction provision and the reduction of class size were two paramount things that we will not be able to debate even during the amendment stage. The reason that I support this bill, notwithstanding the many omissions, is because the compromise that was struck provided for a doubling of the title I funds. It seems to me that this is a crucial test of whether we are serious about this legislation. Let us not forget that title I is premised on the fact that it is to be targeted to poor children. The formula is based upon counting poor children. So when we hear speeches to the effect that the States ought to be allowed to have the discretion to spend their money any way they see fit, it is a complete annihilation of the process that got us to the formulation of title I back in 1965, and that is to bring specific aid to the poorest schools that cannot finance their educational systems; and, therefore, every year fall further back.…”