Tom Harkin: “I appreciate Senator Byrd bringing that up. Our country was founded on an ideal that no matter who you are or the…”

“I appreciate Senator Byrd bringing that up. Our country was founded on an ideal that no matter who you are or the circumstances of your birth, no matter how much money your parents have or don't have, if you are willing to work hard, study, and get a good education, you can be a success. This is the American dream. Unfortunately, the dream is slipping away. It is slipping because our classrooms are overcrowded, our schools are crumbling, and our students don't have the educational tools from preschool to college they need to learn. For years we have been nibbling around the edges for a solution; we tweak a program here, tweak another program there, but we have not made a real dent in education reform. The fact is, now only 2 cents of every $1 is invested in education. That is not enough. Ask the constituents in Montana or Iowa, in any town meeting: Of every Federal dollar we spend, how much goes for education? Ask your constituents. I have gotten answers from 25 cents to 10 cents to 12 cents to 8 cents. I have never gotten the right answer, which is 2 cents. Two cents out of every Federal dollar that we spend goes to education. That just is not enough. It shows that education is not a top priority. In this new century, we need a new plan for American education, a bold, daring plan to demand true accountability from our schools but also to provide the resources they need to meet the standards and to be held accountable.”