Todd Rokita

Whenever possible, I believe we need to act on our responsibility to ensure a leaner and more accountable Federal Government.

Make no mistake, if we stay on our present course, no one disputes that the country they inherit will be mired in debt, plagued by a weak economy, and left with fewer opportunities to earn a lifetime of success.

The concerns I have with out-of-control spending and skyrocketing debt is not just about dollars and cents, it is about the kind of future we are leaving our children and grandchildren.

I would say embezzled, from taxpayers to use on other things? That's embezzlement.

ESSA is clear: Education decision-making now rests with the States and districts, and the Federal role is to support and form those decisions.

It's our intention that the power go back to the local governments.

There is no question that replacing No Child Left Behind was an important achievement, one that will improve K-12 education for students and families.

The new law repeals onerous federal requirements and ensures important decisions affecting education--like standards, accountability, and school improvement--are made by state and local leaders, not Washington bureaucrats.

Congress promised to restore State and local control over K-12 education, and now it's our job to ensure that promise is kept.

The largest devolution of power to the States in a quarter-century

The Declaration of Independence records for posterity the fact that we have been given by our Creator certain unalienable rights. Among these, of course, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights extend to all persons…

Any constitutional lawyer should know that Congress is supposed to write the laws and the executive branch is supposed to follow them, as written. Implementing more gun control through executive fiat is not what is needed, and it is not…

I thank Chairman Price for his leadership. I am very proud of the work that the committee has done to get us to this point--one vote away from this bill getting to the President's desk-- because then the President will finally have a…

I am pleased to offer the following Joint Statement of Legislative Intent on the Conference Report to accompany S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act, on behalf of myself and Mr. John Kline, Chairman of the Education and the Workforce…

I recognize Chairman Kline especially for the work he has done over a long period of time, 7 years or so, bringing this House, this Congress, to where we are today. It truly is leadership at its best. Mr. Speaker, let's face it. No Child…

I thank the gentleman not only for the time, but for his leadership on the committee and in helping bring the bill to the point it is today. Mr. Speaker, this bill is not a new product. It has been around for about 10 years. But it hasn't…

Regarding reforms, looking at the underlying legislation that we dealt with last week, those reforms either already existed, have been in place and been ignored by the Ex-Im Bank--we have been waiting several years since the last time I…

I thank the gentleman. Mr. Chairman, as a rank-and-file Member--that is, a Member who is not on the Financial Services Committee--I want to stand in strong support of this amendment. There are a lot of us who are looking for a way forward…

Reclaiming my time, I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman. It is important for Congress to give the term ``critical commerce corridor'' meaning. We have seen the dangers of leaving terms undefined and of relying on the agency to create a…

I thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and the chairmen and ranking members of the subcommittees for their excellent work on this. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the certainty, flexibility, and power this legislation gives back to…

I thank Chairman Price, as well as the entire Committee on the Budget, for getting us to this point, the first time in over a decade that we have been able to use the reconciliation process. Just like the other gentleman from Georgia (Mr…

I thank the chairman for his leadership in bringing this excellent bill to the floor. This bill--of which, in full disclosure, I am an original cosponsor of--will continue to promote school choice and provide Opportunity scholarships to…

I thank the gentlewoman. I rise today in simple, but strong, support for H.R. 692, the Default Prevention Act. This commonsense bill makes clear that the United States and those who vote on the floor of this Chamber prioritize our debt and…

I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, a constituent, Ms. Debora Avgerinos, visited me the other day. She owns a restaurant in Brownsburg, Indiana, and she was perplexed about this agreement. One of the things she mentioned was that in her…

I thank the gentleman for supporting the amendment. The reasons he is supporting are completely wrong. We have increased Federal spending, as the gentleman knows, on education over 300 percent since the Federal Government has been…