I think that there's a peer review for my distinguished colleague from Massachusetts.

But we said assurance. We said assurance.

I appreciate your response.

Congress decided last year to reverse that trend. The President signed the bill. That should put an end to it.

I'm very proud the bill includes my language to permanently end the Federal Government's ability to use any incentive or tool or coercion to force States to adopt Common Core.

No officer or employee of the Federal Government, including the Secretary, shall attempt to influence, condition, incentivize, or coerce State adoption of the Common Core State standards.

ESSA is an extension of one of the most important goals of our country, ensuring civil rights and equality of opportunity for every child.

For the last 15 years, the Federal Government has gradually become, in effect, a national school board.

We know what happens when we don't have true accountability. Inevitably, it's the kids from the low-income neighborhoods, kids of color, kids with disabilities, and kids learning English who too often fall through the cracks.

We're doing a two-step here, not a one-step.

I call it the end of the 'Mother, May I' era, an era when Governors and chief State school officers had to come to Washington to get permission.

I remain gravely concerned about how this demonstration, or test, as the administration calls it, will impact patient access to care.