Political Quotes

“I come here today to speak about the bill pending before us, the Every Child Achieves Act. This is the successor to the No Child Left Behind Act, which is the successor to the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Fifty years ago, in 1965, as part of Lyndon Johnson's wanting to end poverty in the United States of America and to lift people up, he asked Congress to pass the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It was the first legislative act where the Federal Government was involved in education. Up until that time, education was thought of as the purview of the States and local districts. President Johnson agreed with that, as did the Congress, but at the same time they knew there were children living in the abysmal situation of poverty, and at a time of national prosperity he wanted to lift those children up. Great legislation passed during the next 50 years ago, such as Head Start, which continues to be a hallmark of early intervention to help our children. Of course, programs such as Medicare were also passed at that time. But it was the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and particularly title I, that would bring additional Federal resources to our local communities. Again, this was focused on helping poor children close the achievement gap and giving them the ability to fully participate in our society. Well, that bill went on until 2001, when President Bush said he wanted to make sure that children were out of poverty.…”