John Kline: “We apparently agree on both sides of the aisle that parents should be making decisions; parents should be in charge…”

“We apparently agree on both sides of the aisle that parents should be making decisions; parents should be in charge; parents need information. We believe in the underlying bill that we are giving parents the information they need, the control they need, the choices they need, giving their children the best chance to succeed. I think we agree on both sides of the aisle that the status quo is not working. In fact, the administration is engaged in instituting its own education policy through its conditional waiver scheme. It's moved so far down the line, Mr. Chairman, that they've even offered waivers to the waivers. And yet it's been 12 years since this body, or the Senate, or the United States Congress has passed an education law--12 years. It is time for the Congress, the House, and the Senate to step up and do its job and write new law and get the administration out of the business of writing education policy. I would hope that Republicans and Democrats would recognize that it is not the role of the administration, of the Department of Education, of the Secretary, or the President to write education policy-- Republican or Democrat in the White House. It's our job to do it. It's time to do it. I don't believe the substitute amendment is the right thing, and I oppose it. I'm asking my colleagues to oppose it. I believe the underlying bill moves us in the right direction and gives children a better opportunity.…”