Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I think the gentleman has underscored the very issue we are talking about. What we have now under current law is the Secretary of Education's deciding what the Secretary of Education likes or doesn't like, what to certify or not to certify, whether to give away or not to give away, whether to provide money or not to provide money. We believe, with the language that is in the underlying bill of giving the authority and the responsibility to the States and requiring them to establish standards and assessments to those standards that meet their needs, that you will get a much better result than what we have seen now in year after year after year with the current law, No Child Left Behind, which we have been living under. Republicans and Democrats all agree that No Child Left Behind is not working and must be replaced. We want to put our faith--we want to put our trust--in the people closest to the students. That is what this legislation is about. That is what this debate is about. Again, I urge my colleagues to oppose the gentleman's amendment and to support the underlying bill. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson). The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes appeared to have it.”