Steve Daines: “I thank the Senator from Utah for his remarks and his insights to empower schools, parents, and States to have more…”

“I thank the Senator from Utah for his remarks and his insights to empower schools, parents, and States to have more control over their children's future through education. This measure will help expand local control of our schools. It will return Federal education dollars to where they belong; that is, close to the classrooms. Just before I came down to the floor to speak, I was in my office with some high school students from Montana from communities like St. Regis, Hobson, Missoula, Clyde Park, Stevensville. They are the bright future of our State. As I chatted with them about this amendment, they, too, agreed that by shifting control back to the States, to the local school boards, to the parents, that individual and effective solutions can be created to address the multitude of unique challenges facing our schools and our students across the country. Through these laboratories of democracy, Americans can watch and learn how students can benefit when innovative reforms are implemented at the local level. I thank my colleagues, and I urge my Senate colleagues to join us in empowering our schools to serve their students, not DC bureaucrats, and support this important amendment. I yield back. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Fischer). The Senator from Tennessee. Amendments Nos. 2147 and 2121 to Amendment No. 2089”