Chuck Hagel: “I rise to support the Coverdell bill, of which I am a cosponsor. Mr. President, we have been debating several pieces of…”

“I rise to support the Coverdell bill, of which I am a cosponsor. Mr. President, we have been debating several pieces of legislation on education here in this body over the last few weeks. It is important to clearly understand how all of this legislation fits together and why. This is about restoring the fundamental belief that education policy and curriculum belong at the local level; they are best determined by those closest to the students, who care most about the students, and who have the most to win or lose--the parents, the teachers, the local school boards, not Washington. As well-intentioned, as well-motivated, as the Department of Education is, as are the President and the Congress, who all care about education, it is those at the local level who understand it best. The Gorton amendment... sends that money back to the States, back directly to school boards. The Coverdell bill, another piece of the fundamental education philosophy debate in this body, is the Parent and Student Savings Account Plus Act.”