Nita Lowey: “Mr. Chairman, I just want the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) to know there are many of us on this side of…”

“Mr. Chairman, I just want the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) to know there are many of us on this side of the aisle who, for years, shared his concern. But the issue, in my judgment, is how did we legislate excellence. The gentleman and I know it is very difficult. The challenge is, of course, to fund the programs that do work. I would like to say, as I will speak later on my own time, that I join with the gentleman in wanting to support these good programs that do work; and I would be delighted to work with him and his successors in figuring out, as I ask every time in every hearing, how do we legislate excellence. But the answer is not to cut back when there is so many people who need the education, they need the retraining, because not everyone is benefiting from this great economy. So I am sure my colleagues on this side of the aisle would be delighted to work with the gentleman's successors to make sure that these programs are delivering. That is the challenge to all of us.”