Political Quotes

“I would like to try one more time, hopefully there are Members at least on my side of the aisle back in their office listening, and I would hope that there are a lot of people out in the public who may be watching this so that I can allay the fears they may have and the misrepresentations of what is in this bill. I would like to point out seven or eight of those particular things so that we truly understand what the legislation does or does not do. First of all, it promotes Bottom-Up reform, not top down, not Federal Government down to local government, local to top. It requires each State improvement plan to include strategies for ensuring that comprehensive, systemic reform is promoted from the bottom up in communities, local education agencies and schools and includes a list of optional strategies for State consideration. Second, unfunded mandate prohibition. It includes a general prohibition on Federal mandates with respect to the direction or control of the State, local education agency or school's curriculum, program of instruction or allocation of State and local resources under this Act. It does not allow, does not allow the Federal Government to mandate a State or locality to incur costs not paid for under this Act. It includes a provision reaffirming State and local responsibility for control of education.”