Joe Cunningham: “only some groups that would want the power to reside in Washington, D.C., of wasteful spending would oppose this. Why?…”

“only some groups that would want the power to reside in Washington, D.C., of wasteful spending would oppose this. Why? They want the power here in River City; the same people who vote against balanced budgets, tax relief, because those are taxes given to spend more money for failed systems. Let me tell the Members, the studies did not even take into account the time that principals and administrators put into working on the paperwork. We have heard States saying up to 50 percent, 50 percent of their costs, are dealing with Federal paperwork. Let me give Members an idea. Goals 2000 that my colleagues mention, and say this was a George Bush-Ronald Reagan thing, Goals 2000, look at the number of ``shalls'' and ``wills.'' I am not a lawyer, but I know a ``will'' in a line is more important; the States will do certain things. If they do not comply, it has to override the board. The board then sends the recommendations for Goals 2000. Think about the group that has to look at that. Then it goes to Sacramento. Think about just all the schools in our districts sending all this in to the superintendent, then sending it to the State and the Governor, and then, guess what? There is a big bureaucracy back here in Washington, DC; we know there are problems with it, so they send paperwork back. That takes dollars away. My wife is an elementary school principal. She had to attend a class for 1 weeks just to learn how to write a grant to the Federal Government.…”