Bill Archer: “Mr. Speaker, I was reading in the paper yesterday that our schoolchildren are unable to demonstrate a basic knowledge of…”

“Mr. Speaker, I was reading in the paper yesterday that our schoolchildren are unable to demonstrate a basic knowledge of science. The article said that more than half of the fourth graders who recently took a national science test could not even identify the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This is more than troublesome. If America is to remain competitive in the global arena, an arena whose battles are often fought with science and technology, we need to see that our children have the mental tools they need to succeed. In the balanced budget bill, we gave the parents the help that they need by college IRA's, IRA's to make college more affordable with the same income caps, the same levels as are in this bill. Today we extend that same type of help to parents with younger children in K through 12, elementary and secondary education. The legislation we consider allows parents, grandparents, and others to put up to $2,500 a year in education savings accounts where it can grow tax-free, and be used for a wide variety of educational uses. The bill is one of the best things, in my opinion, to happen to education. It is good for public schools, it is good for private schools, it is good for parochial schools, and it is good for home schooling. But most importantly, it is good for students everywhere, and that means that it is good for America's future.”