Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, when he first signed into law the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, President Lyndon B. Johnson greatly advanced both education and civil rights. Now, here, 50 years later, the need for Federal support for our schools remains very real, but Republicans celebrate the anniversary by effectively repealing the civil rights portion, Title I, of this act. In February, Republicans began consideration of this bill and then suspended it because so many of their Members did not think it was extreme enough in cutting aid to our schools. Since then, the Senate has come together in a bipartisan, though lacking, approach, but a better approach that recognizes the need for civil rights and public education. Just as it did previously on immigration reform, the House has rejected that bipartisan approach and has jumped off the right end with a more extreme antieducation attitude. In a few weeks, bright-faced young schoolchildren will put on their backpacks and head off to school. As their number increases, this bill actually cuts the purchasing power available to our schools to meet those growing needs. Most importantly, Republicans would encourage the States to divert aid from the schools with the greatest need and to actually use Federal dollars to replace what the States are already spending on education.…”