Orrin Hatch: “I am grateful for this opportunity to offer a few remarks on the Every Student Succeeds Act. To be honest, I wasn't sure…”

“I am grateful for this opportunity to offer a few remarks on the Every Student Succeeds Act. To be honest, I wasn't sure we would ever reach this point, given the often contentious and sensitive nature of the educational debate, but it is only fitting that we have spent so much time and energy trying to get the best bill we can. After all, the future of our Nation depends on it, our States depend on it, our schools depend on it, and our families and children depend on it. I credit the success of this bill to the diligent work of the chairman and ranking member of the Senate HELP Committee, as well as the chairman and ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. As a former chairman of this committee myself, I know how difficult it can be to strike a deal that is agreeable to both sides, but our committee leaders have done an outstanding job. I wish to thank them for helping us to reach out and reach a compromise. That is exactly what this bill is, a compromise. While neither side considers it perfect, both parties can agree that this bipartisan legislation will significantly improve the quality of education in our country. I have met with a wide variety of local education leaders in Utah, and each one I have spoken to supports this bill. This legislation helps fix a broken system that is failing our students. Once we have passed this reauthorization, our work will be far from over, but we will once again be moving in the right direction.…”