Political Quotes

“I represent Virginia's two largest school districts, which have a combined enrollment of more than 265,000 students. As a parent and former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I know the success of our community and others across America is directly related to the quality of our local schools. Fortunately, we have strong local support for our schools, particularly within the business community, which recognizes the value of investing in our young people and future workforce. As a result, our community has the nation's premier high school for science and technology and strong academic achievement across all student groups. That has attracted families and employers to our region, which now is home to Virginia's largest public university and 10 Fortune 500 companies. The long-overdue reauthorization of ESEA presents us with a tremendous opportunity to improve learning conditions for students and teachers. Sadly, the Republican bill before the House today retreats on that promise and, contrary to its title, will not provide the necessary tools for all students to succeed. H.R. 5 cuts federal education support by $1 billion next year and locks in the reduced levels of funding under sequestration for the foreseeable future. It also changes how those dollars are allocated, diluting services for low-income students and English language learners.…”