Patty Murray

Under title I portability provisions that are in the bill before us, it will allow families to take the title I funds they receive to any institution, school, or private--I just read all of it. They can choose.

I came to the floor and was trying to understand what the amendment actually accomplishes. Does the Senator recall that during the committee hearing we asked the author of the amendment specifically if funds could be used for private…

We can take very important Federal resources and offer them to families who are wealthy enough to put $2,000 away and get $3 to $7 back in a tax cut, or we can use that money for programs that we know work.

We are not meeting the national goal. And we have no way, as people allocating this money, to know where it went, how it was spent, whether it is on paperwork or bureaucracy or administration. We will not have any way to show that it makes…

Unless we dedicate this money to the class size reduction bill we passed last year--that we continue it--those classroom teachers will be fired at the end of this year.

I have seen similar editorials, like in Longview, WA, a very small rural community that understands the need to educate their kids because they can no longer rely on the timber jobs that were there maybe even a decade or two decades ago…

What we did with these dollars is, we focused them directly in an area where we know it makes a difference in the learning of children. In addition, unlike many other Federal programs, we made sure it was not spent on bureaucrats or…

The Senator from Nevada is correct. I have been a preschool teacher. I have been a school board member. I have served in my State legislature, been on the education committee there, and I now serve on the Education Committee in the Senate…

The Senator from Nevada is correct. To our colleagues who are wondering why we are debating and not offering the amendment, if I offer the amendment, it will be second-degreed and our colleagues will never have an opportunity to vote or…

Yes. The Senator from Nevada is absolutely correct. We want to be able to offer an amendment and have every Senator vote, up or down, whether or not they are going to continue to allow these teachers to be employed, to be working in our…

There is zero for school construction. What kind of message is that for our young kids, who are sitting in public schools, to show that we care about them, and that we are paying attention to them, and that we believe their education is…

Because the investments we make in our children, as the Senator from California knows, pay dividends far into the future. Putting down numbers on a piece of paper--that is not reality, that does not provide teachers, that does not provide…

That will take away the promise we have given to students across this country, and their families, that we are going to invest in education. Essentially, this $1.2 billion put in there as a teacher assistance initiative will never go out…

If this bill passes as written and we go home, what will happen is next year, beginning in September, those 30,000--it is actually 29,000--teachers who have been hired will no longer be there.

I thank the Chair and my colleague from Illinois for defining for us what our challenge is in this week as we reach the October 1 deadline and our commitment to make sure the budget is enacted and appropriations bills are passed. Clearly…

I will also continue to push for reform. We must take a long hard look at the effectiveness of OPS's oversight activities; review ways to develop new technologies for detecting pipeline defects; consider the effect of aging pipelines on…

Let me just conclude, because I know the Senator from Maryland would also like to speak, education is an issue that is important to all of us. Education is an issue that is important to everyone at home as well. I will again plead with the…

The reason it is so important to do it now is it is bipartisan. It is absolutely timely in terms of school boards and school districts putting their budgets together.

Thank you. Mr. President, I came to the floor to talk about education. I was a little surprised we were talking about banking since we haven't been able to talk about a lot of education issues that are critical to parents, students and…

What brought him back was the Federally funded School-to-Work Program. When I asked the student if the Federal Government had a role, he said, ``Absolutely yes. You need to be there when everybody else fails.''

It is our understanding that both Congressional intent and the recollections of those most intimately involved in crafting the cost-share agreement support the interpretation that these levels of protection are required.

I will tell the Members of this Senate that decreasing class size is one of the most important things we can do to increase the education for our young children. Every Member here has talked about the need for increased math skills, the…

The students in my classroom weren't Republican, Democrat, or Independent. They looked around in their classroom and said: How many kids are in here with me? Do I get time with my teacher; do I get personal attention? ... I don't believe…

I taught at the community college level, parent education, and I taught preschool, 4- and 5-year-olds.

I call on the Senate to vote with a strong voice to the members of the conference committee. We want this amendment to remain in so women across this country, children across this country, communities across this country, and police who…