Steven Gunderson: “I would say the gentleman mentioned the word ``children'' and would also say the gentleman from New York [Mr. Walsh] is…”

“I would say the gentleman mentioned the word ``children'' and would also say the gentleman from New York [Mr. Walsh] is the only one that said let us talk about what is good for the children of District of Columbia rather than what is good for the bureaucracy or the teacher's union or somebody else. I hope he is right, because I would suggest this is the first time in America where we have sat down and, first and foremost, at the request of the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] we have gone to the community and listened to those people and asked them what they thought we ought to do. Based upon their suggestions, literally hundreds if not thousands of them, we put together what I would like to believe is the most comprehensive education reform initiative that Congress has ever considered. First and foremost, it is the first time that I know of where we have designed a system, a delivery system recognizing we do not have the public resources.”