Debate Advances on Bipartisan Education Reform Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the bipartisan Every Child Achieves Act:
“The bipartisan education debate we’re having in the new Senate is good for our country. And it was long overdue.
“For too long, bureaucrats in Washington tried to dictate top-down, one-size-fits-all education policies to millions of students and families across our country. It was hurting our kids. It needed to change. And so, a new Senate that’s back to work for the American people decided to work together to do something about it.
“We thought it was past time to place more education decision-making power where it truly belongs: with parents, with teachers, with states, and with school boards — not with a distant federal bureaucracy.
“The pundits said Washington could never address these challenges, but the bipartisan Every Child Achieves Act actually received unanimous support from every Democrat and every Republican in committee. Just think about that for a moment. It’s an impressive achievement. And it wouldn’t have been possible without a functioning Senate and a lot of dedication and determination from the bill’s primary sponsors, the Republican Senior Senator from Tennessee and the Democratic Senior Senator from Washington.
“This debate may be years overdue, but Republicans and Democrats are certainly having their voices heard today. They’re working across the aisle. They’re representing the views of their constituents. They’re offering amendments.
“The new Senate has processed over two dozen amendments to this bill already, and we’ve adopted quite a few of them. In fact, we’ve now taken more roll-call amendment votes this year in the new Congress than throughout the entirety of the last Congress, combined.
“That’s an achievement both parties can celebrate.
“It represents progress for our country. And this afternoon, we have a chance to make more. Because with cooperation from our friends across the aisle, we can continue to advance the Every Child Achieves Act later today — and set up final passage soon.
“That would mean another bipartisan achievement for our country, and a long-overdue win for our kids.”
Related Issues: Every Student Succeeds Act, Education
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