[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 144 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H9045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BIG HAT, NO CATTLE

  (Mr. WELDON of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Madam Speaker, we know that the President and 
other politicians talk an awful lot about education reform but, 
unfortunately, that is about as far as it gets. Because for all the 
talk about improving our Nation's schools, when it comes to concrete 
action, real reforms that will force bad schools to improve or shut 
down, there is no action.
  It is a case once again, as they say in Texas, of ``big hat, no 
cattle.'' Take for example A+ Accounts. A+ Accounts are education 
savings accounts which let parents save in a tax-free account so that 
they can send their kids to a better school if the public schools in 
their neighborhood are bad.
  But the President and his special interest allies oppose the idea of 
A+ Accounts. They would rather force kids to stay in crummy schools 
than to take on the special interests that are incapable of reforming 
bad schools. But, of course, this will not stop them from talking about 
education reform and reforming bad schools. ``Big hat, no cattle.''

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