[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 73 (Thursday, May 15, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        KEEP OUR PROMISES TO AMERICA'S CHILDREN AND TEACHERS ACT

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                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 14, 2003

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Keep Our 
Promises to America's Children and Teachers Act'' or ``Keep Our PACT'' 
Act. Every parent knows first-hand how important it is to keep the 
promises we make to our children. I believe the federal government has 
a similar obligation. However, in too many areas, the rhetoric is not 
matching the reality.
  Mr. Speaker, the No Child Left Behind Act signed just last year 
requires schools to adopt new accountability measures in exchange for 
the resources necessary to achieve high national standards. This was a 
bipartisan commitment. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration's budget 
and the one adopted by the House of Representatives falls $9 billion 
short of the funds promised.
  Similarly, 28 years after passing the landmark Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act special education law, it astonishes me that 
the federal government is providing less than half what was promised to 
children with disabilities under the original legislation. Where we 
should fund 40 percent of the costs, we are only at 18 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill I have introduced today would right these 
wrongs. It would fully fund No Child Left Behind and IDEA so that every 
child has the opportunity to meet his or her full potential. Here in 
Congress, we should never forget the lessons we teach our children: a 
promise made must be a promise kept.

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