[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H9216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  REFORMING AMERICA'S EDUCATION SYSTEM

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, just a few minutes ago I 
returned from the White House, where President Barack Obama signed 
historic reforms for elementary and secondary education into law.
  I was proud to serve on the conference committee that was responsible 
for settling the differences between the House and the Senate versions 
of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which has replaced No Child Left 
Behind.
  This is legislation which has been years in the making and which will 
finally put the control of education back into the hands of our States, 
our schools, and, of course, our parents and teachers across the 
Nation.
  It also calls for the U.S. Department of Education to study how title 
I funds are distributed. I have long been concerned that children are 
put at a disadvantage based on the populations of their school 
districts rather than on a concentration of poverty. I am hopeful that 
this study will make the argument for a more equitable method of 
distributing these funds to areas that are deeply affected by poverty.
  This is a bill that I believe will make a real difference for 
students across the Nation. I was proud to see it gain overwhelming 
bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate.

                          ____________________