[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8564-S8565]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE NEW SENATE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, what a difference a new Senate can 
make--what a difference.
  Some may have thought Washington would never agree on a replacement 
for No Child Left Behind. Years of inaction on the Senate floor gave 
ample cause for doubt. Some may have been skeptical when a new Senate 
with a new approach resolved to finally solve the problem--but no 
longer.
  Yesterday, the new Senate voted overwhelmingly to deliver the most 
significant K-12 education reform in well over a decade. The President 
will sign the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act later this morning.
  Here is what this bipartisan law will do: replace a broken law with 
conservative reform that will help students succeed instead of helping 
Washington grow. That means swapping one-size-fits-all Federal mandates 
for greater State and local flexibility. That means bringing an end to 
the ability of faraway bureaucrats to impose common core. That means 
strengthening charter schools. That means putting education back in the 
hands of those who know students' needs best--parents, teachers, 
States, and school boards.
  The Every Student Succeeds Act is conservative reform passed on a 
bipartisan basis. The Wall Street Journal calls it ``the largest 
devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century,'' and 
it is an important achievement for our kids and for our country.
  So I want to thank again the Senators who worked together to make 
this possible--Senator Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee, and 
Senator Murray, a Democrat from Washington. They took advantage of the 
opportunities a new and more open Senate provided. They put good 
legislation together and then placed personal stakes in its success. 
They worked hard. They labored over many months, and they didn't lose 
sight of what a legislative exercise like this one should really be 
about: good policy, better outcomes for our country, and, with the bill 
we passed yesterday--the bill the President will sign today--greater 
opportunities for every student to succeed.
  Senator Alexander was right when he said that ``this bill is just one 
more example that Congress is back to work.'' It is worth noting a 
point he made the other day as well: ``This has

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been one of the most productive Senate years in a long time,'' he said. 
``The Republican Senate majority is making a real difference, 
particularly [for] 100,000 public schools, [for] 3.5 million teachers, 
and [for] 50 million children.''
  But perhaps the American people are wondering why. Perhaps they are 
wondering why the Senate is suddenly back to work this year. Perhaps 
they are wondering why some issues are suddenly passing now when they 
weren't passing previously. Let me turn back to the rest of what 
Senator Alexander said, because I think the answer for a bill like ESSA 
is really quite simple. ``We're doing it,'' he said, ``by working in a 
bipartisan way with our colleagues, which is, I think, the way the 
American people want us to govern.''
  Here is the idea. Give Senators of both parties more of a say in the 
process, and Senators of both parties are likely to take more of a 
stake in the outcome. That is why, on this bill, we saw a more open 
process that started way back in the committee stage. Senator Alexander 
and Senator Murray, the top Republican and the top Democrat on the 
education committee, understood that No Child Left Behind had to be 
fixed after years of inaction. So they worked together on a bipartisan 
basis, and the Senate passed the most significant K-12 education reform 
in years.
  Take another example. Senator Inhofe and Senator Boxer, the top 
Republican and top Democrat on the public works committee, understood 
that crumbling roads and bridges had to be fixed after years of 
inaction. So they worked together on a bipartisan basis, and the Senate 
passed the first long-term transportation bill in a decade.
  How about this one: Senator Burr and Senator Feinstein, the top 
Republican and top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, understood 
that Americans' online privacy and financial transactions deserved some 
protection after years of inaction. So they worked together on a 
bipartisan basis, and the Senate passed an important cyber security 
bill.
  Across the new Congress, we saw several other stuck issues come 
unstuck too: a decisive end to Washington's annual doc fix drama, 
strong action to help knock down foreign trade barriers, and extending 
a hand of compassion to victims of modern slavery. All of it passed in 
the new Congress, and all of it passed on a bipartisan basis.
  Now, let me be clear. No one is saying that all of the Senate's 
challenges have been ironed out. Of course we know that our work is 
ongoing. Of course we know there will always be bumps along the way.
  But here is what we can say for sure. The new Senate has taken 
serious steps to foster a more open atmosphere on many issues. The new 
Senate has seen real progress made for our country, often on a 
bipartisan basis, and we are proud of that. We are proud of that. 
Whether we are Republican or Democrat, I think that is something we can 
all take pride in as Americans.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Rounds). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak in 
morning business for up to 15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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