[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 27567]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1, NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. THOMAS E. PETRI

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 13, 2001

  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the H.R. 1 Conference 
Report, which is the result of months of relentless effort on the part 
of Members and particularly staff in both chambers in both parties. It 
is also a great achievement for President Bush, who made education the 
top priority of his domestic agenda from his first day in office. This 
conference report largely reflects his priorities and his active 
support and involvement in this process have been crucial in bringing 
us to this point.
  In the context of a bipartisan, bicameral compromise final product, 
there are many features of this bill that represent significant 
departures from the old, failed Federal education policy. In this bill, 
we have given states and school districts an unprecedented level of 
flexibility to use Federal funds as they see fit. We have included, as 
one of the many new options for children trapped in failing schools, an 
opportunity to use Title I money to purchase supplemental services such 
as tutoring, which is a reform that many in this House have advocated 
for years. We have also consolidated many of the current duplicative 
education programs to better focus money to the students who need help 
the most.
  Additionally, this conference report makes a strong statement that, 
where Darwinian evolutionary theory or other controversial scientific 
topics are taught, students should be exposed to multiple viewpoints. 
Too often, students are taught only one theory where evolution is 
concerned, and this language gives support to those at the local and 
state level who uphold the value of intellectual freedom in the 
teaching of science. This statement is especially important to make now 
because H.R. 1 requires all students eventually to be tested in science 
on a regular basis as a condition of aid.
  I am also pleased that the conference report reauthorizes and updates 
the Troops-to-Teachers program, which assists qualified former members 
of the military in finding employment in the teaching profession. Since 
this program's beginning in 1993, Troops-to-Teachers has a proven track 
record of supplying high-quality teachers, even though it has thus far 
received little funding. I am hopeful that, when the appropriators 
finish their work in the coming days, this program will receive the 
full $30 million dollars authorized in H.R. 1.
  To be sure, I have some misgivings about the new accountability 
provisions in this conference report. Many states, such as Wisconsin, 
have spent years developing successful accountability systems that do 
not necessarily involve testing all students on an annual basis. For 
the Federal Government to now demand that annual testing in reading and 
math take place every year in grades 3-8 amounts to a new mandate 
placed on states over and above what we already ask of them in other 
areas. On the other hand, given that the national government has poured 
upwards of $130 billion dollars into elementary and secondary education 
over the last 36 years with no discernible improvement in educational 
outcomes for our most disadvantaged students, I fully understand the 
urgent need to find some way to make sure that new federal resources 
are tied to results.
  In any case, I am pleased that the conference report makes a credible 
attempt to address my concerns about saddling states with this new 
responsibility. For example, the conferees increased the amount of 
money authorized to help states develop and administer the new tests. 
Both the House bill and Senate amendment provided $400 million, however 
the conference report increases this to $490 million. If this account 
is fully funded by the appropriators, states will be able to put in 
place high-quality accountability systems that provide the data that 
parents need about their child's school. Additionally, we included a 
Senate provision that makes state administration of the new testing 
contingent on adequate funds being provided.
  This bill is a significant improvement over current law that, when 
fully implemented, might actually achieve its intended effect of making 
sure that henceforth no child is left behind, and on that basis I am 
pleased to support it and urge my colleagues to do the same.

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