[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9008]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            CONFUSING DAY FOR REPUBLICANS AND CONSERVATIVES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Grucci). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, first let me, too, congratulate, as a fellow 
Midwesterner, the city of Detroit. We had many escaping slaves go 
through the Underground Railroad through Detroit. We provide many auto 
parts. Unfortunately, our beloved Pistons used to be the Fort Wayne 
Pistons, and they, too, moved to Detroit; and I wish they would win as 
many games in Detroit as they used to win in Fort Wayne.
  But today has been a confusing day for Republicans and conservatives. 
We had a handout during the amendment of the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Hoekstra) to eliminate the national testing that came from the 
Republicans.
  It said that, if one voted to eliminate national testing, one would 
wipe out the President's cornerstone of accountability. Without 
assessment, schools cannot be held accountable for improving student 
achievement. Without annual assessment information, parents are 
powerless to choose a better-performing school. For over 35 years, 
there has been little or no academic accountability in K-12 education 
programs. We need more accountability for Federal tax dollars, not 
less.
  This is really confusing. It is a Republican handout.
  Now, let us apply this to economics. Without the cornerstone of 
accountability, without assessments, business cannot be held 
accountable for improving business achievement. Without annual 
assessment information, workers are powerless to choose a better-
performing business. For over 35 years, there has been little or no 
business accountability in ergonomics programs. We need more 
accountability for Federal tax dollars, not less.
  Now, let us try health insurance. Without assessments, businesses 
cannot be held accountable for improving health insurance. Without 
annual assessment information, workers are powerless to choose a 
better-performing business. For over 35 years, there has been little or 
no business accountability in health insurance programs. We need more 
accountability for Federal tax dollars, not less.
  This is a disturbing trend. Since when did the Republican Party stand 
for national accountability when we have always argued for local 
responsibility and accountability. It is not a question of 
accountability, it is accountability to whom. That is really what we 
have been arguing over today.
  I am curious what is happening to our party. A few minutes ago, a 
group of conservative Republicans had been hauled down to the White 
House for a combination of persuasion and subtle threats. I hope that 
the people in this body can still vote their conscience, and we have 
not handed over our voting cards to the deals developed with Senator 
Kennedy in the Senate, with veto power for the House Democrats.
  My friend from South Carolina is under heavy pressure not to even 
offer his minimal State flexibility for a mere seven States because it 
might upset the Democrats. This scaled down Straight A's was accepted 
by Senator Kennedy. Apparently, we must stay to his left, and then what 
is to guarantee that we can even hold that in conference. It used to be 
that the House was the conservative body. Now, apparently, it is 
Senator Kennedy who is the conservative.
  President Bush is a great President. I agree with him on almost 
everything, and I am so enthusiastic about his leadership. But on this 
issue, he has chosen to go with Democrats and a liberal bill. About 
every major conservative organization in America, including Dr. Dobson, 
Rush Limbaugh, the home schoolers, the Family Research Council, over 
40, I think now, 50 conservative organizations oppose this bill.
  Maybe there is only going to be 5 or 10 or even 20 Members with the 
courage to vote no in the end. The pressures are great on us. Forty-
nine Republicans today stood up to the President on national testing. 
Last year, we probably had over 220. Interestingly, this year, the 
Democrats kind of switched sides, because previously the Democrats had 
been for national testing. That is partly why people are distrustful of 
politicians, because it appears that one does not take an ideological 
position and stick with it, it is more a party position. It is a very 
upsetting trend in America.

                              {time}  1800

  Part of my concern is that there will not always be a President Bush. 
We do not know who is going to be the next president. And when we pass 
things that mandate national testing, we are taking a risk that the 
next president will not be George W. Bush and, instead, we may have 
someone who is going to ram this stuff down our throat, and we may 
regret and rue the day that we passed a bill with less flexibility, 
more money, more bureaucracy, and now national testing.

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