[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4881]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            INTRODUCTION OF THE ACT TO LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 26, 2003

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit 
to my colleagues in the House the Act to Leave No Child Behind. The Act 
to Leave No Child Behind 2001 was endorsed by more than 1400 groups and 
organizations around the nation, more than 400 state legislators and 
mayors, and it has been the focus of numerous community rallies, 
petition drives and advocacy events in Washington and throughout the 
country.
  Our nation currently faces many great challenges. We are engaged in a 
war on terrorism--a war we can and must win. We are on the brink of a 
possible war overseas, in Iraq. If the time comes, we will put aside 
our differences on the merits and the timing of this war and rally in 
support of our men and women in the armed forces.
  But we cannot afford to neglect our responsibilities at home. We 
cannot afford to turn our Federal programs into piggy banks that 
Governors can raid to fill gaping state budget shortfalls. We cannot 
afford--morally, socially, or economically--to write off the needs of a 
generation of children.
  This bill is intended to remind us of those obligations. We have 
obligations to ensure that our children have access to quality health 
care; obligations to provide our children with an education that will 
prepare for their role in our workforce and our society; obligations to 
make sure our children have a safe, affordable, and stable place to 
live.
  Together with many of my colleagues in the House and my friend 
Christopher Dodd in the Senate, we are introducing this bill today 
because we can no longer afford to abandon the children and families in 
this country who struggle daily with poverty, hunger, inadequate health 
care and education, poor housing and crime.
  This bill calls upon the federal government to lead the way with 
vision and commitment toward a future where all children have quality 
health care, educational opportunity, family stability and safe 
communities. No child in this country should grow up poor, or hungry, 
or sick, or scared.
  Now is the time. America must make a choice when it comes to the 
future of our children. We must decide whether we will invest in the 
healthy development of all our children or in tax cuts for the 
wealthiest citizens in this country. We cannot do both. This bill 
represents a vision and a commitment toward a future where all children 
have a chance to succeed so that we may use our resources in a 
constructive way to truly leave no child behind.
  This legislation provides every child and their parents with health 
insurance, lifts every child from poverty through tax credits, work 
supports, and a new minimum wage, and ends child hunger through the 
expansion of food programs. This bill makes sure every child is ready 
for school by fully funding quality early learning programs, and offers 
significant reforms for our system of public education that increases 
accountability, reduces classroom size, and guarantees that all 
children will be taught by qualified teachers in modern and safe 
classrooms. This legislation also builds affordable housing and safe 
communities through sensible environmental protections, gun safety 
laws, and programs to reduce children's exposure to neglect, abuse, and 
violence.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members of the House to join me and co-sponsor 
the Act to Leave No Child Behind.

                          ____________________