    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [March 9, 1999]
    [Page 334]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Kennedy-Murray Amendment to Proposed Education
    Flexibility Partnership Legislation
    March 9, 1999

        For the second day in a row, the Republican leadership has continued
    its efforts to stand in the way of voting on an amendment to finish the
    job of hiring 100,000 teachers to reduce class size. Communities across
    the country need to know that Congress will live up to the bipartisan
    commitment we made last fall to fund this effort. The American people
    expect us to work together to improve the education of our students. I
    call on the Republican leadership to allow an up-or-down vote on more
    teachers and smaller classes, and I call on every Senator to support the
    Murray-Kennedy measure to reduce class size and hire well-prepared
    teachers across the Nation.