Pelosi Remarks at Signing of Every Student Succeeds Act

Contact: Drew Hammill/Evangeline George, 202-226-7616

Washington D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks today at the signing of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  Below are the Leader’s remarks:

“Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for bringing us together as you sign this bill and send it off to the President for his signature.  I want to join you and Leader McConnell in congratulating the Senators and the House Members and I will name them: Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Bobby Scott, for their superb leadership in meeting the challenges that this prospect presented and then turning it into legislation that we are all here to salute.

“I want to quote President Johnson because when he signed the original ESEA bill into law in 1969 he said, ‘No law I have signed or ever will sign means more to the future of America.’  And here we are continuing that legacy.  I would like to also add that nothing returns more to the treasury than money that we expend as a country investing in the education of our children from early childhood, from K through 12, from higher education, post-grad, lifetime learning.  And that’s why this had such broad support in the private sector, the Chamber of Commerce and others – Business Roundtable.  And I’m so pleased to see our friends from labor – AFT and NEA – here as well. 

“So, we have consensus.  We have a great bill.  It’s very good for our children.  It’s about making schools a place where children can learn, teachers can teach, parents can participate.  Thank you to the leadership of our negotiators on all of this.  And now, I yield to the distinguished gentleman who was the chair of the committee in the House, Mr. Kline.” 

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