Student Success Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Madam Chair, this bill is complex and could be discussed for a long period of time. Mr. Scott doesn't have a long period of time, and I will be brief.

I want to point out that when we passed, at the request of President Bush, No Child Left Behind, which everybody has recognized does not have some of the components that it ought to have and has some components that it ought not to have--and Mr. Scott's substitute fixes that which is broken--I will point out that that bill passed 384-45.

This bill has, essentially, been on the floor before and got no Democratic votes. How sad it is that on an issue so important to our country, we don't have a bipartisan bill.

Now this bill had no hearings, notwithstanding the fact there are 63 new Members. I am very pleased--and I thank Mr. Scott--that the Democratic alternative includes the full service community school program that I have been promoting for years.

These full service community schools bring the successful model of the Judith P. Hoyer Early Childhood Centers to K-12 nationally.

Opportunities--there are 33 Judy Centers in Maryland, and there will be another three opening later this school year. My wife, for whom Judy Centers were named, was a strong proponent of this highly successful model, which has helped in closing the achievement gaps for thousands of students in Maryland. Sadly, H.R. 5 does not include provisions for those services, which will make a difference.

I thank the chairman for his leadership and the ranking member for his leadership and contribution.

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