DeLauro Votes against GOP’s “Letting Students Down Act”

"Sets Up Our Country and Our Nation to Fail"

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) announcedher opposition to the Republican "Letting Students Down Act" voted on by theHouse of Representatives today. In aspeech on the House floor, DeLauro detailed the reasons for her opposition.The remarks below are as prepared for delivery:

"I am strongly opposed to this bill, which drasticallyunderfunds our education system, and sets up our children and our nation tofail. Right now the Majority's bill freezes education funding through the endof the decade at just above the 2013 sequestration level. Compared to lastyear's level, this means a $570 million cut to education funding.

"This bill does not adequately deal with one of ourfundamental priorities as a nation for each of the next five years. Nor doesthis bill allow for annual increases due to inflation or enrollment growth. Ineffect, the Majority is trying to lock in federal education spending at a levelfar below what is needed and then simply walk away from our schools and ourkids.

"Keep in mind these cuts come on top of several earlierrounds of deep cuts to education spending. Without access to quality educationthere is no middle class and the compact is broken that allows hard work to payoff and future generations to do better. We cannot allow this to happen."