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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 5, 2001

Remarks by the President
On Education Reform
South Lawn

2:45 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Looking forward to spending the weekend with my family.  I know Congress is spending weekends with their families as well.  And when they come back, there's going to be a lot of work to do.  And there's nothing more important than getting the education bill to my desk.

     I urge Congress to come back to work hard to reconciling differences that may exist between the House and the Senate bill, and to get a bill to my desk quickly.  It's important to do so.  All you've got to do is ask the governors and superintendents and local officials standing behind me.

     These good folks have come to Washington to urge me to urge Congress to get the people's business done.  Because they've got plans to make for the public schoolchildren of America.

     Behind me are three Governors and superintendents from around the country -- education leaders who know full well what is required to plan an education year.  And if the rules are to be changed -- and I hope they are in a constructive way -- Congress must act quickly so people at the local level can plan.

     Our bill out of the House and the Senate passed with large majorities and bipartisan support.  There's no reason to delay.  The Secretary of Education joins me in urging the Congress to act.  And I'm confident if the will is there, we can resolve any differences and get the bill to my desk.

     This is a good bill.  It's a good piece of legislation because it aligns authority and responsibility at the local level, because it believes in setting high standards, it challenges the soft bigotry of low expectations, and its cornerstone is strong accountability measures so that we can make sure not one single child gets left behind in America.

     So I wish the members of Congress a great weekend, but I remind them the people's work's ahead.

     Thank you all for coming.

     Q    Mr. President, do you feel there needs to be a change in the culture at the FBI?

     THE PRESIDENT:  Have a great weekend.

                            END              2:47 P.M. EDT