February 29, 2012    

Contact: Mike Ward

Phone: (202) 225-5037

E-mail: Mike.Ward@mail.house.gov

Rokita Amendment to Cut Bureaucracy at Department of Education Passes House Education and Workforce Committee

Washington, DC – Rep. Todd Rokita released the following statement after the 23-16 passage of his Amendment to the Student Success Act , H.R. 3989, during the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s committee legislative markup.

“Late yesterday, I included an amendment to the Student Success Act, H.R. 3989, that will reduce the size, scope, and influence of the Department of Education.

H.R. 3989, The Student Success Act, requires the Secretary of Education to consolidate and eliminate duplicative and inefficient programs.  My amendment takes the bill to its logical conclusion, by truly closing those programs and eliminating any and all staff positions at programs that no longer exist. 

As Indiana’s Secretary of State from 2003-2010, I ran a bureaucracy on a 1987 budget, unadjusted for inflation.  There is no reason that the federal government cannot do the same thing.  My amendment continues my commitment, shrinking the Department of Education the same way I have fought to shrink all of government down to a size we can actually afford.  I look forward to continuing this fight across the entire federal government”

H.R. 3989, have been referred favorably by the Committee and is expected to be voted on by the full House in short order.

Representative Todd Rokita represents Indiana’s 4th Congressional District and is a Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

###