HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, May 6, 1999
1999 Ron Paul 44:1 Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate
National Teacher Appreciation week by
expressing my appreciation for the valuable
work of America’s teachers and to ask my colleagues
to support two pieces of legislation I
have introduced to get the government off the
backs, and out of the pockets, of America’s
teachers. Yesterday I introduced legislation to
prohibit the expenditure of federal funds for
national teacher testing or certification. A national
teacher test would force all teachers to
be trained in accordance with federal standards,
thus dramatically increasing the Department
of Education’s control over the teaching
profession.
1999 Ron Paul 44:2 I have also introduced the Teacher Tax Cut
Act (HR 937) which provides every teacher in
America with a $1,000 tax credit. The Teacher
Tax Cut Act thus increases teachers’ salaries
without raising federal expenditures. It lets
America’s teachers know that the American
people and the Congress respect their work.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, by raising
teacher take-home pay, the Teacher Tax
Cut Act encourages high-quality people to
enter, and remain in, the teaching profession.
1999 Ron Paul 44:3 Mr. Speaker, these two bills send a strong
signal to America’s teachers that we in Congress
are determined to encourage good people
to enter and remain in the teaching profession
and that we want teachers to be treated
as professionals, not as Education Department
functionaries. I urge my colleagues to support
my legislation to prohibit the use of federal
funds for national teacher testing and to give
Americas teachers a $1,000 tax credit.
Notes:
1999 Ron Paul 44:1
Yesterday I introduced legislation to prohibit the expenditure of federal funds for national teacher testing or certification.
Ron Paul discusses this legislation in more detail in
1999 Ron Paul Chapter 44.
1999 Ron Paul 44:2
I have also introduced the Teacher Tax Cut Act (HR 937). Ron Paul discussed this bill in more detail in
1999 Ron&Paul Chapter 12.
