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Skriven 2005-01-31 23:42:16 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0501311) for Mon, 2005 Jan 31
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President Thanks Secretary Spellings at Swearing-In Ceremony
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 31, 2005

President Thanks Secretary Spellings at Swearing-In Ceremony

President's Remarks
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U.S. Department Of Education

Washington, D.C.

10:47 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Please be seated. Thanks for coming. Laura and I are pleased
to be here at the Department of Education with Margaret Spellings. Madam
Secretary, thanks for inviting us over. (Applause.)

I have known Margaret for a long time, before we both came to Washington.
When I was the governor of Texas she was a senior advisor for education,
and at the White House she has been my senior domestic policy advisor. For
more than 10 years, she's been right down the hall or by my side, and now I
look forward to having her take her seat in the Cabinet Room. (Applause.)

It's good to be here with members of her family. I've known her husband for
a while, Robert Spellings. It's good that Robert and Britain are with us.
Mary and Grace are with us, as well, Margaret's daughters. Her parents,
John and Peg Dudar, are here, as are other members of her family. Welcome
to Washington, D.C.

I'm pleased members of the Congress have come. I am so grateful that
Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Mike Enzi are with us today. Thank you both
for coming. I appreciate Congressman John Boehner, Ralph Regula, and Mac
Thornberry from Texas for being here. You're very gracious to take time to
be here. Thank you all for being here. (Applause.)

Looking around, I see other nominees for the Cabinet and members of our
administration, all fans of Margaret. I see a few Texans have come up from
the great state -- thank you all for being here. We're honored you're here.
I know Margaret is especially honored you're here.

She will be an outstanding Secretary of Education. She has been involved in
all our efforts to strengthen America's public schools. She was
instrumental in getting the No Child Left Behind Act passed, that will help
raise standards in our public schools. She believes, as I do, that every
child can learn, and that every school must teach.

In the past four years, we have made great strides. Today, children across
America are scoring higher on state reading and math tests. The achievement
gap in America is closing. We've made important progress, but Margaret
understands there is still more work to be done. We will maintain the high
standards of No Child Left Behind. We will extend those high standards and
accountability to America's public high schools.

Today, only about 60 out of every 100 students entering our public high
schools ever make it to graduation four years later. Margaret understands,
as do I, that is unacceptable. We're committed to ensuring that every high
school student succeeds and leaves with the skills he or she needs to
succeed in college or the workplace.

Because most new jobs in our 21st century economy will require
post-secondary education or training, Margaret understands we need to make
higher education more affordable and accessible for all Americans. We will
reform the student aid system and increase college assistance for
low-income students. We'll increase the maximum award for Pell grants, and
make them available to students year-round. And we will expand access to
community colleges, so that more Americans can develop the skills and
knowledge they need to succeed in the workplace.

Margaret is the right person to carry out a reform agenda. She is talented,
she is smart, she is capable, and she is a lot of fun to be around.
(Laughter and applause.) She is a mom. She has a personal stake in the
success of our nation's schools. She knows that to build on the progress of
No Child Left Behind, the government, the President and the Secretary of
Education, and those who work in this building must listen to those closest
to our children -- their parents, their teachers and their principals. She
will be a thoughtful and determined leader of this department. The people
who work in this building will find out that they are very lucky to have
been led by the likes of Margaret Spellings. I am proud to welcome her into
my Cabinet.

Margaret. (Applause.)

SECRETARY SPELLINGS: Thank you, Mr. President. I've been honored to serve
you and our great country these past four years, and to have worked with
you for the past decade, going back to our days in Texas. Thank you for
your confidence and for your generosity and kindness to my family and me.
I'd also like to thank Mrs. Bush for being here today, and for her support
and commitment to improving education in this country and around the world.

Thanks to you, Secretaries Chao, Jackson, Johanns, Leavitt, and Veneman for
being here today. Thanks also to Chairman Enzi, Senator Kennedy, Chairman
Boehner and Chairman Regula. Your presence means so much. To all the United
States Senators, I thank you for my quick confirmation. Our positive
experience portends well for our ability to work together.

I am eager to work with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and
in both chambers to continue the progress begun under Secretary Rod Paige,
to whom I am grateful. I'm grateful, as well, to the White House Chief of
Staff, Secretary Andy Card, and my former colleague, Jim Towey, for their
important roles today. And thanks to Deputy Secretary Jean Hickock for
making me feel so welcome here.

Of course, I'd like to thank my family: my parents, John and Peg Dudar; my
sister, Ellen; and sister and brother-in-law Nan and John Lawson; and most
importantly, my husband, Robert, and our sons Britain and Robert, and
daughters Mary and Grace LaMontagne.

Let me offer a special thanks to the department's 4,600 employees, my new
colleagues. I look forward to our close collaboration and communication.

Mr. President, your passion for education has become our policy. Your
belief that every child can learn has become our mission. When you signed
No Child Left Behind into law three years ago, it was more than an act, it
was an attitude; an attitude that says it's right to measure our children's
progress from year to year so we can help them before it's too late; an
attitude that says expecting students to read and do math at grade level or
better is not too much to ask.

Mr. President, you had faith that our teachers, principals and
administrators could make it happen, and your faith is being rewarded.
Across the nation, test scores in reading and math are rising, with
disadvantaged and minority students leading the way. Yes, after long
decades, the pernicious achievement gap is beginning to close. We've
learned a new equation: Accountability plus high expectations plus
resources equals results. We must stay the course.

At the same time, we must work to close another gap, the skills gap, faced
by our high school graduates. We must introduce the reforms of No Child
Left Behind to our high schools, so that diplomas become tickets to success
in the 21st century. America enjoys many, many good schools and great
teachers who share our passion and commitment to excellence. As someone who
has worked for school boards, a state legislature and a Texas governor, I
know that many solutions can be found outside of Washington, D.C. We will
find and share them as we continue to build bridges to educators, public
officials and parents.

Finally, let me say a few words about this department. One of the first
things you notice is that there is no ivory tower. I pledge to run an open,
honest and accessible department, one that operates with integrity at all
levels.

I stand here today as a product of the public schools. I'm also an
education consumer, the first mother of school-age children to serve as
Secretary of Education. In carrying out my duties to the American people, I
will be carrying out my duties as a mom. And there's none more important
than to provide a quality education to our children.

Thank you. (Applause.)

END 10:55 A.M. EST
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