Wednesday, April 25, 2007


Another Broken Promise...
Democrats Have a Difficult Time with the Truth...
When it Comes to the Children and School Bus Safety

Washington, DC – Rep. Tom Price (GA-06-R) issued the following statement after Democrats slipped into H.R. 1591, an emergency wartime supplemental spending bill, a provision to delay a school bus safety regulation for Head Start.

The Promise:

    “Let’s hear it for the children. We’re here for the children. For these children, our children, and for all of America’s children, the House will come to order.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi, First Day of the 110th Congress (Congressional Record, H5, 1/4/07)

The Reality:

    Buried deep in H.R. 1591, Democrats have included language that delays transportation safety requirements for the Head Start program (Sec. 4608). The fine print reveals that a rear emergency exit requirement is delayed for one year and a seat belt safety requirement is delayed until another study is done. Congress required the issuance of these regulations in 1992 in order to ensure safe operation of vehicles by Head Start agencies. The effective date has been delayed three times already since the final rule was published in 2001.

“On the first day of the new Congress, the new majority pledged that it is all about the children,” said Price. “However, on the first day it should have been said that it is about the children unless it conflicts with school bus safety regulations. There is simply no reason to delay this regulation since Congress required it 15 years ago.”

“Already, political hi-jinx has trumped the concerns of providing responsible funding and resources to the troops overseas. Instead of playing ‘General,’ the majority would have been better served by producing a clean wartime supplemental bill, without conditions. What the American people got is more hi-jinx – a bill that degrades the safety of our children AND makes money for the safety of our troops conditional.”

The Solution:

    Positive, Principled, Solution-Oriented Leadership

Democrat Broken Promise Meter: 27

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