Senate Education Committee Approves Education Secretary Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 9 – Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) made the following statement after the Senate education committee voted to approve the nomination of Dr. John King Jr. to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education:

“The new bipartisan law fixing No Child Left Behind represents a dramatic change in direction for federal education policy, but we know a law’s not worth the paper it’s printed on unless it is implemented properly. I urged the president to send the Senate a nominee for education secretary, and after today’s vote, we are a step closer to having a confirmed secretary who will be accountable to Congress as we work together to ensure the new law is implemented just as Congress wrote it—reversing the trend toward a national school board and restoring to those closest to children the responsibility for their well-being and academic success.”

Click here for the chairman’s remarks during Dr. King’s confirmation hearing on Feb. 25, following his nomination on Feb. 11.

Chairman Alexander has said he plans to hold at least six oversight hearings on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act this year. Click here for the chairman’s remarks at the first of these hearings on Feb. 23.  

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For access to this release and Chairman Alexander’s other statements, click here.