Parents Bill of Rights Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, imagine a world where parents, school board members, and teachers were really running the show in the classroom, not bureaucrats thousands of miles away.

Imagine a world where parents didn't have to worry about a hypersexualized, woke culture when they send their most cherished individuals to the classroom, that they are assured that what is taught in that school system is not going to counter what they taught them at home.

We had such a world prior to 1979. It was a world that our Founders foresaw. It is why they believed in the concept of laboratories of democracy, laboratories of experimentation where, across State lines, you could learn from both success and failures.

It is why, in the 18 enumerated powers of Article I, Section 8, you do not find the Department of Education. That is why the 10th Amendment says all powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

It is why Thomas Jefferson said, in order for the Federal Government to be involved in education, you have to have a constitutional amendment and, again, prior to 1979, we had such a world. The creation of the Department of Education has only allowed a reduction in educational attainment.

I will end with this. James Madison made this statement. He said, imagine a world where we actually ascribe to the enumerated powers. I am paraphrasing.

He said, Congress can apply this. They can take the care of religion. If they can do this, go outside the 18 enumerated powers, they can take care of religion into their own hands. They can establish teachers in every county, every State, and every parish. They can pay them out of the public treasury. They can take into their own hands the education of children and establish in like manner schools throughout the Union.

They may assume the provision for the poor, and they may undertake the regulation of all roads, other than Post Office roads.

In short, everything from the highest object of State legislation, down to the most minute object of police would be thrown to the power of Congress. James Madison foresaw this. In 1792, he stood on this floor and talked about it. We need to return to the brilliance of our Founders.

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