U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings released the following statement praising the U.S. House of Representatives for passing HR 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2006, and the companion McMorris American Competitiveness Amendment:

"To be a global economic leader, America must remain an educational leader. And so the U.S. House of Representatives deserves praise today for its passage of HR 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2006, and the McMorris American Competitiveness Amendment.

HR 609 moves forward on two of the President's top educational priorities: Year-Round Pell Grants and the Teacher Incentive Fund. Each would smooth the path toward higher education—the first by making it easier for students to attend and afford college, the second by attracting great teachers to work in the most challenging K-12 schools and communities.

The McMorris American Competitiveness Amendment makes progress toward the goals of the President's American Competitiveness Initiative, which is designed to improve the instruction of mathematics, science and critical foreign languages in our schools. The Amendment would increase the number of teachers qualified to teach Advanced Placement courses in those subjects, particularly to low-income students. And it would encourage and enable skilled professionals from those fields to share their knowledge as adjunct teachers.

This is a great step forward. Chairman Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon [R-CA] and Rep. Cathy McMorris [R-WA] have shown real vision and leadership. Now, as the U.S. Senate considers similar legislation, I would urge both houses of Congress to act swiftly and comprehensively to prepare our students and schools for the demands of the 21st century."

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