U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today released the following statement on the House Government Reform Committee's passage of the D.C. Parental Choice Incentive Act of 2003:

"Choice is essential for authentic school reform. I believe that we must empower parents to make the choices that will set their children on a path to a bright future. Thanks to the committee's bold action today, thousands of parents in our nation's capital are now one step closer to being able select the best school for their children.

"I applaud Rep. Davis, his staff and the committee for their commitment, courage and dedication to the children of Washington, D.C. I also want to thank Rep. Boehner and his staff for their participation in crafting the language. Finally, I thank Mayor Williams and Board President Cafritz for their untiring efforts and for being part of this team whose primary focus is on D.C.'s children. I look forward to continuing our work with Congress to expand choices and to ensure that no child in America is left behind."

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