U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige released the following statement on tomorrow??s Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) hearing on the nomination of Gerald A. Reynolds for assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education:

"I would like to thank the members of the committee for their time and consideration of this nomination. I also urge them to move quickly to approve this nomination."

"Jerry Reynolds has the sound judgment, professionalism, and legal experience required of an assistant secretary for civil rights. I know that Jerry will work tirelessly to ensure that our civil rights laws are enforced. As we work to implement the No Child Left Behind Act, Jerry will be a critical member of my team. I am confident the members of the HELP committee will come to see that President Bush has selected an outstanding individual to guide the Office for Civil Rights."

"It is critical that Jerry Reynolds be confirmed as swiftly as possible. With nearly 700 employees, the Office for Civil Rights is one of the largest offices within the Department of Education. Sadly, the office has had to operate for more than a year without an assistant secretary to provide it with strong, effective leadership. I look forward to having Jerry Reynolds in place at the Department of Education as soon as possible."

Reynolds served as Senior Regulatory Counsel at Kansas City Power and Light. From 1997 to 1998, he was president and legal counsel for the Center for New Black Leadership. He also served as a legal analyst for the Center for Equal Opportunity from 1995 to 1997. He is a graduate of the City University of New York at York College and received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

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