[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 31 (Thursday, February 16, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   AMERICA NO LONGER NEEDS STAR WARS

  (Ms. LOFGREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks and include extraneous 
material.)
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, many Congressmen more senior than I have 
expressed concern that a topic as serious as the revision of the laws 
and procedures governing the national security of the United States 
deserved more than a day and a half of debate. I agree, and last night, 
after I was recognized to offer an amendment, I was cut off and not 
allowed to do so.
  Consideration of my proposal was prohibited by the majority, but I 
want to let the American people know what my proposal was.
  Many people back home in my district have expressed total amazement 
to me that we would even consider resumption of the star wars missile 
defense program. We all remember when the Berlin Wall fell and the cold 
war ended. In light of that fact, why would we want to spend $30 to $60 
billion on star wars now? We've already spent $30 billion and we have 
nothing to show for it.
  With the cold war over, it is time American families get something 
concrete and useful for their tax dollars.
  For the same amount of money that we would spend on star wars, we 
could extend the school day to 5 p.m. for every child in America. That 
would be useful to the families that I represent and to families across 
the country. Working parents could stop worrying about their kids at 
loose ends, unsupervised from the time school is out until their weary 
parents return home from work.
  And wouldn't this help our country immeasurably? We will not be 
competitive in the global economy unless today's children become the 
best educated and most productive work force of the future.
  We should take the money we would spend on star wars and extend the 
school day in America to 5.
  We do not need star wars--but we do need today's children to become 
the rocket scientists of the future.
  I include for the Record a copy of my amendment, as follows:

       Amendment to H.R. 872, as Reported Offered by Ms. Lofgren

       Page 11, line 12, strike ``Title II--Missile Defense'' and 
     all that follows through page 13, line 1, and insert in lieu 
     thereof the following:

    TITLE II--EXTENSION OF SCHOOL DAY FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                         EDUCATION IN AMERICA.

     SEC. 201. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) the increasing prevalence of single parents and 
     families with two working parents has forced many of our 
     Nation's children to be at home without supervision after 
     school;
       (2) performance of our Nation's schoolchildren must 
     increase markedly in the future for our country to be 
     competitive in the global market;
       (3) our economic competitors have significantly longer 
     school days, allowing for greater learning and educational 
     experiences for a child, and making for a higher level of 
     literacy and education in the general population; and
       (4) our nation's priorities should focus on the needs of 
     children and of working families.

     SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL DAY.

       (1) To remain eligible for funding pursuant to the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act a school must 
     institute a policy whereby its school day will last until 5 
     o'clock p.m., local time.
       (2) In instituting a policy extending the lateness of its 
     school day, no school may begin its school day later than 9 
     o'clock a.m., local time.
       (3) The Secretary of Education shall establish a formula 
     grant program to provide funds to States to carry out section 
     1 above.

     SEC. 203. FUNDING.

       Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, of the 
     funds available to the Department of Defense, $49,000,000,000 
     shall be made available to the Department of Education to 
     carry out this title.
     

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