[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          MISPLACED PRIORITIES

  (Mr. BALDACCI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, I received a poignant letter recently from 
a woman in Maine. She goes to college, relying on financial assistance 
to do so. She is also raising a 4-year-old son, whose father has a 
restraining order against him and does not contribute financially. She 
works nights as a waitress to pay the family's bills.
  She writes:

       Some might say I do not need an education, since I'm 
     managing to stay off public assistance, but there are more 
     issues involved here than that. If I have to continue working 
     in the evening once Isaiah is in school, I will not be there 
     to help him with his homework or talk with him about any 
     problems he may be having.

  She continues:

       I truly believe that education for more than just the 
     wealthy is what will make our country the great nation we all 
     want it to be. To deny even the hope of a better life to our 
     nation's young people can only lead us all into disaster and 
     despair.* * * Through accessible education, we can lift up 
     all of our people, not just the fortunate few.

  Mr. Speaker, I could not have said it better myself. Our majority 
colleagues should reevaluate their priorities, and 


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