[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 27, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PUT OUR CHILDREN FIRST AND VOTE TO FUND EDUCATION

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, on Monday I visited schools and met with 
parents in my district. I visited a DARE program in Stratford, CT, 
where a police officer works with fifth graders to keep kids off drugs. 
I attended an awards ceremony where young people were recognized for 
their work to keep their peers off drugs and alcohol. That evening, I 
organized a parents summit where about 100 parents gathered to discuss 
the challenges that they face trying to raise good kids today.
  Let me share the comments of one parent. She said: ``I feel like a 
boxer who is down and the count is 8. My head is down and I am dripping 
blood from every part of my body. The schools need to help teach the 
basics,'' she said. That is not what House Republicans are proposing. 
They want to cut basic math skills, basic reading skills.
  The families that I met with do not believe that this Congress is on 
their side. This week we will have an opportunity to prove that we 
really want to help working families. Once again, I urge Speaker 
Gingrich and the Republican leadership to reverse course, stand with 
our parents and our kids, and vote to fund education. Let us put our 
children first.

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