[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 46 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PUT EDUCATION FIRST

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on the people's 
House to put education first on our Nation's agenda.
  As a former two-term State superintendent in North Carolina, I know 
firsthand what can happen and what a difference a strong educational 
system can make in the lives of our people. My State has proven that 
bold, visionary leadership can make a difference tangibly in the lives 
of young people when we do the right thing.
  Mr. Speaker, when students, parents, teachers, and communities get 
involved, strong improvement is the result of what happens. Several 
weeks ago, the rigorous NAEP scores came out, and in our State, North 
Carolina, students came out near the top in this country.
  Mr. Speaker, as the first member of my family to graduate from 
college, I learned long ago the value of educational excellence. As a 
Congressman, I know how important education is to my constituents and 
to this Nation. We must provide safe healthy schools and we must do it 
now.

                          ____________________