[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 139 (Wednesday, October 8, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H8640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    STOP ATTACKS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION

  (Mr. LEWIS of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the Republican assault on 
education is nothing new. The gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich] and 
the radical Republican right have a plan to dismantle public education, 
abolish the Department of Education, cut the school lunch program, cut 
funding for safe and drug-free schools, for teacher training, for Head 
Start. To these attacks on our children, Democrats have said ``no.''
  Now Republicans have a new scheme: Drain funding from public 
education and give it to a privileged few to attend private school. 
Reward the few and punish the many. That is the Republican plan. To 
that I say ``no'' and Democrats say ``no.'' Democrats believe in 
investing in education for all of our children, improving, reforming, 
and strengthening our public schools.
  Mr. Speaker, 99 percent of our children attend public school. We need 
to work to improve our public schools. Stop attacks on public 
education, Mr. Speaker. Our children deserve better.

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