[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H10774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DEFINING VOTE ON EDUCATION

  (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, last week this House took a defining vote 
for public schools in this country. By a vote of 228 to 191, we 
defeated a risky voucher scheme to take tax money out of our public 
schools to finance private schools. I am pleased my colleagues took 
this stand in defense of our school children and our Nation's public 
schools. Taking tax money out of our public schools and giving it to 
private schools and turning our backs on our public schools is wrong.
  I call on my colleagues to defend, protect and strengthen our public 
schools. As a cochair of the Education Task Force, I know what we must 
do to strengthen education for all of our children. We must help set 
high standards of excellence in education. We must empower teachers, 
parents, and students to achieve these high standards. We must rebuild 
crumbling schools and build new schools to relieve overcrowding. We 
must strengthen professional development for our teachers. We must get 
back to the basics in core subject areas, and we must encourage 
character education and ensure that every child can attend a school 
that is safe from violence and free of drugs.
  This House did the right thing in defeating vouchers, and now we must 
move forward to strengthen our public schools for every child in 
America.

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