[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, this body has no greater challenge than to 
make sure that all of America's children no matter how humble their 
background have access to a quality education. Education is the great 
equalizer in our Nation. It is what has allowed the daughter of a 
garment worker like myself to grow up to be a Member of the House of 
Representatives. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to 
dismantle public education, to siphon off precious funds into risky 
voucher proposals. Democrats have a plan to strengthen America's public 
schools by repairing and modernizing crumbling schools, putting 100,000 
teachers in the classroom to promote stronger discipline and better 
learning, and to cut down on class size. America's public schools have 
made our Nation strong and put the American dream within reach for so 
many of our Nation's children. I urge my Republican colleagues not to 
abandon our children but to follow the Democrats' lead in working to 
rebuild America's public schools and to maintain strong public 
education in this Nation.

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