[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10674-H10675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   EDUCATION IS MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE

  (Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, as the father of three young 
children, I am delighted, I am delighted that we are finally talking 
about an issue that is of concern to parents of young children all 
throughout this entire country.
  Education is the most important issue for the future of this country. 
We have ignored it. We have ignored it for the last year. Now, finally, 
we get an opportunity to talk about it.

[[Page H10675]]

  I think we should be putting more money into classrooms in this 
country, not into bureaucracies in Washington, not into bureaucracies 
in State capitals, not into bureaucracies at the local level.
  The administration's proposal puts money into classrooms to reduce 
class size. I have got two kids in kindergarten. I want them to have 
smaller classes. I want children throughout this country to have 
smaller classes because that is how they are going to get a better 
education. That is what is going to allow us to compete better in the 
future with countries throughout the world.
  We are headed in the right direction when we are talking about 
education and when we are putting resources into education because 
there is no better investment than investing in our children.

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