[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 MAKE EDUCATION THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY

  (Ms. SANCHEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the President 
again for including school construction tax credits in his fiscal year 
2000 budget. The bond proposals that he has offered are based on 
concepts included in the legislation I just introduced.
  When our Nation is facing the most rapid student enrollment increases 
ever in our history, we must ask, are our schools prepared?
  I remember education being a top priority for candidates and 
incumbents in this past election season. Well, let us keep those 
promises from the election. Let us make education our number one 
priority.
  I have been on this floor a number of times recounting the horror 
stories from my own district, about teachers working in closets, about 
50 kids in every classroom, about those portable classrooms littering 
our playground blacktops. The stories that I have told just are not 
happening in Orange County, California; I know they must be happening 
in your districts also.
  So I encourage the Speaker and the leadership and the Democrats to 
find a solution to this problem. Please, cosponsor H.R. 415 and support 
school construction tax cuts. Our children need it.

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