[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 34 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H959-H960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SCHOOL MODERNIZATION

  (Mr. WU asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of school 
modernization. In communities like Astoria in Oregon, there are 
elementary schools with only one electrical plug in each classroom. No 
new elementary schools have been built there since 1927. This is simply 
not an adequate 21st century learning environment.
  In my congressional district, communities like Astoria and 
McMinnville need the resources to modernize school buildings and 
provide schools with up-to-date technological tools. In other rapidly 
growing communities such as Beaverton and Hillsboro, schools are 
suffering from that growth. There,

[[Page H960]]

classroom overcrowding creates difficult learning environments and 
exacerbates student discipline problems. Schools there need the 
resources to expand and maintain education quality.
  Congress can make it more affordable for local school districts to 
refurbish old school facilities and construct new school buildings by 
paying the interest on local school bonds designated for construction 
and repair of school facilities. The agenda is clear but it requires a 
real commitment by Congress. We must work hard to meet that challenge.

                          ____________________