[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 139 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H10037-H10038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TIME TO PUT AMERICA'S CHILDREN FIRST

  (Mr. WU asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, classes have been in session in my home State of 
Oregon for about a month and a half now, and we are still engaged in 
budget fights here that will determine the quality of education in 
States across America and for children across America.
  About 70 percent of schoolchildren in the Portland metropolitan area 
in grades K through 3 are in class sizes

[[Page H10038]]

above ideal. Many high schoolers are in class sizes of 40 or 50 in 
Portland. Across the congressional district that I represent, there are 
inadequate facilities.
  We need to fight strongly to reduce class size by adding 100,000 
additional qualified teachers across America. That would bring about 
2,500 teachers to my home State of Oregon. We need to modernize school 
facilities so that teachers have a place to teach and students have a 
place to learn.
  In this budget fight, we need to put the interests of America's 
children first.

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