[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2553-H2554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STATE AND LOCAL PRIORITY

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to talk about education a little 
bit, because if one looks at the record on education, Republican versus 
Democrat leadership, it is not even close.
  Republicans have put far more resources into education, far more 
flexibility for local teachers, far more money into the special 
Individuals with Disability Education Act, far more money into school 
lunch program.
  I hope that some of these Democrats will actually read the bill. They 
will see if they want to measure their money. They have lost.
  Now, this proposal to construct new schools is great if one is in 
Chicago or New York City where one has not kept up with one's education 
or here in Washington, D.C. where one's roofs are leaking. Do my 
colleagues know why? Because the cities and States have not made the 
investment into education.

[[Page H2554]]

  Why should my South Georgia school districts be penalized? They have 
raised taxes locally. They have done the right thing. They have been 
responsible. They built new school systems. Why should they be 
penalized to subsidize Chicago and New York City school systems. It is 
ridiculous.
  Education has always been a State and local priority. We do not need 
to federalize it and have Uncle Sam in the Department of Education 
knowing best.

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