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




                               EDUCATION

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, this education problem is not only a 
big city problem in spite of the comments of the previous speaker. 
Yesterday, the National Education Association estimated the country's 
construction needs at over $300 billion. This includes basic 
necessities, a desk in a classroom rather than in a broom closet, 
plumbing that works, computers capable of reaching the Internet.
  My State, the State of Ohio, rural, urban, suburban, is home to one 
of the greatest needs, ranked 49th in the country for infrastructure, 
in spite of local effort and State effort. Ohio faces a $25 billion 
bill to provide children a safe and healthy learning environment.
  The State recently committed to spending $10 billion over 26 years to 
do just that. Unfortunately, that is just not enough. In my district, 
Elyria High School is over 70 years old and does not qualify for any 
State funds. The children of Elyria, as are other places across the 
country, simply cannot wait any longer. If we work together, they will 
not have to.
  I am cosponsor of the America's Better Classroom Act by providing 
zero-interest bonds, it would leverage local and Federal resources to 
begin to take care of this national disgrace.
  Only a unified front can fix this problems. I urge my colleagues to 
support it.

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