[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H2066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE EDUCATION BUDGET

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to protest the Republican 
budget on which we voted because it slashes critical investments in 
education that are essential to Rhode Island's schools. This budget 
falls $21 billion short of even the President's proposal for education 
investment. President Bush and too many of my colleagues on the other 
side of the aisle have made this tax cut for the rich a top priority 
and paid for it with Draconian budget cuts in critical social services.
  I am disheartened to see the President abandoning his campaign 
promise and abandoning our children. Under this partisan budget that we 
were forced to vote on today, Rhode Island will lose critical funding 
for class size reduction, school construction and violence prevention 
programs. In 1999 and 2000, Rhode Island received more than $11 million 
under the 100,000 New Teachers program. With these funds, Rhode Island 
was able to hire 145 new teachers. President Bush wants to terminate 
this valuable program and resign Rhode Island's children to overcrowded 
classrooms. More teachers and smaller class sizes are critical to 
helping all students, and they have a particularly dramatic impact on 
those from low-income families. In fact, smaller class sizes are key to 
substantially closing the achievement gap between high-performing and 
low-performing students. To leave no child behind, we must reduce the 
size of classes by helping schools recruit and hire more teachers.
  Rhode Island is also in serious need of money for school 
construction. Many schools throughout the State are deteriorating 
dramatically. Too many children are learning in trailers and in 
classrooms that do not meet even the minimum health and safety 
standards. In sum, Rhode Island schools are in need of $1.6 billion in 
repairs. Yet the Republican budget abandons Rhode Island's children by 
providing zero funding for school construction. Instead of creating 
modern and safe schools that are conducive to learning, the Bush budget 
eliminates the school renovation program and retroactively redirects 
the $1.2 billion already appropriated for this year to other programs. 
As many as 1,000 schools in disrepair will not be renovated because of 
this budget.
  Mr. Speaker, reforms without resources will not produce results. 
Public demand to invest in education has never been stronger. Parents 
and taxpayers want to reduce class size, repair schools, ensure 
students have the highest-quality teachers and target Federal 
assistance to schools that are most in need.
  This opportunity must not be squandered on ill conceived plans or 
sacrificed because of inadequate funding and a lack of political 
courage. Let us make children and public education our top priority and 
provide resources needed to make a difference for every child in 
America.
  To truly leave no child behind, the White House and Congress must 
match rhetoric with resources needed to turn words into deeds and hope 
into reality.

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