[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 2003

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, the White House has abruptly ended the brief 
era of bi-partisan cooperation on the vital issue of education. In his 
recent budget message the President halts the six year pattern of 
increases for education. Private school vouchers are returned to the 
federal policy agenda through the proposal of a 75 million dollar 
funding initiative. HeadStart is threatened with obliteration through 
the combination of a freeze on funding and the transfer of this 
successful child development program to the limited confines of the 
Department of Education. And finally, the administration has not 
continued the 1.2 billion dollars in funding for school repairs which 
was introduced in the last year of the Clinton administration. Only for 
charter schools is there a recognized need for school construction and 
modernization--100 million dollars is provided. Meanwhile, the 
overcrowding and unhealthy conditions persist in schools serving the 
poorest children throughout the nation. Without adequate facilities and 
other vital education resources, No Child Left Behind becomes a 
fraudulent and deceptive piece of legislation. The following rap poem 
sums up the spirit of this rapidly deteriorating situation.

                         Crowd the Children In

     No Child Left Behind,
     Crowd them in,
     Construction dollars
     Never win.
     No Child Left Behind
     The budget is unkind
     An increase of billions
     They promised--
     A bold elephant fable,
     A decrease by millions
     Placed on the table.
     Under funding catastrophe
     Lurking in the wind,
     Carefully covered sin,
     Regally wrapped spin,
     Cutbacks cover the table.
     On the made in White House label
     Read progress,
     Camouflage the big mess,
     Public relations success.
     No Child Left Behind,
     Crowd them in,
     Construction dollars
     Never Win.

                          ____________________