[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 68 (Thursday, May 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H3766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REJECT EDUCATION FUNDING CUTS

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on this House to 
reject the administration's education cuts. As a former superintendent 
of my State's public schools, I worked my entire life to improve 
education for our children.
  Last Congress the administration promised to provide historic new 
funding to help our schools meet the requirements of the No Child Left 
Behind Act. Because of these promises, I voted with the overwhelming 
bipartisan majority to pass that legislation.
  Now, as our schools struggle to avoid being labeled failing by the 
Department of Education, the administration has proposed massive cuts 
in educational funding. For the first 3 years of No Child Left Behind, 
the administration is proposing to underfund it by nearly $20 billion. 
These education cuts will make it virtually impossible for our children 
and schools to meet the tough new standards imposed by the Department 
of Education.
  Mr. Speaker, my State has led the Nation in raising performance 
standards in our schools, but tough requirements without real resources 
will amount to nothing but cruelty for our children and schools. 
Congress should call time out on the No Child Left Behind Act until the 
administration provides the funding it has promised to make it work.

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