[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H9286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION CREATES JOBS

  (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 to call on this Congress to pass 
school construction legislation to create jobs and improve education 
here in America. More than 3 million workers have lost their jobs in 
this sorry economy; over 2 million were in manufacturing sectors alone. 
My State of North Carolina has seen devastating job losses in such 
vital industries as textiles, furniture, and tobacco.
  Congress must act now to get America working again. We should start 
by passing legislation to put people to work building schools. In many 
urban and rural areas of this country, schools are crumbling and 
localities lack the resources to rebuild. In many communities in my 
district, schools are bursting at the seams from overcrowding.
  Since my first term in this body, I have worked to pass school 
construction. This year's version, H.R. 717, will provide $25 billion 
in zero interest bonds for school construction in this country. This 
bill will put workers back to work building quality schools for our 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress will soon consider the President's request for 
$87 billion for Iraqi reconstruction, including building new schools. 
The President is going to get his money, but we need to spend some 
money here at home on schools. So Congress should pass H.R. 717 to 
build schools in America.

                          ____________________