[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 24913]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    RESPONDING TO NEEDS IN EDUCATION

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am here this 
morning just to address education. I hear the rhetoric about one size 
fits all and what have you. Let me just say that we are here because we 
are trying to get the body to address the educational needs.
  Yes, one size does fit all when we are talking about more teachers, 
where there is such a shortage. One size does fit all when we are 
talking about smaller classes so students can get more attention, about 
after-school programs, and then the bonds that they need. How do we 
know? Because the people have told us so.
  Mr. Speaker, we represent the real people who stand for these goals. 
We are listening to the people. We are responding to their stated 
needs.
  This is not just one size fits all, this is addressing needs that 
most of them have, because we have got to do this for the children of 
this Nation. We have got to preserve our future, and the only way to do 
it is to address these needs with the surplus that we have, instead of 
giving it all in tax breaks to the rich.

                          ____________________