[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2539]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE SUBCOMMITTEE JURISDICTIONS

  (Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA. Mr. Speaker, the exclusion of minority higher 
education issues from the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness 
is a step backward. Congress must take a step forward and combine all 
higher education programs into one subcommittee.
  In my district, Puerto Rico, I am proud to represent 46 institutions 
of higher education, both public and private, and comprised of over 
174,000 students. Compared to many districts, my schools are 
permanently populated by minority students, and I am here to raise 
their voice in opposition.
  By targeting minorities and placing them in a separate subcommittee 
with at-risk youth, child abuse, and domestic violence connotes that 
minorities are a problem in our society, when in reality it is the 
mixing of many cultures that make this Nation strong.
  As minorities grow in numbers and influence our country, we have not 
forgotten our roots or the pain or discrimination of being ignored or 
left behind. Minorities seek and demand the same high quality education 
as the rest of the society. This exclusionary action lessens the 
quality and promotes ignorance.
  I join my fellow colleagues today to let our voice be heard, our 
presence be known.

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