[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      DEMOCRATS' EDUCATION AGENDA

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the House 
Democrats' positive education agenda, which includes specific steps to 
promote opportunity by strengthening our schools.
  In my home State of California, nearly half of Latino and African 
American high school students failed to graduate in the year 2002. In 
Los Angeles, California, the situation is even worse. Just 39 percent 
of Latinos and 47 percent of African American students graduated from 
high school.
  It is frustrating to see these staggering statistics, while 
Republicans insist on giving tax cuts to the very wealthy while 
shortchanging vital education programs. Republicans have failed 
American students.
  The Democratic plan calls for boosting college opportunity, 
affordability, improving teacher quality, fully funding No Child Left 
Behind, and expanding pre-school opportunities for our children.
  For these reasons, I support the Democratic agenda for a strong and 
equitable education system for all Americans. I urge my colleagues to 
do the same.

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