[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2095]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    PLAYING POLITICS WITH OUR FUTURE

  (Mr. RICHMOND asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, President Obama challenged us to out-
innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world in order to 
compete globally. We can and must educate our way to a more prosperous 
future.
  Through the continuing resolution, congressional Republicans are 
handicapping our kids by recklessly slashing education funding. Instead 
of equipping our kids to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build, this 
resolution prepares kids to under-perform, under-whelm and under-
achieve.
  Across America, over 127,000 preschoolers will be kicked out of Head 
Start. Instead of setting up kids for success, this continuing 
resolution dooms them for failure.
  Over 131,000 students will see their after-school programs reduced or 
eliminated, even though after-school programs improve academic success.
  Over 1.4 million college students will see their Pell Grants cut, 
even though education is the best way to escape poverty.
  This resolution plays politics with our children's futures, and our 
children will lose.
  Mr. Speaker, I will say that this continuing resolution is a train 
wreck for Louisiana and a train wreck for this country.

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