Mr. Tonko, you might actually have bathrooms that work. You might actually have a place where kids would want to be. You'll have a school that has a decent paint job, air conditioning. Kids would want to be in that school. Yet we have schools across this Nation where you wouldn't want to be and I wouldn't want to be, and I certainly wouldn't want my kids in that classroom.
On the recordJuly 24, 2012
Source
govinfo.govShare
More from John Garamendi
Jun 26, 2026
There is now overwhelming evidence that Secretary McMahon has violated the law by dismantling and transferring congressionally mandated programs including ones that protect students from discrimination.
Jun 30, 2026
As California’s Insurance Commissioner, I saw firsthand the devastating impact wildfires can have on families and communities. Homes were destroyed, lives were upended, and memories built over generations were lost in a matter of hours.
Jun 25, 2026
Minimum-wage workers in California must work an average of 88 hours per week just to afford a modest one-bedroom rental at fair market rates. That is unacceptable.
Jun 15, 2026
I cannot, in good faith, approve a budget that rewards this behavior and fails to rein in an out-of-control President."





