Lynn C. Woolsey: “Well, first of all, I thank my colleague from Connecticut for organizing this special order and giving us the…”

“Well, first of all, I thank my colleague from Connecticut for organizing this special order and giving us the opportunity to speak about the most important priority this country should have, and that is education. Mr. Speaker, it is really hard for me to believe that it was just last year when I convinced this body to approve a landmark resolution which put us on our way to making our schools the best in the world. Yes, it's true. Last year, the House approved my resolution which called on Congress to increase our investment in education by 1 percent a year, until the education budget accounts for 10 percent of the budget in 2002. At the time, I said that the resolution would send a clear message to those who decide how our Federal dollars are spent, the appropriators, that this Congress was serious about improving education. Well, guess what, folks? Times have changed. We've got a new majority in Congress, and, instead of going forward, we're going backwards. Fast. The new Republican majority in the House blatantly ignored the pledge we made last year to our children's education, and passed one of the worst bills I have ever seen--the Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill. This bill cuts: Head Start, Chapter One, Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Goals 2000, School-to-Work, vocational and adult education, and college aid. In all, this bill cuts education by 13 percent in 1 year alone. Thirteen percent.…”