Tom Harkin: “I want to take this opportunity to speak for a few moments about Goals 2000 and about the importance of this legislation…”

“I want to take this opportunity to speak for a few moments about Goals 2000 and about the importance of this legislation and why we must expeditiously get this bill through the Senate, work it out with the House and get it to the President for signature. I know a lot of attention is focused this year on health care, and that is going to be important in changing our health care system in this country. I realize that is important, but I believe that what we are about right now is more important for the future of this country and whether we will be economically competitive in the year 2000 and beyond than any other piece of legislation to come before us this year. We all know that education is vital to the economic well-being of our country. In order to succeed in the increasingly competitive international marketplace, we must have the best educated and healthiest, best skilled workers in the world. This bill we have now before us, Goals 2000: Educate America Act, will make this happen.”