Michelle Wu: “I rise to speak in favor of school modernization. In communities like Astoria in Oregon, there are elementary schools…”

“I rise to speak in favor of school modernization. In communities like Astoria in Oregon, there are elementary schools with only one electrical plug in each classroom. No new elementary schools have been built there since 1927. This is simply not an adequate 21st century learning environment. In my congressional district, communities like Astoria and McMinnville need the resources to modernize school buildings and provide schools with up-to-date technological tools. In other rapidly growing communities such as Beaverton and Hillsboro, schools are suffering from that growth. There, classroom overcrowding creates difficult learning environments and exacerbates student discipline problems. Schools there need the resources to expand and maintain education quality. Congress can make it more affordable for local school districts to refurbish old school facilities and construct new school buildings by paying the interest on local school bonds designated for construction and repair of school facilities. The agenda is clear but it requires a real commitment by Congress. We must work hard to meet that challenge.”