On the recordAugust 10, 2010
As I listen today, Madam Speaker, I ask the simple question, what about our children? This legislation, which I fully support, and the rule, will ensure that the millions of children who are returning to school this fall have the same opportunity to learn and to thrive as their peers did before them. It will also keep first responders on duty and fund vital Medicaid services. Economists have concluded that failure to pass this legislation will put a significant weight on our fragile economy. Nonetheless, my Republican friends continue to paint this legislation as an election season gimmick. This legislation will save more than 130,000 teacher jobs and reduce the deficit by $1.4 billion over the next 10 years. That's not a gimmick. Ensuring the education of our children and the safety of our communities is not a gimmick. The greatest threat to our national and economic security is the failure to properly educate every single one of our children.
