Chip Cravaack: “Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I'm going to tell my colleague how much mining and timber contributes to the school…”

“Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I'm going to tell my colleague how much mining and timber contributes to the school trust fund. Mr. Chairman, in the most recent school trust fund report, it shows that mining and timber contributed $23.17 million in 2011. Now, maybe that doesn't sound like much here inside the Beltway; but I tell you what, that's a lot of money where I come from. Does the gentleman think that schools in Minneapolis are adequately funded? I'll answer that for you, probably not. Because in North Branch, Minnesota, where I live, public schools just went to 4 days, and then we've got 40 kids in a classroom. I think our teachers and kids could use the extra funding. Also I'm very interested right now that now the gentleman is very concerned about small business interests in the rural communities. I find that very enlightening. I yield to the gentleman if he could tell me how a small business would be affected by this land exchange and job creation.”