Nita Lowey: “Nearly 1.7 million children, including more than 87,000 in my home State of New York, rely on afterschool programs…”

“Nearly 1.7 million children, including more than 87,000 in my home State of New York, rely on afterschool programs supported through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers to provide a safe, enriching environment to learn. Yet this bill would cut funding for afterschool programs, leaving tens of thousands of students without educational programs as well as drug and violence prevention counseling, arts, music, recreation, and more. We should invest more, not less, in our children. This amendment would restore funding to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program so our students can have access to the safe afterschool enrichment they deserve. Mr. Chairman, I urge support for my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”