Burgess Owens: “we had a major education bill on the floor for consideration, and we did not permit a single amendment to deal with…”

“we had a major education bill on the floor for consideration, and we did not permit a single amendment to deal with school construction, renovation, or school modernization. We were afraid to have the issue presented on the floor. I think we were afraid that we might get a majority vote on it. For some reason, the leadership is afraid of school construction, school modernization, and school repairs. We are pushed into the vehicle of a motion to discharge today; and I urge all of the Members, regardless of their party, to sign the motion to discharge on the Rangel-Johnson bill. This is a bipartisan bill. It is a bill which impacts on all America, rural as well as urban. It is a bill which almost every school district in America can benefit from. Even charter schools can benefit from a bill which calls for more funding for construction, for modernization, and for repairs. It is impossible to go forward and really claim we want to reform education unless we are willing to provide the physical facilities that are necessary to educate our children. I urge my colleagues to sign the motion to discharge.”