Burgess Owens: “While I am all in favor of increased funding for education, I did not support amendments that sought to take funds from…”

“While I am all in favor of increased funding for education, I did not support amendments that sought to take funds from Health and Human Services or to take funds from labor programs, programs related to working people. I think we should take this opportunity that has been presented to us. Education is now clearly on the minds of a lot of people, including the decision-makers in the 105th Congress. We have listened to the common sense of the American people. They have clearly made education a high priority over a long period of time. Education as a priority has not gone away. Prior to the last election, there was a clear, highly visible concern about education which both parties responded to. We had a sudden increase of $4 billion in funding for education just before the last elections in 1996, last year. That was an indication that both parties had gotten the message. They funded time honored programs, like Head Start got an increase and title I got an increase, and we had several other increases which were very much needed.”