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   (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

   Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, Mark Twain once said, ``Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.'' Well, in a similar sense, the Clinton-Gore administration often pledges to support education, but does nothing to back up their rhetoric.

   In contrast, the House Republicans have made education improvements one of our top priorities, and we are seeing results. We passed bipartisan measures to give local school districts more flexibility with education dollars, providing parents and teachers a voice in where their children's education funds are spent.

   Our Teacher Empowerment Act helps teachers enhance their training and addresses teacher shortages by increasing recruitment and retention. Every student deserves to have qualified teachers.

   Republicans have also led the charge for full Federal funding for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, giving disabled students access to the best possible education.

   Our children deserve quality education, and Republicans are making it happen.

END