FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2004

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Pelosi Remarks to American Federation of Teachers Convention

“On behalf of House Democrats, I am here to say that we stand with you. Thank you all for fighting for America’s children, their schools, and their teachers, and for fighting for John Kerry – who will be the next President of the United States – and for working to send George W. Bush back to Texas.

An Unending Search for Justice

“We recently observed two historic milestones in the fight for equality and opportunity – the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and the 40th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which President Johnson called another step in America’s ‘unending search for justice.’

“You have been there every step of the way in this struggle.  The AFT was the only education organization to support the Brown plaintiffs.   Thank you, AFT.   And you have been led by a woman who has dedicated her life to the ‘search for justice.’

“Sandy Feldman knows the price we paid for civil rights, having been arrested twice as a Freedom Rider.  And she knows the strength of our public schools because she was educated in and taught in public schools in New York City.  Millions of American schoolchildren are better off today because of her passion for early childhood development and disadvantaged children.

“This week, I am proud to co-sponsor a Congressional resolution honoring Sandy for her work.  This resolution is America’s way of saying ‘thank you, Sandy’ for improving the quality of teaching and learning in our nation.   

We Must Keep Fighting

“We must do more than honor Sandy’s work, we must continue her fight.  My friends, our country is at a crossroads, and we need you now more than ever.

“There is no more critical mission for a society than the education of our children.  In addition to what it means to those children, economists will tell you that investing in education is the best investment we can make. 

“Nothing does more to grow the economy or to bring money into the treasury than educating the American people – early childhood education, K-12, higher education, post-graduate, lifetime learning. 

“Today, when our government is failing to invest in the education of our children, we need you to keep fighting to give every child the opportunity to realize the American Dream. 

“Today, when millions of Americans have no health care or can’t afford the care they have, we need you to keep fighting to protect and expand health care, especially for our public employees. 

“And today, when the right to organize and bargain collectively is under attack, we need you to keep fighting for the right to form a union.

“Just today, we learned that the Republican-controlled National Labor Relations Board has acted to take away the right to form a union of thousands of graduate teaching assistants.

“They are required to work to obtain their degrees, and they should have the same rights as all workers.  They are not second-class citizens.

“This is a shameful disregard for the rights of these employees.

Reckless Republicans

“Over the past three years, President Bush and Republicans have shortchanged the No Child Left Behind Act by nearly $30 billion, leaving millions of children behind.

“Democrats recently proposed that we trim the Bush tax cut for people who make more than $1 million each year so we could invest $5.7 billion in education – a small percentage of what is necessary.  This included $1.5 billion for Title I programs for low-income students.

“What did the Bush Republicans choose?  Once again, they chose to protect tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans rather than invest in our children. 

“From the moment he assumed office, President Bush and anti-union Republicans in Congress have waged an all-out assault on American workers.  They are cutting overtime, they are shortchanging the quality and affordable health care that all workers deserve, and they are attacking the right to organize.

“We are re-fighting the same battles workers fought more than 100 years ago.

“Last week, Democrats offered an amendment on the House floor to protect our civil liberties.  This amendment would have barred the government from using the Patriot Act to peer indiscriminately into our reading habits at libraries and bookstores.

“Republicans rigged the vote, undermining democracy itself, so that the Bush Administration can continue to invade our privacy. 

Call to Action

“This November, we will teach George Bush and the Republicans a lesson about the power of democracy. 

“Standing together, we will take back the House of Representatives and elect a Democratic Speaker of the House – the first woman Speaker in history.

“We will take back the United States Senate and make Tom Daschle the Majority Leader again.

“And we will take back the White House for the American people by electing John Kerry the next President of the United States.

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi