school construction nunding is an issue i brought out in this committee over and over again. there is a $1.3 billion backlog for indian school construction and repair. but this year the president has only requested $53 million and none of that will go to construction. the budget at my home state of minnesota is in desperate need of replacement students and teachers, have to deal with leaky roofses, mold, rodent infestation. the facility doesn't meet safety and fire standards. i want to thank deputy secretary eckel hawk and keith moore for coming in my office to discuss this the other day. i want to ask my colleagues on this committee, this question. would you count ten nance your children getting their education in a school that wasn't safe, in a school that had rodents running around, that had mold, that had leaks. when it rains, it's cold in the winter and sweltering on hot, humid days and i know the answer would be no. highway can we expect native children to succeed under these conditions? senator from minnesota, i have a responsibility to every child in my state, every c

. >> the senate bill unfortunately outpaces the revenue to the trust nund. we need to shore that up. when you look at the years from 1999 to 2008, by about $1 billion a year, we had been outspending outlays over receipts. we need to change that, reform it. and that's what the house bill aims to do. i hope that we can find a reasonable solution on the house side to get the house version passed. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. >> the gentle lady is recognized. >> i thought he was going to say the house was going to have a long-term be ill. then i was confused when my other colleague said it was a short-term bill. so i guess i have to say my colleagues in the majority are a still a little confused about what is going to come forward, so i'll remain optimistic. as my colleague, mr. garret seem to know my history very well, should know my constituents in culver city and other areas strongly were in favor of this amendment. and called me to say definitely do what i can to make sure the transportation bill goes forward. construction workers have 40%

we nund filler was added to 70% of the ground beef sold in the country. consumers reacted and you took your questions straight to the meat departments of the stores where you shop. tonight, big super market chains are signals they heard you, loud and clear. the nation's second largest chain, safeway, the third largest, super value, and the food lion chain announced the will stop selling beef with pink slime. jim avila has the story now. >> reporter: two weeks ago, i went into this safeway -- one of 1,400 stores nationwide, and asked if its ground beef contained what the what the meat industry calls lean, finely textured beef and a usda scientist first termed "pink slime." the safeway butcher said he has no idea if the ground beef there has pink slime in it. corporate headquarters later told us yes, its meat does contain pink slime but they were reviewing the policy. fast forward to today. safeway announces its meat counter is now free of what former usda scientists characterize as low quality beef scraps sanitized with ammonia gas. >> it's a pink slime. i

will there be a limit to the flow of nunds to the states yes. but the role that all to remain with the president's agenda is push back against the federal teacher unions. they have too much power and in some cases they overwhelm the states and overwhelm the locall school districts. we have to put the kids first and put the teacher's unions behind. >> bret: do you support no child leftt behind. >> guest: i support the principle of state test their kid and one othe things that president bush did that i support. continuing to test our kids. i want to know which school districts are succeed where they're failing. i want action taken to get the teacher union's out and get the kids receiving the education they need. i like the idea of testing their kids. no child left behind needs to be changed before it is authorized. but i support the testing and i am glad president bush pushed for that. >> bret: on the stump, you critized rick santorum for an answer taking one for the team. that was casting his vote for no child left behind. you have been on that t