[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 126 (Tuesday, August 1, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H8074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      OPPOSITION TO EDUCATION CUTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Reed] is recognized 
during morning business for 3 minutes.
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, the American people believe that Federal 
support for education represents the most valuable investment we can 
make in our Nation's future. Yet, throughout this Congress, Republicans 
have repeatedly targeted programs that help our students reach their 
full potential. The Labor-HHS bill cuts an unprecedented $4 billion 
from education funding, taking Federal investment in education to its 
lowest level since 1989.
  And, where have the Republicans begun their assault on education? 
They have begun the assault on our youngest, most vulnerable children. 
To benefit fully from schooling, all children need to come to school 
ready to learn. Perhaps more than any other program, Head Start is 
about our future. This legislation would deny 180,000 children access 
to Head Start over the next 7 years.
  This legislation also targets poor and disadvantaged students who 
need help the most to improve their academic performance. I find it 
ironic that Republicans want to withdraw support for title I at the 
same time that they are attempting to abandon affirmative action 
programs. Democracy is conditioned on fairness and equal opportunity. 
Enacted in 1965, title I of the Elementary
 and Secondary Education Act was part of a powerful demand that 
American society live up to its ideals by extending equal opportunity 
to all. This program sends money to more than 1 million disadvantaged 
students who need help to achieve in school. If equal opportunity does 
not begin here, then were does it begin? Today, this program represents 
the largest Federal investment in elementary and secondary education 
and enables millions of children to receive the extra help they need in 
reading and math.

  Learning is difficult in schools where students fear for their safety 
or drug use is widespread. I was proud to be a part of the last 
Congress that took a strong stand on violence in our public schools. 
The Safe-and-Drug Free Schools Program helps every one of Rhode 
Island's 37 school districts to create a safe learning environment. 
Nationally, this program has enabled 39 million students feel a little 
bit more secure as they walk the halls of their schools.
  Republicans claim that they stand for an American where every 
individual has the opportunity to compete. This is not the America that 
the Republicans have shaped in this bill, however. If education is the 
springboard to opportunity, then this bill causes our Nation to fall 
farther and farther behind. This bill slams shut the door of 
opportunity on our youth and our future.
  As Secretary of Education Riley has stated, ``The American people do 
not support efforts to close the budget deficit by widening the 
education deficit''. I urge my colleagues to reject this short-sighted 
bill. Let us not turn our back on our future. The cuts contained in 
this bill will devastate millions of children and families. I urge my 
colleagues to oppose this bill.

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