[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 128 (Thursday, August 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1614-E1615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 2, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2127) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
     Services, and Education, and related agencies, for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 1996, and for other purposes:

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the cuts 
proposed in the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, and 
particularly for title I compensatory education.
  This House is proposing to cut the lifeline of education for 
disadvantaged children in this country--known as title I of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
  Remember all the horror stories you've heard about little Johnny who 
can't read? Remember the report about the huge number of 17-year-olds 
in this country who had been given high school degrees but who couldn't 
read or write? Title I is the remedial program that is putting a stop 
to illiteracy among young children that carries over to adulthood.
  Title I services are paid for with Federal dollars which local folks 
can't afford to pay for themselves--or at least, not without raising 
taxes.
  Mr. Chairman, I represent 16 counties in West Virginia. My 16-county, 
title I children stand to lose more than $5 million in fiscal year 1996 
title I funds.
  I am here to tell you, Mr. Chairman, there is no way that my 16 
counties can afford to raise taxes to replace $5 million in lost title 
I dollars next year.
  Is there anyone here on this floor whose district can afford to raise 
taxes in order to replace Federal title I dollars?
  Mr. Chairman, education cuts don't heal. They bleed and stay sore, 
but they never heal.
  Children who are already wary from bumping up against the wall of 
poverty, without title I remedial education, will never heal from these 
cuts.

[[Page E 1615]]

  If these kids are to avoid running into the wall of indifference and 
illiteracy as adults, we must help them right now by keeping their 
educational lifeline open to them.
  This is a crucial vote--vote ``no'' on H.R. 2127.
  

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