[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 129 (Friday, August 4, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1642]
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. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    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. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, the committee's draconian cuts to 
education programs represent a fundamental shift in our Nation's 
priorities. Less than 1 year after the passage of Goals 2000, President 
Clinton's ambitious plan to prepare our children for the 21st century, 
the Republican majority stands poised to initiate a massive rollback in 
funds for programs which benefit our most precious resource--our 
children. There can be no higher priority than their education and 
training for the future.
  The more than $1 billion cut in title I, the program which serves our 
poorest children, the 59 percent cut to safe and drug-free schools, and 
the 75 percent cut to bilingual education, when combined with cuts at 
the State and local levels, will have disastrous consequences for our 
Nation's already overburdened and understaffed school systems.
  In New York City, these cuts will result in nearly 42,000 fewer 
children receiving title I services, 9,000 fewer students in bilingual 
education programs, and the loss of nearly 3,000 teachers.
  Other Members have spoken eloquently about the cuts to education 
programs. I would like to speak for a moment about the cuts to 
bilingual education programs. I find these cuts particularly troubling 
because the need for the services those programs provide is ever-
increasing. The number of limited English proficient children is 
expected to increase to nearly 3.5 million by the year 2000. Studies 
have shown that language-minority students take several years to fully 
master academic English. Bilingual education allows these children to 
keep up with their peers in math and science courses, while 
simultaneously mastering the English language. These programs have been 
proven effective at reducing dropout rates, which for Hispanic children 
are more than 50 percent.
  This bill eliminates funds for nearly 200 programs, including 
literacy training, student aid, and graduate fellowships. We cannot 
hope to remain competitive in the global marketplace if we do not 
provide for the education and training of all of our citizens, not just 
those who can pay their own way.
  This shift in our priorities is unacceptable. I do not believe that 
the way to solve our fiscal problems is to shortchange our citizens and 
mortgage our children's future. I strongly urge the defeat of this 
bill.


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