[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 182 (Thursday, November 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     EDUCATION FUNDING SUPPORT DAY

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 16, 1995

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, our American opportunity society is based on 
education. But if you don't have the education to compete in today's 
job market, the words ``Opportunity Society'' are meaningless. And 
that's why Federal support for education is so critical.
  For example, in Prince George's County, Carrollton Elementary School 
is working hard to give all of its students that American opportunity. 
In order to reach higher education standards, the school needs updated 
reading and writing materials. The school board has approved the 
purchase and the contract has been signed--but Federal budget cuts mean 
that the contract will be canceled.
  More than 100 third and fourth grade students at Carrollton are 
struggling to learn to read. Using Federal funds, the school has 
provided a teacher to give these children the extra attention they need 
to catch up with their classmates. The education bill passed by the 
House, which I opposed, will cause this teacher to loose her job, 
because the school can't afford to pay her. And in the State of 
Maryland, 21,000 teachers will lose training in enriched math and 
science curricula.
  Across the fifth district and across the country, parents are worried 
that their children aren't safe in school. Violence in our schools is 
rising, and surveys show that one-third of high school seniors use 
marijuana. Three-quarters of high shool seniors drink alcohol. The 
Federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program provides antidrug education 
and counseling to 39 million children across the country. It also 
provides for guards and other security measures to make our schools 
safe. But funding for that program has been cut in half by the 
Republican education proposals, eliminating anti-drug and violence 
programs in 1,200 Maryland schools.
  These cuts will make themselves felt from preschool to graduate 
school. The Republican plan will cut 48,000 young children from the 
Head Start rolls in 1996. We know that Head Start is a cost-effective 
way to provide academic enrichment, nutrition, and basic health care to 
children who will otherwise start school at a disadvantage and lag 
behind their peers. Despite a bipartisan commitment to improve Head 
Start quality and give a Head Start opportunity to as many children as 
possible, the Republicans have cut Head Start for the first time in the 
program's history. In Maryland, these cuts mean that more than 1,000 
children will be denied the help they need to start school ready to 
learn. This is unfair, and compromises our children's future.
  Also, in Maryland universities, almost 54,000 students who rely on 
Stafford loans to go to college will see their costs go up. The average 
Maryland student graduates from college $13,500 in debt. And under 
Republican budget proposals, that debt will rise by more than $3,000 in 
additional interest payments. The average graduate student in Maryland 
will see his or her interest rise by more than $9,000.
  America is proud of its opportunity society. We are proud that we 
send more students to college than any other country. But cuts in 
Federal education funding jeopardize this proud history.
  We all know that simply throwing money at education won't solve the 
problems our students and schools face. But we also know that cutting 
education funding when our education system is struggling will only 
make the problem worse. Cutting support for students is bad educational 
policy, and bad economic policy. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting National Education Funding Day.

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