[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 61 (Monday, May 6, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S4705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  REVENUE LOST FROM REPEAL OF GAS TAX

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, there was an item in the morning paper 
that caused me to come to the Senate floor to speak briefly and alert 
my colleagues to a serious concern which I have. The article was 
entitled ``Armey: Cheap Fuel Via Education Cuts.'' ``House Leader 
Suggests Way To Offset Cost of Gasoline Tax Repeal.''
  The first three short paragraphs say:

       House Majority Leader Richard K. Armey, Republican from 
     Texas, yesterday suggested that the revenue lost from a 
     repeal of the 1993 gasoline tax could be offset by cutting 
     spending on education. ``Maybe we ought to take another look 
     at the amount of money we are spending on education,'' Armey 
     said on the NBC's ``Meet the Press:'' ``There is a place 
     where we are getting a declining value for an increased 
     dollar. It's in education. If in fact we can get some 
     discipline in the use of our education dollar, I think we can 
     make up the difference,'' Armey said.

  Mr. President, my reaction to this article when I read it was, ``Here 
they go again.''
  We spent much of last year in this Congress trying to hold off 
proposed cuts in the education budget. The budget resolution as first 
presented here called for $18.6 billion being cut from student aid over 
a 7-year period, and $26 billion being cut from K through 12 levels of 
education over that 7-year period.
  There was a proposal to zero out funding for direct student loans, 
and proposals to zero out funding for School to Work, for Goals 2000, 
and for national service.
  Mr. President, those fights are now behind us. But unfortunately, 
even today, we see that to some extent the efforts to cut back on 
education have succeeded. In the final appropriations bill that was 
signed into law 10 days ago by the President, there are still cuts in 
education.
  There is a 6-percent cut in the Goals 2000 funding. There is a 9-
percent cut in telecommunications for math funding. There is an 8-
percent cut in library construction funding. There is a 15-percent cut 
in the funds for magnet schools, a 27-percent cut in technical 
assistance center funding, a 7-percent cut in adult education budgets. 
In Perkins loans there is a 41-percent cut, and in State student 
incentive grants there is a 50-percent cut.
  Mr. President, my own view is that this is a very, very mistaken set 
of priorities that this Congress and that the majority leader in the 
House, Richard Armey, are talking about when the first place they look 
to try to make up revenue is to further cut education.
  I think in the long term our country is only as strong as the next 
generation, and we are only as smart as the next generation. If we cut 
out the funds needed to educate that next generation, I am persuaded 
that we are going against the will of the American people, we are going 
against our own best interests, and we are showing very serious 
shortsightedness, which I think we will come to regret.

  Mr. President, I contrast this article, which, as I say, was in this 
morning's paper here in Washington, with an article that came out a 
little over a week ago, on April 27, also in the Washington Post. It 
was entitled, ``Latinos Want D.C. School To Stay Open.''
  Let me just read a little bit of that article for my colleagues. It 
said:

       About 400 people picketed the District of Columbia Board of 
     Education offices yesterday, protesting a recommendation by 
     School Superintendent Franklin L. Smith to close the Carlos 
     Rosario Adult Education Center.
       The demonstrators circled the block in front of the 
     Presidential building . . . chanting ``We want to learn 
     English!'' Some held bullhorns, others carried signs asking 
     drivers to honk in support of the program.
       ``We see it as an issue of discrimination against Latin 
     immigrants,'' said Arnoldo Ramos, Director of the Council of 
     Latino Agencies. ``This is the only adult education center 
     serving Latinos. By closing this program, they are sending a 
     message that Latinos don't matter and that we should continue 
     serving tables, continue picking up garbage and having the 
     lowest positions in society.''
       Several students said that without Rosario, it would be 
     difficult to continue to learn English, which they say is 
     their only ticket to a better life.

  Mr. President, this article should bring home to us the importance 
that education has for the average people of this country. Education is 
not only their only ticket to a better life; it is the ticket that our 
children have to a better life as well.
  Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to reject the recommendation of 
the House majority leader in looking first at education as a place to 
further cut the Federal budget.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is recognized.

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