[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1424-E1426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 31, 1996

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my opposition to 
the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations 
bill. It is disheartening to come to the well today to oppose a bill 
that funds the most important investment our Federal Government makes 
in the basic human needs of our Nation--health care, education, 
employment and training, and support services for families.
  Unfortunately, this bill falls far short of fulfilling our 
responsibility to the American people and reflects the majority's 
continued policy to reduce Federal resources in some of the most 
significant aspects of our lives.
  Nothing should take precedence over the health and economic security 
of our people. Yet this bill makes clear that these goals are not a 
priority for the current congressional majority.
  Sadly, education has been the area hardest hit, denying school 
districts around the country of desperately needed funds to improve or 
maintain the quality of education in their local schools.
  This bill sustains the $2.2 billion cuts in education made by the 
Republican majority last year. In addition, it targets several 
important

[[Page E1425]]

areas of education for additional cuts, including the elimination of 
Goals 2000 and a $24 million cut in title I for disadvantaged children. 
The Eisenhower Professional Development Program which has a proven 
record of success in improving math and science education is eliminated 
under this bill. Safe and Drug Free Schools is cut by $25 million, 
bilingual support services and professional development are eliminated.
  No funds were provided in the original committee bill for the Women's 
Educational Equity Act which is the only program dedicated to promoting 
equity for women and girls in education. However, we were able to 
restore $2 million for this program in a floor amendment.
  The following is a more detailed chart which shows the deep cuts in 
education over the last 2 years:

                                                           EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS FY95-FY97                                                           
                                                         MAJOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PROGRAMS                                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Program                        FY95                    FY96            FY97 President budget      FY97 House bill      Difference FY95/FY97 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title I (State Grants).........  $6.7 billion...........  $6.7 billion..........  $7.2 billion..........  $6.7 billion..........  -24 million.          
Total Compensatory Education...  $7.2 billion...........  $7.2 billion..........  $7.6 billion..........  $7.2 billion..........  -14 million.          
Goals 2000.....................  $361.8 million.........  $350 million..........  $491 million..........  0.....................  -361.8 million.       
School-to-Work.................  $122.5 million.........  $180 million..........  $200 million..........  $175 million..........  +52.5 million.        
Safe and Drug Free Schools.....  $466 million...........  $466 million..........  $540 million..........  $441 million..........  -25 million.          
Bilingual Education............  $157 million...........  $128 million..........  $157 million..........  $117 million..........  -40 million.          
Immigrant Education............  $50 million............  $50 million...........  $100 million..........  $50 million...........  0.                    
Vocational Education...........  $1.1 billion...........  $1.1 billion..........  $1.1 billion..........  $1.0 billion..........  -27 million.          
Headstart......................  $3.5 billion...........  $3.5 billion..........  $4.0 billion..........  $3.6 billion..........  +65.5 million.        
Special Education..............  $3.2 billion...........  $3.2 billion..........  $3.5 billion..........  $3.2 billion..........  -6.5 thousand.        
Eisenhower Professional          $251 million...........  $275 million..........  $610 million..........  0.....................  -251 million.         
 Development.                                                                                                                                           
Impact Aid.....................  $728 million...........  $693 million..........  $617 million..........  $728 million..........  0.                    
Women's Education Equity Act     $5 million.............  0.....................  $4 million............  0.....................  -5 million.           
 (WEEA).                                                                                                                                                
Native Hawaiian Education Act..  $9 million.............  $12 million...........  $6 million............  $4 million............  -5 million.           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                             MAJOR HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS                                                            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     FY97 Presidential                                                  
            Program                        FY95                    FY96                   budget              FY97 House bill      Difference FY95/FY97 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Work Study.....................  $616.5 million.........  $616.5 million........  $679 million..........  $685 million..........  +68.5 million.        
Pell Grants....................  $6.2 billion...........  $4.9 billion..........  $5.9 billion..........  $5.3 billion..........  -900 million.         
Perkins Loans:                                                                                                                                          
    Capital Contributions......  $158 million...........  $93 million...........  $158 million..........  0.....................  -158 million.         
    Loan Forgiveness...........  $18 million............  $20 million...........  $20 million...........  $20 million...........  +2 million.           
State Student Incentive Grants.  $63.4 million..........  $31.4 million.........  0.....................  0.....................  -63.4 million.        
Stafford Loan Administration...  $62.1 million..........  $30.0 million.........  $46.5 million.........  $29.9 million.........  ......................
    Loan volume \1\............  $85.2 billion..........  $71.4 billion.........  $71.4 billion.........  $71.4 billion.........  -32.2 million.        
Direct Loan Administration.....  $283 million...........  $435 million..........  $595 million..........  $420 million..........  ......................
    Loan volume \1\............  $5.3 billion...........  $12.2 billion.........  $12.2 billion.........  $12.2 billion.........  +137 million.         
Supplemental Educational         $583.4 million.........  $583.4 million........  $583.4 million........  $583.4 million........  0.                    
 Opportunity Grants.                                                                                                                                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Represents current loan volume. Stafford and Direct student loans are entitlements and not dependent on annual appropriations.                      


                                                                TOTAL EDUCATION SPENDING                                                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     FY97 Presidential                                                  
                                           FY95                    FY96                   budget              FY97 House bill      Difference FY95/FY97 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Education Department.....  $27.4 billion..........  $25.2 billion.........  $28.0 billion.........  $25.2 billion.........  $2.2 billion.         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  While many health programs have been spared the drastic cuts made to 
education, one area which continues to be devastated is our efforts on 
substance abuse prevention and treatment. As the drug epidemic in our 
country continues to hurt families and communities all across this 
Nation, the Republicans have decided to dramatically cut our investment 
in prevention and treatment efforts. Last year substance abuse 
prevention programs were cut an unbelievable 60 percent, treatment 
program cut 57 percent.
  As a result many programs around the country must now close. One in 
my district that I just visited last week has been cut off of Federal 
funding just as it was getting started. Hui Ho'ola O Na Nahulu O Hawaii 
was to be a 3-year project focusing on substance abuse intervention, 
treatment and recovery services in Puna, HI, a rural area that has been 
struggling with the influence of drugs. This unique program brought 
together a variety of sectors within the community to develop a 
holistic approach to healing substance abusers, concentrating not only 
on their abuse problem, but other related problems such as 
unemployment, lack of education, domestic violence, and other problems.
  This bill does nothing to restore the resources needed for 
communities to deal with the burgeoning problem of substance abuse, but 
continues the 1996 policy of gutting our Federal programs in this 
important area.
  H.R. 3577 also eliminates all funding for title IV of the Older 
Americans Act, which is dedicated to research, training and special 
projects dedicated to understanding and addressing the needs of our 
elderly population. Funds under this program have been critical to the 
Asian Pacific Community and to support the work of The National Asian 
Pacific Center on Aging [NAPCA], the only organization dedicated to 
enhancing the quality of life of the 700,000 Asian Pacific American 
elders in our society.
  The NAPCA serves as an important link between the Asian Pacific 
senior population and service providers and organizations at the local, 
State, and Federal levels. This Seattle-based organization performs an 
important function in helping to assure that Asian Pacific American 
seniors have access to critical services provided by all sectors of our 
community, and that the service providers and are sensitive to the 
specific needs of this culturally diverse and rapidly growing 
population.
  The elimination of title IV funding will severely limit the ability 
of the NAPCA to serve the Asian Pacific American senior community. It 
will mean the end of critical research, demonstration and training 
activities, and innovative approaches to improve access for this 
special population.
  This bill also utilizes the appropriations process to enact 
legislative policies that the majority has not achieved through the 
normal legislative process. These policies will result in endangering 
the lives of children by weakening child labor laws to allow minors to 
load and unload dangerous compacting equipment in grocery and 
retails stores. The original committee bill also would have prevented 
millions of workers from being protected from ergonomic-related 
illnesses by prohibiting the promulgation of OSHA's rule on ergonomic 
standards. However, the Pelosi amendment adopted on the House floor 
eliminated this prohibition from the bill.

  Finally, Mr. Speaker I want to express my deep concern about the 
committee's recommendation regarding the Hansens' disease program in 
Hawaii. While providing $2 million for Hansen's disease patients in 
Hawaii--(the same as fiscal year 1996), the committee report suggests 
that the Hansen's disease patients in Hawaii can be supported through 
insurance or Medicaid, and that they should be encouraged to move from 
the current settlement at Kalaupapa, Molokai, and provided a stipend to 
live elsewhere.
  This proposal lacks a clear understanding of the history of Hansen's 
disease patients in Hawaii and the commitment made to the Hansen's 
disease patients by the Congress.
  The Hansen's disease program in Hawaii supports slightly over 400 
individuals with Hansen's disease. Most are served through the Hale 
Mohalu Hospital in Honolulu and through an outpatient service. However, 
66 individuals reside at Kalaupapa, a remote peninsula on the island of 
Molokai which was designated in the mid-1800's as a place of banishment 
for individuals with Hansen's disease. Until 1969 individuals with 
Hansen's disease were forced to this isolated area, accessible only by 
boat, plane, or hiking its treacherous cliffs.
  Since 1954 the Federal Government has provided payments for health 
care and other support services for the Hansen's disease patients and 
Kalaupapa and additional outpatient services at other facilities in 
Hawaii. These payments were originally authorized under

[[Page E1426]]

Public Law 82-411 and authorization continues today under Public Law 
99-117.
  Recognizing the historical significance of Kalaupapa, a National 
Historical Park was established under the National Park Service to 
preserve the legacy of Kalaupapa and the many individuals who lived out 
their lives in this remote settlement. Legislation establishing the 
park specifically states that the remaining patients would have the 
option of living at Kalaupapa for the rest of their lives.
  The average patient age at Kalaupapa is 70 years. Though once forced 
to live in this remote location away from their families, away from 
civilization, today those at Kalaupapa chose to remain there. It is the 
only home they've ever known and prefer the life they had led in this 
remote settlement. They are elderly, many disabled and uncomfortable 
with outsiders or living in the outside world. It would be difficult 
and in some cases impossible for them to adjust to life away from 
Kalaupapa.
  What the committee suggests in moving these patients from Kalaupapa 
is forcing them to leave this home. This is unthinkable and contrary to 
the promises made to them by the Federal Government. I hope this idea 
will be rejected.

                          ____________________