[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION BONDING AUTHORITY PILOT 
                          PROJECT ACT OF 1996

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                            HON. TIM JOHNSON

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 24, 1996

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing 
legislation to establish an innovative funding mechanism to enhance the 
ability of Indian tribes to construct, repair, and maintain quality 
educational facilities. Representatives from tribal schools in my State 
of South Dakota have been working with tribes nationwide to develop an 
initiative which I believe will be a positive first step toward 
addressing the serious crisis we are facing in Indian education. The 
National Indian Education Bonding Authority Pilot Project Act is 
currently in draft form. I am introducing this legislation at this 
stage to begin dialog and debate among my colleagues on this important 
funding initiative.
  Mr. Speaker, 56 percent of the American Indian population in this 
country is age 24 or younger. Consequently, the need for improved 
educational programs and facilities, and for training the American 
Indian workforce is pressing. American Indians have been, and continue 
to be, disproportionately affected by both poverty and low educational 
achievement. The high school completion rate for Indian people aged 20 
to 24 was 12.5 percent below the national average. American Indian 
students, on average, have scored far lower on the National Assessment 
for Education Progress indicators than all other students. In 1994, the 
combined average score for Indian students on the Scholastic 
Achievement Test was 65 points lower than the average for all students. 
These statistics reflect the continued neglect of America's underserved 
Indian student population and are unacceptable.
  By ignoring the most fundamental aspect of education; that is, safe, 
quality educational facilities, there is little hope of breaking the 
cycle of low educational achievement, and the unemployment and poverty 
that result from neglected academic potential.
  The National Indian Education Bonding Authority Pilot Project Act 
establishes a bonding authority to use existing tribal education funds 
for bonds in the municipal finance market which currently serves local 
governments across the Nation. Instead of funding construction projects 
directly, these existing funds will be leveraged through bonds to fund 
substantially more tribal school construction, maintenance and repair 
projects.
  The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates the tribal school construction 
and repair backlog at $850 million. Confounding this backlog, inflation 
and facility deterioration increases this amount by an estimated $80 
million per year. The administration's school construction request for 
fiscal year 1997 was $23 million, and the House-passed level was a mere 
$21 million. In this budgetary climate, I believe every avenue for 
efficiently stretching the Federal dollar should be explored.
  Tribal schools in my State and around the country address the unique 
learning needs and styles of Indian students, with sensitivity to 
Native cultures, ultimately promoting higher academic achievement. 
There are strong historical and moral reasons for continued support of 
tribal schools. In keeping with our special trust responsibility to 
sovereign Indian nations, we need to promote the self-determination and 
self-sufficiency of Indian communities. Education is absolutely vital 
to this effort. Allowing the continued deterioration and decay of 
tribal schools through lack of funding would violate the Government's 
commitment and responsibility to Indian nations and only slow the 
progress of self-sufficiency.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to closely examine the National 
Indian Education Bonding Authority Pilot Project Act and join me in 
working to make this innovative funding mechanism a reality.

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