[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 18 (Monday, March 2, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1202-S1205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Akaka, and Mr. Reed):
  S. 1697. A bill to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act of 1990 to improve the availability of child care and development 
services during periods outside normal school hours, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


                      the america after school act

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, today Senators Kerry, Reed, Akaka and I 
are introducing the America After School Act. With this legislation, I 
hope that we can do more to provide the care and activities that 
children need when they are not in school.

  Millions of parents today have no choice but to work outside the 
home. Over 17 million parents need someone to care for their children 
when the children are not in school. Many are able to find child care 
through friends or family, local centers, or school-based programs. But 
over 5 million ``latch-key'' children have no such arrangements and are 
left home alone. Our goal in this legislation is to encourage 
communities to develop activities that will engage our children and 
keep them off the streets, away from drugs, and out of trouble.
  In many cases, parents know the importance of enrolling their 
children in after-school programs, but cannot afford to do so. Child 
care costs thousands of dollars each year and is therefore out of reach 
for many families. Congress has responded by supporting an array of 
child care programs over the years, but the funding has not kept pace 
with the need, especially under The Welfare Reform Act which requires 
more and more parents each year to enter the workforce. As a result, 
hundreds of thousands of children are now on waiting lists for child 
care and after school activities. Help for these families and their 
children cannot come too soon.
  The entire country benefits when children get the care that they 
need. Health costs are lower. Parents' productivity at work improves. 
Education costs decline when children learn to cooperate in group 
activities, and when they can obtain help with their homework during 
after-school programs. The massive costs associated with juvenile 
delinquency, such as injuries to people, damage to property and police, 
courts, and corrections--are reduced when responsible after-school 
activities are available. By expanding after-school programs, we 
literally are investing in children, their future, and the country's 
future.
  Our legislation significantly expands after-school care, enabling 
more parents to choose safe, quality programs for their children. We 
primarily accomplish this goal by increasing the Child Care and 
Development Block Grants available to states, which subsidize child 
care for low-income families. Under Title I of this bill, we authorize 
a $5 billion increase in that program over the next 5 years. This level 
of investment is necessary to end the waiting lists, and provide after-
school care for an estimated 2 million children from low-income working 
families.
  Communities with high concentrations of poverty and at-risk children 
will get priority in this funding, so that help will be available where 
it is needed most. No parent should have to make the cruel choice 
between pressing needs such as food, heat and shelter. The needs of 
disabled children are also specifically addressed.
  Our proposal builds on the experience of the Defense Department, 
which operates the world's largest child care program for members of 
the armed services. Over the past decade, they have developed a widely 
acclaimed model program. They have found that child-care quality is 
most effectively achieved through salary incentives tied to training. 
We get what we pay for. Child care workers are notoriously underpaid in 
today's society. Stronger incentives are needed in order to develop and 
retain a quality child care workforce. Our bill designates 25% of the 
block-grant increases for indirect services that include salary 
incentives tied to training for those who provide care.
  In addition, our bill enacts President Clinton's proposal to expand 
21st Century Learning Centers which have proved highly successful in 
using schools as places where members of the community can engage in 
continuing education, recreation, community building activities and 
others. This program now only serves 100,000 children nationwide. Our 
bill contains a

[[Page S1203]]

five-fold increase in grants by the Department of Education to local 
public schools. Under this increase, 500,000 more children will be able 
to participate in school-based programs before and after school.
  This bill also provides $1.25 billion over the next five years to 
expand grants by the Justice Department for after-school programs to 
prevent juvenile crime. Public and private agencies may apply for these 
grants, and awards will be made on a matching basis. Recipients must 
coordinate their efforts with state or local law enforcement to achieve 
maximum effectiveness in fighting crime. After-school educational and 
recreational programs in high crime neighborhoods will receive priority 
since children in these inner city neighborhoods face the highest 
risks.
  Hundreds of police chiefs, prosecutors, and crime victims have 
created an organization called ``Fight Crime: Invest in Kids,'' 
dedicated to promoting increased federal investment in after-school 
programs. A 1995 National League of Cities survey reported that 92% of 
respondents rank before- and after-school care as one of the most 
pressing needs for children and families--ahead of crime, welfare 
reform, education, housing and drug abuse. Over 70% of people recently 
surveyed by the Children's Defense Fund--Democrats and Republicans, 
women and men, young and old alike--believe that revenues from tobacco 
companies should be invested in child care programs. Hundreds of 
thousands of parents have put their children's names on waiting lists 
for child care and after school activities. The need is urgent and 
widespread, and Congress has a responsibility to act.
  The America After School Act, can be effective in meeting these needs 
and I urge the Senate to approve it.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill may 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1697

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``America After School Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) children spend less than 20 percent of their waking 
     hours in school, and their activities during the remaining 80 
     percent of these hours have a critical impact on their long-
     term success in school and work;
       (2) approximately 24,000,000 children require care after 
     school while their parents work;
       (3) during 1991--
       (A) there were 36,700,000 school-age children in the United 
     States;
       (B) approximately 21,200,000 of the children described in 
     subparagraph (A) lived with working mothers (including 
     mothers seeking employment) and 999,000 lived with mothers 
     who were enrolled in school; and
       (C) approximately 912,000 of the children described in 
     subparagraph (A) lived with single working fathers, 61,000 
     with single unemployed fathers, and 9,000 with single fathers 
     who were enrolled in school;
       (4) the General Accounting Office estimates that the 
     current supply of child care for school-age children will 
     meet as little as 25 percent of the demand in some urban 
     areas by 2002;
       (5) children who attend quality after-school programs while 
     their parents work--
       (A) experience positive effects on their development;
       (B) have better peer relations, emotional adjustment, 
     grades, and conduct in school than their peers in other care 
     arrangements;
       (C) have more learning opportunities and enrichment 
     activities than their peers in other care arrangements; and
       (D) are less likely to engage in juvenile delinquent 
     activity;
       (6)(A) most juvenile delinquent activity occurs between 3 
     p.m. and 8 p.m.; and
       (B) from 1988 to 1992, juvenile arrests for violent acts 
     increased by 50 percent;
       (7) survey data confirms public support for expansion of 
     programs to assist school-age children, as evidenced by the 
     fact that the need for child care, including before- and 
     after-school care, was rated as one of the most pressing 
     needs for children and families by 92 percent of respondents 
     to a 1995 National League of Cities survey, ranking as the 
     highest rated need in the survey, which inquired about crime 
     prevention, welfare reform, education, housing, family 
     stability, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, and a host of 
     other issues;
       (8) 1996 survey data indicate that parents overwhelmingly 
     support using school-based after-school programs for learning 
     and enrichment programs, but 70 percent of all public 
     elementary schools do not offer such programs; and
       (9) parents want more than babysitting from after-school 
     programs, and computer classes, art and music courses, 
     tutoring, and community service activities rank high among 
     parental choices for activities for after-school programs.
              TITLE I--CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

     SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.

       The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
     U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating section 658P (42 U.S.C. 9858n) as 
     section 658T;
       (2) by moving such section 658T to the end of such Act; and
       (3) in such section 658T--
       (A) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end the following:

     ``The term `eligible child', used with respect to child care 
     and development services, means a school age child.''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(15) Child care; child care services.--The terms `child 
     care' and `child care services' include child care and 
     development services.
       ``(16) Child care and development services.--The term 
     `child care and development services' means services 
     described in section 658H(f).
       ``(17) Child with a disability.--The term `child with a 
     disability' has the meaning given the term in section 602 of 
     the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
     1401).
       ``(18) Elementary school; secondary school.--The terms 
     `elementary school' and `secondary school' have the meanings 
     given the terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
       ``(19) School age child.--The term `school age child' means 
     an individual who--
       ``(A)(i) is not less than 5 and not more than 15 years of 
     age; or
       ``(ii) at the election of the State involved, is less than 
     5 years of age; and
       ``(B) meets the requirements of subparagraphs (B) and (C) 
     of paragraph (4).''

     SEC. 102. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 658B of the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
     Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``There is'' and inserting ``(a) In 
     General.--There is'';
       (2) by striking ``this subchapter'' and inserting ``this 
     subchapter (other than section 658H)''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Programs for Child Care and Development Services.--
     There is authorized to be appropriated and there is 
     appropriated to carry out section 658H, $1,000,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 1999 through 2003.''

     SEC. 103. STATE PLAN.

       Section 658E(c) of the Child Care and Development Block 
     Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in clause (i)(II), by striking ``section 658P(2)'' and 
     inserting ``section 658T(2)''; and
       (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``eligible provider'' and 
     inserting ``eligible child care provider (or, in the case of 
     child care and development services, an entity described in 
     section 658H(c))''; and
       (B) in the first sentence of subparagraph (E)(i)--
       (i) by inserting after ``within the State'' the following 
     ``(or, in the case of child care and development services, 
     other appropriate requirements)''; and
       (ii) by striking ``such requirements'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``such licensing or appropriate 
     requirements''; and
       (2) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``(D)'' and inserting 
     ``(E)''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(E) Programs for child care and development services.--
       ``(i) In general.--The State plan shall provide that the 
     State will reserve the portion described in clause (ii) of 
     the State allotment under section 658O for each fiscal year 
     to carry out activities under section 658H.
       ``(ii) Portion.--For each fiscal year, the portion referred 
     to in clause (i) is the amount that bears the same 
     relationship to the State allotment for that year as the 
     amount appropriated under section 658B(b) for that year bears 
     to the total amount appropriated under section 658B for that 
     year.''.

     SEC. 104. CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

       The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
     U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
     658G the following:

     ``SEC. 658H. CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

       ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to fund 
     quality child care and development services, including direct 
     services provided outside of normal school hours, to promote 
     the health and academic achievement of school age children, 
     and assist the children in avoiding high risk behaviors.
       ``(b) In General.--Each State that receives funds to carry 
     out this subchapter for a fiscal year shall use the funds 
     reserved as described in section 658E(c)(3)(E) to make grants 
     to eligible entities to carry out programs to expand the 
     availability and affordability of quality child care and 
     development services, including direct services provided

[[Page S1204]]

     outside of normal school hours (including before- and after-
     school care and weekend, holiday, and summer care) for school 
     age children.
       ``(c) Eligible entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     under this section, an entity shall be--
       ``(1) an elementary school or secondary school; or
       ``(2) a community-based organization, including a 
     community-based entity that operates a child care center or 
     youth center or is a family child care provider, that meets 
     such requirements of the type described in subparagraphs (E) 
     and (F) of section 658E(c)(3) as the State and local 
     governments involved may prescribe.
       ``(d) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     this section, an entity shall submit an application to the 
     State at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the State may require. At a minimum, each 
     application shall contain--
       ``(1) information demonstrating the manner in which the 
     entity will carry out a program described in subsection (b) 
     in a manner that meets the needs, of the community to be 
     served, for child care and development services, including 
     direct services provided outside of normal school hours;
       ``(2) an assurance that the entity will carry out direct 
     services provided through the program during--
       ``(A) at least 3 days in each week that the program 
     operates, and for at least 3 hours on each day that the 
     program operates; or
       ``(B) at least 10 hours in each week that the program 
     operates;
       ``(3) information demonstrating the manner in which the 
     entity will serve children with disabilities; and
       ``(4) information demonstrating the manner in which the 
     entity will carry out the planning, establishment, 
     implementation, and evaluation of the program, and provide 
     staff training for the program, in coordination with other 
     entities carrying out programs for children or public 
     transportation programs in the community.
       ``(e) Preference.--In making grants under this section, a 
     State shall give preference to entities that--
       ``(1) serve communities with--
       ``(A) a high rate of poverty, as determined in accordance 
     with criteria established by the Secretary; and
       ``(B) a high incidence of at-risk children; and
       ``(2) propose programs that make transportation services 
     available to the children served, if needed to enable the 
     children to receive other services described in this section, 
     using transportation provided under other public programs in 
     the community, such as transportation provided under the Head 
     Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), or under programs 
     providing services to older individuals, educational 
     programs, or public transportation programs.
       ``(f) Use of Funds.--
       ``(1) In general.--An entity that receives a grant under 
     this section shall use the funds made available through the 
     grant to provide--
       ``(A) direct services outside of normal school hours;
       ``(B) quality services; and
       ``(C) indirect services.
       ``(2) Direct services and related quality services.--
       ``(A) In general.--The entity shall use not less than 75 
     percent of the funds described in paragraph (1) to provide 
     two or more of the direct services described in subparagraph 
     (B) to school age children and to carry out related quality 
     services.
       ``(B) Direct services.--The direct services referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) consist of--
       ``(i) recreational activities;
       ``(ii) community-based service programs that provide for 
     meaningful human, educational, environmental, or public 
     safety service;
       ``(iii) academic assistance and tutoring;
       ``(iv) mentoring;
       ``(v) conflict management;
       ``(vi) health and nutrition services, including disease and 
     injury prevention services;
       ``(vii) literacy services;
       ``(viii) child care (other than another service described 
     in this subsection); and
       ``(ix) transportation of school age children between--

       ``(I) school or home; and
       ``(II) the facility in which the services are provided.

       ``(C) Quality services.--The quality services referred to 
     in subparagraph (A) consist of--
       ``(i) provision of community-based training, related to the 
     provision of direct services, for staff of the entity, at 
     times and in locations that are accessible to the staff;
       ``(ii) provision of financial assistance to the staff to 
     attend courses at an institution of higher education that are 
     related to the provision of direct services;
       ``(iii) provision of financial assistance to staff to 
     promote staff retention;
       ``(iv) provision of financial assistance to enable the 
     child care and development services program provided by the 
     entity to obtain accreditation by a nationally recognized 
     accreditation organization;
       ``(v) data collection relating to direct services, 
     including the collection of data described in paragraphs 
     (1)(B) and (2) of section 658K(a) for family units receiving 
     assistance under this section, and submission of the data to 
     the State for inclusion in the reports described in section 
     658K(a)(2); and
       ``(vi) evaluation of the child care and development 
     services provided by the entity in accordance with criteria 
     determined by the State, and participation in audits 
     described in section 658K(b).
       ``(3) Indirect services.--
       ``(A) In general.--The entity shall use not more than 25 
     percent of the funds described in paragraph (1) to provide 
     indirect services that support the sustainability of the 
     direct services and the accountability of entities carrying 
     out the direct services.
       ``(B) Services.--The indirect services referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) may include--
       ``(i) carrying out activities to provide increased 
     compensation to staff who provide the direct services to 
     school age children outside of normal school hours and who 
     participate in appropriate training;
       ``(ii) developing and maintaining electronic databases of 
     providers who provide the direct services outside of normal 
     school hours, and making the information in the databases 
     available to the public through arrangements with elementary 
     schools, secondary schools, public libraries, community-based 
     agencies, and other public agencies;
       ``(iii) conducting community needs assessments to determine 
     the need for direct services outside of normal school hours; 
     and
       ``(iv) constructing, maintaining, and improving facilities, 
     and purchasing equipment for facilities, in which school age 
     children receive direct services outside of normal school 
     hours.
       ``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Direct services.--The term `direct services' means 
     the services described in subsection (f)(2)(B).
       ``(2) Indirect services.--The term `indirect services' 
     means the services described in subsection (f)(3).
       ``(3) Quality services.--The term `quality services' means 
     the services described in subsection (f)(2)(C).''.

     SEC. 105. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Facilities.--Section 658F(b) of the Child Care and 
     Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858d(b)(1)) 
     is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 658O(c)(6)'' 
     and inserting ``section 658H or 658O(c)(6)''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting before ``except'' the 
     following: ``except as provided in section 658H and''.
       (b) Quality Activities.--Section 658G of the Child Care and 
     Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858e) is 
     amended by striking ``this subchapter'' and inserting ``this 
     subchapter (other than section 658H)''.
       (c) Redesignation.--Section 658K of the Child Care and 
     Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C 9858i) is 
     amended, in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking ``section 
     658P(5)'' and inserting ``section 658T(5)''.
       (d) Construction.--Section 658O(c)(6) of the Child Care and 
     Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858m(c)(6)) 
     is amended by inserting ``(other than the amounts provided to 
     carry out section 658H)'' after ``this subsection'' each 
     place it appears.
TITLE II--STRENGTHENING THE 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS ACT

     SEC. 201. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

       Section 10903 of the 21st Century Community Learning 
     Centers Act (20 U.S.C. 8243) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``to Local 
     Educational Agencies for Schools'' after ``Secretary''; and
       (B) by striking ``rural and inner-city public'' and all 
     that follows through ``or to'' and inserting ``local 
     educational agencies for the support of public elementary 
     schools or secondary schools, including middle schools, that 
     serve communities with substantial needs for expanded 
     learning opportunities for children and youth in the 
     communities, to enable the schools to establish or''; and
       (C) by striking ``a rural or inner-city community'' and 
     inserting ``the communities'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``States, among'' and inserting ``States 
     and among''; and
       (B) by striking ``United States,'' and all that follows 
     through ``a State'' and inserting ``United States''; and
       (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``3'' and inserting 
     ``5''.

     SEC. 202. APPLICATIONS.

       Section 10904(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 8244(a)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``an elementary or 
     secondary school or consortium'' and inserting ``a local 
     educational agency'';
       (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``or consortium'';
       (3) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (4) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or consortium''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (E)--
       (i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``or 
     consortium''; and
       (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (5) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) information demonstrating that the local educational 
     agency will--
       ``(A) provide not less than 50 percent of the annual cost 
     of the activities assisted under the project from sources 
     other than funds provided under this part, which contribution 
     may be provided in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated;

[[Page S1205]]

       ``(B) provide not more than 25 percent of the annual cost 
     of the activities assisted under the project from funds 
     provided by the Secretary under other Federal programs that 
     permit the use of those other funds for activities assisted 
     under the project; and
       ``(C) subject to subparagraph (B), in the fourth and fifth 
     years of a local educational agency's project, increase the 
     percentage of the annual cost of activities assisted under 
     the project that is paid for from sources other than the 
     funds provided under this part; and
       ``(5) an assurance that the local educational agency, in 
     each year of the project, will maintain the agency's fiscal 
     effort, from non-Federal sources, from the preceding fiscal 
     year for the activities the local educational agency provides 
     with funds provided under this part.''; and
       (6) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``Each such'' and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Contents.--Each such''.

     SEC. 203. USES OF FUNDS.

       Section 10905 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 8245) is amended by 
     striking ``may be used'' and all that follows through 
     ``four'' and inserting ``shall be used to establish or expand 
     community learning centers that provide activities which 
     offer expanded learning opportunities for children and youth 
     in the community (such as activities conducted before or 
     after school) and which may include any''.

     SEC. 204. CONTINUATION AWARDS UNDER CURRENT STATUTE.

       Such Act (20 U.S.C. 8241 et seq.) is further amended--
       (1) by redesignating sections 10906 and 10907 as sections 
     10907 and 10908, respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after section 10906 the following:

     ``SEC. 10907. CONTINUATION AWARDS.

       ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary 
     may use funds appropriated under this part to make payments 
     under this part for projects that were funded under this part 
     for fiscal year 1998, under the terms and conditions that 
     applied to the original grants for the projects.''.

     SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 10908 of such Act (as redesignated by section 
     204(1)) (20 U.S.C. 8247) is amended by striking ``$20,000,000 
     for fiscal year 1995'' and inserting ``$200,000,000 for 
     fiscal year 1999''.

     SEC. 206. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This title, and the amendments made by this title, shall 
     take effect on October 1, 1998.
                  TITLE III--CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM

     SEC. 301. GRANTS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES.

       Title II of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 
     Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5611 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating the second part designated as part I 
     as part K; and
       (2) by inserting after the first part designated as part I 
     the following:

                ``PART J--AFTER SCHOOL CRIME PREVENTION

     ``SEC. 292. GRANTS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES FOR 
                   EFFECTIVE AFTER SCHOOL CRIME PREVENTION 
                   PROGRAMS.

       ``(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Administrator shall make grants in 
     accordance with this section to public and private agencies 
     to fund effective after school juvenile crime prevention 
     programs.
       ``(b) Matching Requirement.--The Administrator may not make 
     a grant to a public or private agency under this section 
     unless that agency agrees that, with respect to the costs to 
     be incurred by the agency in carrying out the program for 
     which the grant is to be awarded, the agency will make 
     available non-Federal contributions in an amount that is not 
     less than a specific percentage of Federal funds provided 
     under the grant, as determined by the Administrator.
       ``(c) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the 
     Administrator shall give priority to funding programs that--
       ``(1) are targeted to high crime neighborhoods or at-risk 
     juveniles;
       ``(2) operate during the period immediately following 
     normal school hours;
       ``(3) provide educational or recreational activities 
     designed to encourage law-abiding conduct, reduce the 
     incidence of criminal activity, and teach juveniles 
     alternatives to crime; and
       ``(4) coordinate with State or local juvenile crime control 
     and juvenile offender accountability programs.
       ``(d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated for 
     grants under this section $250,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.''.

                          ____________________