[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 61 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E860-E861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HUMAN SERVICES AMENDMENTS OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 1998

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Human 
Services Amendments of 1998. This legislation will reauthorize and 
strengthen the Head Start, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) 
and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) programs. When Congress last 
reauthorized these programs in 1994 it was the product of true 
bipartisan negotiations. I strongly believe that this bill is one which 
can capture the same bipartisan spirit.
  The last reauthorization cycle produced major successful structural 
changes in these programs, eliminating the current need for an 
expansive rewrite of each statute. Presently these programs are working 
well and do not need significant modification. Instead of implementing 
wholesale change, this legislation builds upon the positive changes 
made in 1994 allowing the good work presently being done to continue.
  Title I of the bill amends the Head Start Program. This legislation 
will refine Head Start's focus in two major areas--improving the 
transition of children from Head Start programs to school by 
strengthening the coordination between Head Start programs and schools 
and increasing the financial resources available and access to Early 
Head Start programs. The bill would increase the setaside for Early 
Head Start to 10%, with the stipulation that funds not be taken from 
current Head Start programs. The legislation would also allow expansion 
grants to be used by existing Head Start grantees to expand service to 
the Early Head Start population. Significant research has shown the 
importance of brain development in

[[Page E861]]

young children and an increased focus on intervening in a young child's 
life during the most sensitive of years in vitally important.
  In improving the transition of children from Head Start programs to 
school, the bill would also require Head Start programs to coordinate 
services with the educational services of the local education agency 
projected to serve the children enrolled in their programs. The 
legislation would also require that the Secretary, in considering the 
expansion of Head Start programs, to consider the extent to which Head 
Start programs will coordinate services with local education agencies. 
Both of these provisions will ensure that the educational experiences 
and cognitive development gained by children in Head Start programs are 
not lost when they progress through school.
  In addition, the bill improves the access of children with 
disabilities to quality programs and ensures that Head Start programs 
maximize their enrollment and resources and increase flexibility to 
deal with the transition of families from welfare to work by allowing 
the Secretary to permit up to 25% of enrollees in a Head Start program 
to be from families with incomes above the poverty line.
  Title II of the bill amends LIHEAP. This legislation will maintain 
LIHEAP's focus on serving low-income individuals with the highest 
proportion of energy expenses. In addition, this bill reinforces that 
weatherization and energy-related home repair should be directed to 
low-income households, particularly those households with the lowest 
incomes and the highest proportion of household income for home energy. 
With this increased targeted emphasis on the poorest of our poor, the 
weatherization portion of LIHEAP will truly help those most in need.
  Title III of the bill amends CSBG. Similar to the other two programs, 
a significant rewrite is not necessary, but the legislation does make 
several changes designed to improve the program. The bill raises the 
authorization level of the program by over $100 million to $650 million 
in FY 1999 and such sums in FYs 2000-2002. This will ensure that the 
significant increases in appropriations which this program has received 
in the last few years can be repeated. Also, the bill would give 
preference to private, non-profit organizations should an existing 
entity running a local program authorized under the statute terminate. 
In addition, this legislation would provide that CSBG carryover funds 
are reprogrammed at the local level. For each of the last three years 
similar language has been attached to the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill 
requiring this provision. Lastly, the measure would allow local 
community action agencies to offer services to improve literacy in the 
community. This would be an new activity for local community action 
agencies to address the illiteracy--one of the most pressing problems 
and indicators of poverty in our nation today.
  In closing Mr. Speaker, I would like to stress that I believe this 
legislation is the beginning of another historic bipartisan effort to 
reauthorize and strengthen these programs. I urge all members of 
Congress to join me in supporting this legislation and to support the 
bill which will be the eventual product of our joint bipartisan 
discussions.

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