[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      DOLLARS TO THE CLASSROOM ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 18, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3248) to 
     provide Dollars to the Classroom:

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Madam Chairman, we have been charged by our 
constituents to construct and introduce wise legislation, yet today we 
are considering legislation which will severely hamper our Nation's 
efforts to improve our children's education. The Dollars to the 
Classroom Act is riddled with faults, such as providing no mechanism 
for accountability of Federal funds as well as funding general 
operating expenses rather than national educational priorities.
  One of the major setbacks of this legislation is that it does not 
ensure that Federal education funds will reach our neediest students. 
The discretion will be left to the States, which in general have 
resulted in less targeted fund distribution when compared to Federal 
programs. In addition, past experience has proven that the 
consolidation of Federal programs into block grants has resulted in 
decreased appropriations for varied reasons, such as the lack of 
distinct Federal priorities and the lack of accountability language.
  I am a parent and educator and I know that certain improvements can 
be made with our American educational system; but H.R. 3248 is not one 
of these improvements. If education is one of our top priorities in 
Congress, then we should not pass H.R. 3248. I urge my colleagues to 
vote no on this legislation.

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