[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS EDUCATION ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 1999

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, all Children deserve to be educated to 
their fullest potential. It is for this reason I am reintroducing my 
measure today from last Congress, the Gifted and Talented Students 
Education Act, along with my colleagues, Representatives Baldacci, 
Barrett (NE), Etheridge, Davis (FL), Ackerman, Shows, and Morella.
  Currently, the educational needs of our most talented students are 
not being met. Secretary of Education Richard Riley has even referred 
to this situation as a ``quiet crisis.'' As a result, these students 
are not reaching their full potential and not performing at world-class 
levels. This was clearly demonstrated by the disappointing results of 
Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) where our brightest 
students scored poorly and were not able to compete with their 
international counterparts. Our nation must foster excellence in these 
students who will become leaders in areas such as business, the arts, 
the sciences, and the legal and medical professions.
  The Gifted and Talented Students Education Act would provide 
incentives, through block grants, to states to identify gifted and 
talented students from all economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds--
including students of limited English proficiency and students with 
disabilities--and to provide the necessary programs and services to 
ensure these students receive the challenging education they need. 
Funding would be based on each state's student population, with each 
state receiving a minimum of $1 million per year.
  I know you are as committed as I am to ensuring our nation's youth 
have all the tools they need for their future. I encourage all of my 
colleagues to join me in pursuing this legislation which will ensure 
our nation's gifted and talented students reach their fullest potential 
and to ensure we have a new generation of Americans ready to meet the 
demands of the 21st Century.

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