[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 105 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        TEACHER EMPOWERMENT ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 20, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1995) to 
     amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
     empower teachers, improve student achievement through high-
     quality professional development for teachers, reauthorize 
     the Reading Excellence Act, and for other purposes.

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, the problems with H.R. 1995 are abundant in 
nature, however, one of its greatest flaws deals with the lack of 
language about the school counselors of this country. H.R. 1995 
eliminates over one million personnel from eligibility for professional 
development under Title II of ESEA. Without the assistance of other 
school personnel, undue burdens and demands will be placed on teachers. 
TEA will actually increase, not decrease, the workload and 
responsibilities of teachers. H.R. 1995 decreases local flexibility to 
train and hire needed school personnel--America's schools need school 
counselors, the recent school shootings remind us that students have 
needs that must be served by qualified counseling professionals. H.R. 
1995 eliminates pupil services from eligibility for professional 
development by completely rewriting title II of ESEA. H.R. 1995 limits 
students with disabilities access to education--by eliminating 
professional development for pupil services, school staff will be 
unprepared to meet the special needs of students with disabilities. 
These are just a few of the shortcomings with H.R. 1995, if we are in 
this for the children, how can we simply sit back passively and allow 
such grossly inadequate legislation which blatantly ignores those who 
fight so hard for the welfare of our children--school counselors.

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