[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 126 (Friday, September 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11442-S11443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 187--TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
                           EDUCATION FUNDING

  Mr. DASCHLE (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Harkin, and Mrs. Murray) 
submitted the following resolution; which was ordered placed on the 
calendar:

                              S. Res. 187

       Whereas the American people know that a strong public 
     education system is vital to our Nation's future and they 
     overwhelming support increasing the Federal investment in 
     education.
       Whereas, the funding level for the Subcommittee on Labor, 
     Health and Human Services, and Education of the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate has been reduced to pay for 
     other programs.
       Whereas the current allocation for the Subcommittee on 
     Labor, Health and Human Services and Education of the 
     Committee on Appropriations is 17 percent below fiscal year 
     1999 levels.
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction in Head Start will result 
     in 142,000 children not being served.
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will cost school districts 
     the funds for 5,246 newly hired teachers.
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will deprive 50,000 
     students of access to after-school and summer school 
     programs.
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction in funding for the 
     Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will make 
     it far more difficult for States to provide an appropriate 
     education for students with disabilities by reducing funding 
     by more than $880,000,000;

[[Page S11443]]

       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will deprive 2,100,000 
     children in high-poverty communities of educational services 
     to help them do well in school and master the basics;
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will result in 1,000 fewer 
     school districts receiving support for their initiatives to 
     integrate technology into their classrooms;
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will deny nearly 200,000 
     disadvantaged and middle-income students access to counseling 
     and educational support to help them succeed in college;
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will reduce funds provided 
     to schools to improve school safety by nearly $100,000,000;
       Whereas the 17 percent reduction will cause 100,000 
     students to lose their Federal Pell Grant awards;
       Whereas no action has been taken in the Senate on the 
     Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and 
     Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000; and
       Whereas there are only 4 legislative work days left before 
     the end of fiscal year 2000; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, that it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Senate should increase the Federal investment in 
     education, including providing--
       (A) $1,400,000,000 for the second year of the initiative to 
     reduce class sizes in early grades by hiring 100,000 
     qualified teachers;
       (B) an increase in support for programs that recruit, 
     train, and provide professional development for, teachers;
       (C) $600,000,000 for after-school programs, thereby 
     tripling the current investment;
       (D) an increase, not a decrease, in funding for the Safe 
     and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994;
       (E) an increase in funding for part A of title I of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for children 
     from disadvantaged backgrounds, and an increase in funding 
     for reading and literacy grants under part C of title II of 
     such Act;
       (F) an increase, not a decrease, in funding for the 
     Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
       (G) funding for a larger maximum Federal Pell Grant award 
     for college students, and an increase in funding for 
     mentoring and other need-based programs;
       (H) an increase, not a decrease, in funds available to help 
     schools use technology effectively in the classroom and 
     narrow the technology gap; and
       (I) at least $3,700,000,000 in Federal resources to help 
     communities leverage funds to modernize public school 
     facilities; and
       (2) the Senate should stay within the discretionary 
     spending caps and avoid using the resources of the social 
     security program by finding discretionary spending offsets 
     that do not jeopardize important investments in other key 
     programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on 
     Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education of the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

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