[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 90 (Thursday, July 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6680-S6681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWINE:
       S. 2867. A bill to provide for the funding and 
     administration of a Veterans Mission for Youth Initiative 
     within the Troops-to-Teachers Program; to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


                 VETERANS MISSION FOR YOUTH INITIATIVE

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce a bill today--
the ``Veterans Mission for Youth Initiative''--that would expand the 
current mission of the successful Troops to Teachers program. As many 
of my colleagues know, Troops to Teachers is a practical and sensible 
teacher recruitment program--a program that helps our veterans and 
retired military personnel gain the necessary certification to teach in 
our children's classrooms.
  The bill I am introducing today would build on the current program's 
success by expanding its mission to help veterans who want to volunteer 
in our schools and be role models, but do not necessarily want to 
become certified teachers. This bill not only will help children 
benefit from the knowledge and experiences of veterans, but it also 
will help our veterans get more involved and active in their own local

[[Page S6681]]

communities. I am pleased that Governor George W. Bush is proposing 
this same idea today in Pittsburgh.
  Specifically, the ``Veterans Mission for Youth Initiative,'' would 
authorize $75 million to be used for matching federal grants to 
community organizations that help train and then link veterans and 
retired military personnel with local school volunteer opportunities to 
mentor and tutor students. The grant program will be administered 
through the Defense Department's Defense Activity for Non-Traditional 
Education Support division, which runs the Troops-to-Teachers program.
  Mr. President, the sad reality is that our schools are in crisis--
especially in the inner cities and in places like Appalachia. And, I am 
frustrated and saddened that far too many children simply are not 
getting the quality education they deserve. The current Troops to 
Teachers program is helping to improve educational quality in America 
by providing mature, motivated, experienced, and dedicated personnel 
for our nation's classrooms. In fact, when administrators were asked to 
rate Troops to Teachers participants in their schools, 54 percent of 
the administrators said that the former military personnel turned 
teachers were among the best teachers at the schools. I am pleased to 
say that since 1994, 3,720 retired members of the U.S. military have 
been hired as teachers in all 50 states.
  Additionally, a 1999 alternative teacher certification study found 
that participants in the Troops to Teachers program broaden the make-up 
and skills of our current teacher pool. For example, 30 percent of 
participants are minorities, compared to 10 percent of all teachers; 30 
percent of participants are teaching math, compared to 13 percent of 
all teachers; 39 percent are willing to teach in inner cities compared 
to the current 16 percent urban teaching force; and 90 percent are 
male, compared to the overall current teaching force which is 26 
percent male.
  By expanding the current mission of the Troops to Teachers program by 
helping to link veterans with community volunteer opportunities to 
tutor and mentor school children, we can strengthen our education 
system overall. By linking students and America's retired military 
personnel--men and women who have exhibited the ideals of discipline, 
order, courage, and civic responsibility--we can teach our children 
valuable lessons outside the classroom.
  Sadly, Mr. President, a recent survey of American youth, called the 
``New Millennium Project,'' found that students chose as their three 
lowest-ranking priorities in life: 1. Being a good citizen who cares 
about the good of the country; 2. Being involved in democracy and 
voting; and 3. Being involved in helping make one's community a better 
place. Furthermore, a recent survey by the Horatio Alger Society found 
that 21 percent of students had no heroes.
  We need to change this, Mr. President. We need to change these 
apathetic and aimless attitudes. We need to give American youth some 
direction--the right direction. After all, these children are our 
future--we need to equip them with an arsenal of lessons--lessons they 
can learn in the classroom and out of the classroom by interacting with 
our country's heroes--our veterans.
  The bottom line is this: As a nation, we need to do all we can to get 
the best teachers available into our public schools. We are trying to 
do just that through the current Troops to Teachers program. Now, the 
``Veteran's Mission for Youth Initiative'' is another step in that 
direction. I urge my colleagues to support this effort and to join me 
in taking an important step toward improving education in this country. 
We owe it to our children; we it to our veterans; and we owe it to our 
nation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2867

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Mission for Youth 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Since 1994, 17,148 retired members of the United States 
     Armed Forces have applied to participate in the Troops-to-
     Teachers program and 3,720 such members have been hired as 
     teachers in 50 States.
       (2) The mission of the Troops-to-Teachers program is to 
     help improve American Education by providing mature, 
     motivated, experienced, and dedicated personnel for the 
     nation's classrooms.
       (3) The Troops-to-Teachers program provides positive role 
     models for the nation's public school students.
       (4) Ninety percent of Troops-to-Teachers participants are 
     male, compared to 26 percent of the existing teaching force.
       (5) Nearly 30 percent of Troops-to-Teachers participants 
     are minorities compared to 10 percent in the existing 
     teaching force.
       (6) The Troops-to-Teachers program helps relieve teacher 
     shortages, especially in the subjects of math and science.
       (7) School administrators who work with Troops-to-Teachers 
     participants were asked to rate such participants in their 
     schools, 54 percent of such administrators said that the 
     former military personnel turned teachers were well above 
     average or were among the best teachers at the schools.
       (8) The 1999 Alternative Teacher Certification study by C, 
     Emily Feistritzer found that 30 percent of Troops-to-Teachers 
     participants are minorities compared to 10 percent of all 
     teachers, 30 percent are teaching math compared to 13 percent 
     of all teachers, 25 percent teach in urban schools, and 90 
     percent are male compared to the current teaching force which 
     is 74 percent female.
       (9) America's 25,000,000 veterans have exhibited the ideals 
     of discipline, order, courage, and civic responsibility that 
     are important lessons for America's children.
       (10) The recent survey of American youth, the ``New 
     Millennium Project'' found that students chose as their 3 
     lowest-ranking priorities in life--being a good citizen who 
     cares about the good of the country, being involved in 
     democracy and voting, and being involved in helping make 
     one's community a better place.
       (11) A recent survey by the Horatio Alger Society found 
     that 21 percent of students had no heroes.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A VETERANS MISSION FOR YOUTH 
                   INITIATIVE.

       Title XVII of the National Defense Authorization Act of 
     Fiscal Year 2000 (commonly known as the Troops-to-Teachers 
     Program Act of 1999 (20 U.S.C. 9301 et seq.)) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 1710. VETERANS MISSION FOR YOUTH INITIATIVE.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense, acting 
     through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education 
     Support Division of the Department of Defense, shall 
     establish an initiative to be known as the `Veterans Mission 
     for Youth Initiative' to award grants to eligible 
     organizations to provide mentoring, tutoring, after-school 
     and other programs for youth.
       ``(b) Eligibility.--
       ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     subsection (a), an organization shall--
       ``(A) be a community organization that provides, or intends 
     to provide, services to link individuals described in 
     paragraph (2) with youth;
       ``(B) prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at 
     such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
     the Secretary may require;
       ``(C) provides assurances to the Secretary that the 
     organization with provide matching funds as required under 
     paragraph (3); and
       ``(D) meet such other requirements as the Secretary may 
     prescribe.
       ``(2) Individuals eligible to provide services.--An 
     individual described in this paragraph is any member of the 
     Armed Forces--
       ``(A) who was--
       ``(i) discharged or released from active duty after 6 or 
     more years of continuous active duty immediately before the 
     discharge or release; or
       ``(ii) involuntarily discharged or released from active 
     duty for purposes of a reduction of force after 6 or more 
     years of continuous active duty immediately before the 
     discharge or release; and
       ``(B) who's last period of service in the Armed Forces was 
     characterized as honorable; and
       ``(C) who satisfies such other criteria for selection as 
     the Secretary may prescribe.
       ``(3) Matching requirement.--To be eligible to receive a 
     grant under this section an eligible organization shall agree 
     to make available (directly or through donations from public 
     or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the 
     cost of carrying out the program established under the grant 
     in an amount equal to the amount provided under the grant.
       ``(c) Use of Funds.--An organization shall use amounts 
     provided under a grant under this section to carry out a 
     program to facilitate linkages between individuals described 
     in subsection (b)(2) and youth through the provision by such 
     individuals of mentoring, tutoring, after-school and other 
     services.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section, $75,000,000 for 
     fiscal year 2001, and such sums as may be necessary for each 
     subsequent fiscal year.''.
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