[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9859-9860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 OPPOSING H.R. 4577, DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
      AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in opposition to H.R. 4577, 
the Labor-HHS-Education appropriation bill.
  Once again, the Republicans are cutting taxes for the wealthy. The 
Republicans have lost sight of what the American people want: to 
improve our schools, preserve Medicare and social security, enact a 
Patients' Bill of Rights, provide for prescription drug benefits, and 
eliminate the debt.
  H.R. 4577 is bad for America and it is bad for my district. The bill 
cuts $400 million from after-school programs, 100,000 school 
counselors, 100,000 teachers, programs to recruit teachers, math and 
science programs for 650,000 children, school safety programs for 40 
school districts, programs for 1.6 million elderly, and programs for 
the disabled.
  Education, because education is my top priority, I am concerned that 
the bill cuts $3.8 billion from the President's educational programs, 
such as class size reduction and school construction. I state that 
California will lose at least $369 million for the education under this 
bill. I state that California will lose $369 million for education 
under this bill.
  Just as we invest in the future of space programs, we need to make 
sure that we invest in our future, because children are our future. We 
need additional programs for math and science. We should not be cutting 
programs. We need to plant the seeds so that our children can guide us 
for tomorrow. If we do not plant the seed, it will never flourish.
  Education is the foundation that provides us with a change. All kids 
should have an opportunity.
  Cuts in after-school programs. The Republican plan cuts after-school 
programs by over $400 million, or 40 percent of the President's 
proposal. It will throw children out into our streets instead of having 
them safely in schools. They will be placed as a burden on our churches 
to care for our young people.
  School counselors. It eliminates funding for over 100,000 school 
counselors, so the kids will not know which classes to take. I was a 
counselor, and I know the importance of having counselors that can 
direct our children and tell them what classes they need to take to 
make sure that they are prepared academically not only to graduate from 
high school, but at the same time to go on to a community college, a 
State college, or to a university.

                              {time}  2015

  Class size reduction: The Republican plan will result in larger class 
sizes. It rejects the President's plan to hire additional 100,000 new 
teachers. In California alone, we have implemented the class reductions 
that have been very effective in the State of California where the 
grades have begun to increase for a lot of our children.
  We had small classes; we owe the same opportunity to our children. We 
can remember that when most of us were baby boomers or going to school, 
our classes were small and we were able to learn in that kind of 
environment. This presents a very difficult environment for a lot of 
our children that will have 35 students in a classroom to 45 students 
in the classrooms. We need further reduction in classes.
  Teacher quality: It will cut incentives for hiring good teachers by 
$1 billion. There are over 30,000 teachers needed in California alone 
this year. Our schools need to succeed, not to fail. We need to 
increase teachers' salaries from $32,000 to approximately $36,000, and 
provide incentives for our teachers.
  Programs: The Republican plan will cut reading and math for up to 
650,000 children. It cuts reading tutorial programs for our children. 
It will cut $68 million from programs for education technology centers, 
yet the President just recently said that we are going to provide 
additional money in science and technology.
  Especially, it affects a lot of our institutions across the United 
States. And we need to make sure that our children advance and are 
meeting the future in that area.
  School safety: The Republican plan will result in unsafe schools. 
One-third of our schools need extensive repairs or replacement of 
buildings. Republicans rejected $1.3 billion for urgent safety and 
health repairs at 5,000 schools.
  Our children will be in classes with unsafe wiring, roofs could fall 
or leak. It is important that we provide an atmosphere and an 
environment that is conducive to learning. When our children feel that 
they are safe in schools, that do not have leaky roofs, that we provide 
that kind of environment, their attitude and self-esteem will change 
and it will be a lot better.
  Republicans cut $51 million from the President's request to fight 
drugs in schools. We need to keep programs like DARE programs, ``Say No 
to Drugs,'' Red Ribbon Week, the Police Athletic League, the Friday 
Night Live, the Boys and Girls Club, Los Padrinos program, the City of 
Fontana Drug Court program, the drug treatment/recovery programs for 
adolescents established in legislation that I carried, AB 1784.
  The Republicans have eliminated funding to make our schools safe.
  The Republicans eliminated funding for a program to make our schools 
safe from violence in over 40 school districts. We need to avoid more 
tragedies. That is why I am carrying H.R. 4428 which would create 
school safety programs!
  The elderly.--The Republican bill cuts funding to protect elderly 
Americans. It eliminates 95% of the funding to improve quality of care 
in nursing homes.
  It will cut pension and health care plan protections!
  It rejects a Medicare prescription drug benefit.

[[Page 9860]]

  The disabled.--It will put the disabled on the streets, including our 
veterans, who have fought for our country. The bill cuts employment 
assistance to 3,100 homeless veterans!
  The Republican plan helps the wealthy.--At the same time the 
Republicans are slashing programs, they are giving tax breaks to the 
very wealthy!
  Democrats believe in responsibility.
  But the Republican plan spends down the bank account. It does not 
save for a rainy day. It is a poor investment in our future.
  The war on poverty, illiteracy, and disease.--There are hundreds of 
thousands of American citizens living without basic services that most 
Americans take for granted!
  We need to take immediate action to give them the opportunity to 
succeed. We should have the courage and commitment to provide adequate 
living conditions.
  No matter where they live, children must be given an equal 
opportunity to live healthy and safe lives. Seniors should have food, 
shelter, and medicine!
  We should remember the words of Cesar Chavez, ``Si se puede!'' There 
is hope to take care of our children and seniors!
  Conclusion.--We must look to the future. For our seniors and our 
young people. We must do the right thing.
  We must oppose H.R. 4577. It is bad for my district! It is bad for 
America!

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