Copyright 2000 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company
The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
December 16, 2000 Saturday
SECTION: NATIONAL; Pg. 8
LENGTH: 723 words
HEADLINE:
Congress passes budget to improve schools, health;
Money included for
decrepit buidings
BYLINE: By Bruce Alpert; Washington
bureau
BODY:
WASHINGTON -- Public school districts
for the first time will be able to get federal money to repair, renovate or
expand aging school buildings under a record $44.1 billion
education budget approved before Congress adjourned Friday night.
The
measure also provides $1.62 billion to continue a Clinton
administration initiative to reduce class sizes in grades 1-3 by hiring more
teachers, doubles financing to $850 million to keep schools
buildings open after school hours and during the summer, and provides
$1.3 billion to help districts comply with federal special
education requirements.
It is part of a $450 billion
final budget package for 2001 that finances education, health, Medicare and
other programs, completing the last of the contentious budget deals between the
Republican Congress and outgoing Democratic president. It was approved by the
House and Senate late Friday, and President Clinton promised to sign it into
law. "This is going to be a big help because we have some of the oldest schools
in America," said Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans.
New Orleans
Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Al Davis said the average age of the
city's schools is 62 years, compared with the national average of 50. He said
the city has a backlog of $1 billion in repairs, and
desperately needs federal financial help.
Better as district
decision?
Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-Chackbay, said he would have preferred
that the increased education financing be allocated as block grants, giving
school districts the option on how to allocate the money.
"Some
districts might want to repair and renovate schools, but other districts may
have already spent money to replace or repair schools and might want to spend
the money to buy books or in some cases buy high-tech equipment," Tauzin said.
The issues of how to help public schools is likely to be revisited soon.
The 107th Congress begins Jan. 3, followed 17 days later by the swearing in of
Republican President-elect George W. Bush, who has promised to make school
reform a top priority.
Empowering zones
Another measure
given final passage Friday that could have a big impact on New Orleans
designates nine new empowerment zones, and 40 "renewal communities." Chosen
communities would be eligible for tax breaks, including a zero capital gains
rate and a 15 percent wage credit to encourage businesses to locate in
economically depressed communities.
New Orleans failed to win an
empowerment zone designation in earlier versions of a similar program early on
during the Clinton administration.
Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie, the
only Louisiana member to vote against the budget bill, said he would have liked
to see smaller increases in federal spending. He also expressed regret that some
of the increases were being paid for with 2 percent across-the-board budget cuts
in programs that include the Department of Defense.
Health-care
betterment
The spending bill also includes a $35
billion boost for a host of new Medicare benefits, including
colon cancer checks, glaucoma screenings and Pap smears.
Medicare also will cover digital mammograms and provide extra
money to help patients pay for prosthetics. The bill also improves access to
dialysis treatments and allows Medicare coverage for Lou Gehrig's disease.
Health-care providers also won significant relief from Medicare payment
cuts made three years ago as part of the Balanced Budget Act. Nursing home
owners, including those in Louisiana, were among the most vocal critics of the
cuts, saying they went far deeper than Congress anticipated and caused a spade
of bankruptcies in the industry. Last year, Congress restored
$2.7 billion over three years to nursing home providers and the
recent deal restores $1.6 billion more over the next two years.
. . . . . . .
ROLL CALL
How members of the
Louisiana congressional delegation voted on a package including
$450 billion in spending for federal programs in fiscal year
2001. The package was approved 292-60.
YES: Cooksey, R-Monroe;
Jefferson, D-New Orleans; John, D-Crowley; McCrery, R-Shreveport; Tauzin,
R-Chackbay.
NO: Vitter, R-Metairie.
NOT VOTING:
Baker, R-Baton Rouge
................
Washington
bureau reporter Bill Walsh contributed to this story.
GRAPHIC: Rep. William Jefferson, "We have some of the
oldest schools in America" Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie, Only Louisiana member
to vote against the $450 billion budget package
LOAD-DATE: December 17, 2000 
