SRES 187 PCS

To express the sense of the Senate regarding education funding.

September 24, 1999

Mr. DASCHLE (for himself, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. HARKIN, and Mrs. MURRAY) submitted the following resolution; which was ordered to be placed on the calendar

To express the sense of the Senate regarding education funding.

Whereas the American people know that a strong public education system is vital to our Nation's future and they overwhelmingly 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;

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.

Calendar No. 286

To express the sense of the Senate regarding education funding.

September 24, 1999

END