Vol. 1 No. 11 -- Week of May 1, 2000

House Passes Bill to Fully Fund Special Ed

Legislation to authorize full funding of special education passed the House this week. I am a cosponsor of the IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000 (H.R. 4055), which sets a schedule for fully funding the federal government’s commitment under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) by the year 2010. Specifically, the bill, which passed the House 421-3, would authorize increases of $2 billion a year to meet the federal commitment of 40% by the year 2010.

When Congress passed IDEA mandating special education, the federal government promised to pay for 40% of the cost of the program. Unfortunately, the current federal contribution is just 13%, up from just 6% when I entered Congress in 1995. We write 100% of the rules for special education here in Washington, but, sadly, we fund only 13%.

This year, the federal government will provide the state of New Hampshire with $21.7 million to help pay for special education. If the federal government met its obligation under IDEA, however, the state would receive a total of $68.8 million. Increasing the funding for special education addresses one of the largest unfunded federal mandates and frees up resources to address local priorities like buying computers, building new classrooms, or hiring more teachers.

New Millennium Classrooms Act Puts More Computers in Schools

I am working on legislation that would increase the numbers of computers donated to schools and libraries. The New Millennium Classrooms Act (H.R. 2308) is particularly focused on increasing computer donations to schools most in need. A 1997 study found that public schools have only one multi-media computer for every 24 students on average. The ratio is even greater in schools located in economically distressed areas. Many times the computers in the schools are too old for today’s software or to access the Internet at an acceptable speed.

The New Millennium Classrooms Act, which I cosponsored this week, would allow businesses and manufacturers to receive a tax credit equal to 30% of the retail value of donated computer equipment. In order to ensure that equipment is up-to-date, the bill limits the donation to computers three years of age or less. The bill will help overcome the digital divide by providing computer access to students from lower income families.

Increasing Americans Access to Cheaper Drugs from Other Countries

I am a cosponsor of legislation to help increase access in America to less expensive drugs from other countries. The Drug Import Fairness Act (H.R. 3240) is a good first step toward making drugs more affordable. The bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify certain responsibilities of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with respect to the importation of drugs into the United States.

There are a number of rules and regulations governing the importation of drugs. These rules are intended to ensure quality and safety in pharmaceutical products. There is concern, however, that the FDA is placing obstacles in the way of legal drug importation that exceed the intent of current law, thereby stifling imports of less expensive drugs to America.

The Drug Import Fairness Act would prevent the FDA from improperly stopping the importation of perfectly safe and less expensive drugs by requiring the agency to notify an importer of what is wrong with a package the agency seeks to block. This is a good first step to lowering drug prices. I will continue to examine what additional steps can be taken to bring price fairness across borders and otherwise reduce the burden increasing drug costs are placing on Americans.

Proposed Water Quality Rule Change is Cause for Concern

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to classify forestry activities as a “point source” of water pollution is cause for concern. The reclassification of forestry industry activities from a “nonpoint source” to a “point source” activity under the Clean Water Act may unnecessarily impost heavy-handed federal regulation on forestry activities.

A 1996 EPA report to Congress identified forestry activities as the smallest source of nonpoint source pollution, contributing approximately 3% to 9% of nonpoint source pollution to our nation’s waters. In fact, New Hampshire’s forest landowners have contributed considerable resources and effort to protection of water quality.

Although we all share the common goals of categorically improving the quality of our nation’s streams and rivers, we must not impose an excessive federal regulatory burden that could cripple the forest industry. Instead, I would encourage continued cooperation between the federal government and the states to provide the necessary incentives to landowners to maintain healthy forests.

Bill to Give All Workers Equal Access to Stock Options Passes House

The House voted unanimously this week to change a Depression-era law so that all employees can participate in stock option plans that corporate executives have enjoyed for decades. The Worker Economic Opportunity Act (S. 2323) amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FSLA) to give stock option plans equal status of other benefits, excluding any profits made from the exercise of stock options by hourly employees from regular pay. That would allow all employees to participate fairly in stock purchase plans offered by many companies, particularly in high-tech industry.

For decades corporate executives could take advantage of lucrative stock options while hourly workers were left behind because of an outdated labor law. With the President’s signature, the Worker Economic Opportunity Act will end that disparity and ensure that every employee has equal access to their company stock option plan. The bill unanimously passed the Senate in April.

Tax Freedom Day

On Wednesday, May 3, the average American finally earned enough money to pay their annual tax bills at the federal, state, and local levels. That means every penny most taxpayers earned from New Year’s Day to May 3rd will go to pay for government. The date is calculated by the Tax Foundation.

I have been working to relieve the American people of their heavy tax burden. I voted this year to end the marriage penalty and restore fairness to the 25 million American couples who are unfairly taxed each year. I am also committed to ending the death tax so families are not burdened while coping with loss. Americans should be free to work hard for themselves and their families, not the government.

As long as there is a real budget surplus, we should return some of the overpayment of taxes to working Americans in the form of tax cuts. The alternative is to leave the money in Washington where it will undoubtedly be spent on big government programs.