J. Cleland

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Will the chairman yield for another question?

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, the noise mitigation funding which this bill authorizes is very much needed--and appreciated--by communities located near our nation's airports. Over 10 years ago, Georgia's second busiest airport, Dekalb-Peachtree Airport, began a runway expansion program to accommodate its increased traffic. Six years ago, the FAA began providing funding to relocate the residential homes located in the Airport's Runway Protection Zone. Thanks to noise mitigation money, 108 homes have had the opportunity to relocate. Unfortunately, after a decade, 58 homes and 61 businesses are still in limbo, and still impacted by the noise from 225,000 flights a year. This community near Atlanta--and I am sure there are communities in similar straights in Arizona--has suffered for years, because the buy-out has gone on far too long. Don't you agree that in determining the need for noise money, the FAA should take into consideration the harmful, drawn-out impact on communities from long-standing projects which have awaited completion over a number of years?

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the chairman for his remarks, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Senator from Arizona and my colleague from Georgia to complete the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport buy-out. louisville airport

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, we are all hearing from our constituents about the hardships they have encountered from the unintended consequences of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997. From rural hospitals to home health care agencies, cuts in Medicare reimbursement have forced these health care providers to absorb tremendous debt and have threatened patients' access to care. Senator Daschle has proposed over 30 items that will provide immediate relief across the health care continuum. Among these provisions, the bill would redirect BBA surplus monies to provide a cap on hospital outpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS) loss, a delay on the proposed 15 percent cut to home health care reimbursement, a fix for the graduate medical education resident cap and the indigent care problem, the repeal of nursing home therapy caps, a technical correction to limit oscillations to Medicare physician reimbursement, a delay of risk adjustment for frail elderly/ Evercare. Senator Daschle is to be commended for developing this comprehensive BBA relief bill in an incredibly short period of time. My colleague has more than met the challenge of this urgent health care dilemma. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this critical remedial legislation for a BBA fix. I will support Senator Daschle with all my resources to pass a BBA fix this session.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I am coming to the floor today to introduce the Peanut Labeling Act of 1999. This bill will require country of origin labeling for all peanut and peanut products sold in the United States; specifically it will require that consumers be notified whether the peanuts are grown in the United States or in another country. The main purpose of this bill is to provide American consumers with information about where the peanuts they purchase are grown. This bill will allow consumers to make informed food choices and support American farmers. And, with the labeling requirement, should a health concern be raised about a specific country's products, such as the Mexican strawberry scare we witnessed a few year's back, consumers would have the information they need to make their own choices about the products they buy at the market. Family farmers in America are facing dire circumstances. Farmers' ability to grow and sell their products have been severely affected by bad weather conditions, poor market prices, and trade restrictions. This bill allows consumers to help American farmers in the best way that they can--with their food dollar. Consumers are provided with information about the country of origin of a wide range of products, including clothes, appliances and automobiles. It only seems appropriate and fair that consumers should receive the same information about agricultural products, specifically peanuts. In fact, because consumers purchase agricultural products, including peanuts, based on the quality and safety of these items for their families, it seems even more important to provide them with this basic information. By providing country of origin labels, consumers can determine if peanuts are from a country that has had pesticide or other problems which may be harmful to their health. This is true particularly during a period when food imports are increasing, and will continue to increase in the wake of new trade agreements such as the WTO and GATT. As I previously mentioned, recent outbreaks linked to strawberries in Mexico, and European beef related to ``mad cow disease'' have raised the public's awareness of imported foods and their potential health impacts. Consumers should not have to wait for the same thing to happen with peanuts before they have the information they need to make wise food choices. With the labeling requirement, should such an outbreak occur, consumers would have the information to not only avoid harmful products, but to continue to purchase unaffected ones. The growth of biotechnology in the food arena necessitates more information in the marketplace. Research is being conducted today on new peanut varieties. These research efforts include seeds that might deter peanut allergies, tolerate more drought, and be more resistant to disease. As various countries use differing technologies, consumers need to be made aware of the source of the product they are purchasing. GAO recently pointed out that FDA only inspected 1.7 percent of 2.7 million shipments of fruit, vegetables, seafood and processed foods under its jurisdiction. Inspections for peanuts can be assumed to be in this range or less. This lack of inspection does not provide consumers of these products with a great deal of assurance. Another purpose of this bill is to provide consumers with the ability to gain benefit from the investments of their hard earned taxes paid to the U.S. government. The federal government spends a large sum of money on peanut research infrastructure that is by far the most advanced in the world. This research not only increases the productivity of peanut growers, but provides growers with vital information about best management practices, including pesticide and water usage. It assists growers in their efforts to more effectively and efficiently grow a more superior and safer product for American consumers. Consumers should be able to receive a return on this investment by being able to purchase U.S. peanuts. Polls have shown that consumers in America want to know the origin of the products they buy. And, contrary to the arguments given by opponents of labeling measures that such requirements would drive prices up, consumers have indicated that they would be willing to pay extra for easy access to such information. I believe that this is a pro-consumer bill that will have wide support. I am also very pleased that peanut growers in America strongly support my proposal. I have endorsement letters for my bill from the Georgia Peanut Commission, the National Peanut Growers Group, the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, and the Florida Peanut Producers Association. In conclusion, as my colleagues know, we live in a global economy which creates an international marketplace for our food products. I strongly believe that by providing country of origin labeling for agricultural products, such as peanuts, we not only provide consumers with information they need to make informed choices about the quality of food being served to their family but we also allow American farmers to showcase the time and effort they put into producing the safest and finest food products in the world. I believe this bill represents these principles and I ask my colleagues for their support. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and letters of support be printed in the Record.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. I ask unanimous consent the resolution and the preamble be considered and agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table without intervening action, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. CLELAND. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 192 introduced earlier by myself and the distinguished senior Senator from Georgia, Mr. Coverdell.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, Henry David Thoreau once said ``If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.'' I rise before my colleagues today to reflect on the successes of one of our nation's great leaders and to pay tribute on the occasion of his 75th birthday, President Jimmy Carter. James Earl Carter, Jr. was born October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. Peanut farming, talk of politics, and devotion to the Baptist faith were mainstays of his upbringing. Upon graduation in 1946 from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, he married Rosalynn Smith. The Carters have three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), and a daughter, Amy Lynn. After seven years' service as a naval officer, Jimmy Carter returned to Plains. In 1962 he entered state politics, and eight years later he was elected Governor of Georgia. Among the new young southern governors, he attracted attention by emphasizing the environment, efficiency in government, and the removal of racial barriers. I was pleased to serve in the Georgia State Senate during his Governorship and to support his reform agenda. Jimmy Carter announced his candidacy for President in December 1974 and began a two-year campaign that quickly gained momentum. At the Democratic National Convention, he was nominated on the first ballot. He campaigned hard, debating President Ford three times, and won the Presidency in 1976 by 56 electoral votes. One of the greatest honors of my life was when President Carter chose me to lead the Veterans' Administration. In fact, I was President Carter's first scheduled appointment--it was not more than a couple hours after the inauguration when he asked me to be a part of his administration. It remains one of my proudest moments. As President Jimmy Carter worked hard to combat the continuing economic woes of inflation and unemployment by the end of his administration, he could claim an increase of nearly eight million jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit, measured as a percentage of the gross national product. He dealt with the energy shortage by establishing a national energy policy and by decontrolling domestic petroleum prices to stimulate production. He prompted Government efficiency through civil service reform and proceeded with deregulation of the trucking and airline industries. President Carter also sought to improve the environment in many ways. His expansion of the National Park System included protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan wilderness. To increase human and social services, he created the Department of Education, bolstered the Social Security system, and appointed record numbers of women, African- Americans, and Hispanics to jobs in the Federal Government. In foreign affairs, Jimmy Carter set his own style. His championing of human rights was coldly received by the Soviet Union and some other nations. In the Middle East, through the Camp David agreement of 1978, he helped bring amity between Egypt and Israel. He succeeded in obtaining ratification of the Panama Canal treaties. Building upon the work of predecessors, he established full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and completed negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. Remarkably fit and compulsively active, President Carter remains a leading figure on the world stage. After leaving the White House, Jimmy Carter returned to Georgia, where in 1982 he founded the nonprofit Carter Center in Atlanta to promote human rights worldwide. The Center has initiated projects in more than 65 countries to resolve conflicts, prevent human rights abuses, build democracy, improve health, and revitalize urban areas. His invaluable service through his work at the Carter Center has earned him a record that many regard as one of the finest among any American ex-President in history. Jimmy Carter's high-profile, high- stakes diplomatic missions produced a cease-fire in Bosnia and prevented a United States invasion of Haiti. He supervised elections in newly democratic countries and has aided in the release of political prisoners around the world. Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, still reside in Plains, Georgia and enjoy their ever-growing family which now includes 10 grandchildren. I ask my colleagues today to join with Mrs. Carter, Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy to honor President Carter on his 75th birthday.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I am coming to the floor today to introduce the Peanut Labeling Act of 1999. This bill will require country of origin labeling for all peanut and peanut products sold in the United States; specifically it will require that consumers be notified whether the peanuts are grown in the United States or in another country. The main purpose of this bill is to provide American consumers with information about where the peanuts they purchase are grown. This bill will allow consumers to make informed food choices and support American farmers. And, with the labeling requirement, should a health concern be raised about a specific country's products, such as the Mexican strawberry scare we witnessed a few year's back, consumers would have the information they need to make their own choices about the products they buy at the market. Family farmers in America are facing dire circumstances. Farmers' ability to grow and sell their products have been severely affected by bad weather conditions, poor market prices, and trade restrictions. This bill allows consumers to help American farmers in the best way that they can--with their food dollar. Consumers are provided with information about the country of origin of a wide range of products, including clothes, appliances and automobiles. It only seems appropriate and fair that consumers should receive the same information about agricultural products, specifically peanuts. In fact, because consumers purchase agricultural products, including peanuts, based on the quality and safety of these items for their families, it seems even more important to provide them with this basic information. By providing country of origin labels, consumers can determine if peanuts are from a country that has had pesticide or other problems which may be harmful to their health. This is true particularly during a period when food imports are increasing, and will continue to increase in the wake of new trade agreements such as the WTO and GATT. As I previously mentioned, recent outbreaks linked to strawberries in Mexico, and European beef related to ``mad cow disease'' have raised the public's awareness of imported foods and their potential health impacts. Consumers should not have to wait for the same thing to happen with peanuts before they have the information they need to make wise food choices. With the labeling requirement, should such an outbreak occur, consumers would have the information to not only avoid harmful products, but to continue to purchase unaffected ones. The growth of biotechnology in the food arena necessitates more information in the marketplace. Research is being conducted today on new peanut varieties. These research efforts include seeds that might deter peanut allergies, tolerate more drought, and be more resistant to disease. As various countries use differing technologies, consumers need to be made aware of the source of the product they are purchasing. GAO recently pointed out that FDA only inspected 1.7 percent of 2.7 million shipments of fruit, vegetables, seafood and processed foods under its jurisdiction. Inspections for peanuts can be assumed to be in this range or less. This lack of inspection does not provide consumers of these products with a great deal of assurance. Another purpose of this bill is to provide consumers with the ability to gain benefit from the investments of their hard earned taxes paid to the U.S. government. The federal government spends a large sum of money on peanut research infrastructure that is by far the most advanced in the world. This research not only increases the productivity of peanut growers, but provides growers with vital information about best management practices, including pesticide and water usage. It assists growers in their efforts to more effectively and efficiently grow a more superior and safer product for American consumers. Consumers should be able to receive a return on this investment by being able to purchase U.S. peanuts. Polls have shown that consumers in America want to know the origin of the products they buy. And, contrary to the arguments given by opponents of labeling measures that such requirements would drive prices up, consumers have indicated that they would be willing to pay extra for easy access to such information. I believe that this is a pro-consumer bill that will have wide support. I am also very pleased that peanut growers in America strongly support my proposal. I have endorsement letters for my bill from the Georgia Peanut Commission, the National Peanut Growers Group, the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, and the Florida Peanut Producers Association. In conclusion, as my colleagues know, we live in a global economy which creates an international marketplace for our food products. I strongly believe that by providing country of origin labeling for agricultural products, such as peanuts, we not only provide consumers with information they need to make informed choices about the quality of food being served to their family but we also allow American farmers to showcase the time and effort they put into producing the safest and finest food products in the world. I believe this bill represents these principles and I ask my colleagues for their support. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and letters of support be printed in the Record.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I want to thank the ranking member of the VA/HUD appropriations subcommittee for her diligence and dedication to the veterans of this country and for the hard work she and her staff have done this year. We are all aware of the sacrifices that our veterans have made to our Nation in times of war. Now, in time of peace we must not forget those sacrifices. Since 1980, I have been working to establish a new national cemetery in metropolitan Atlanta based on a documented need for such a facility.

Mr. CLELAND. I want to thank the Ranking Member for her comments and acknowledge her efforts to redeem the promises to our veterans.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I would like to discuss with the Ranking Member of the VA/HUD Appropriations Committee the documented need for funding of the Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center for funds to renovate and modernize patient wards. The Atlanta VA construction project was rated 5th on the Department of Veterans Affairs Fiscal Year 2000 Priority Medical Construction Project Report. This project was listed as 12th last year and with the increasing need was moved to the top 5 by the Office of Management and Budget. On September 8, 1999, I was pleased to support the Senate's passage of S. 1076, the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1999, which authorized $12.4 million for the renovation critical to caring for our veterans. The need for this project will not go away. I believe that this project should receive at least $2 million in initial design and planning for FY 2000 to pave the way for later full funding. Included in this start-up money would be asbestos testing that needs no further delays for environmental safety.

Mr. CLELAND. The Senator from Maryland is correct. Georgia currently has two cemeteries, the Andersonville National Historic Cemetery and the Marietta National Cemetery. Unfortunately, the Marietta cemetery has been full since 1970. As the senator knows legislation which I sponsored, S. 695, passed the Senate. This legislation would authorize the VA Secretary to establish national cemeteries in Atlanta, Georgia; southwestern Pennsylvania; Miami, Florida; Detroit, Michigan; and Sacramento, California.

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the Ranking Member and the Chairman for their leadership during these challenging times of budget constraints and the changing health care environment for caring for this Nation's veterans. Your support of the Atlanta VA Medical Center renovation is a visible reminder to our veterans that we do care and appreciate their sacrifices for this country. VA cemetery in atlanta

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I come before the Senate today to address an issue of critical importance for the people of my State of Georgia and the Nation. It is a matter of personal relevance to me. The issue is our treatment of our nation's veterans and particularly their health care. Upon returning from Vietnam after sustaining my injuries, I was introduced to the VA system, where I received quality care from a VA hospital. It was then that my awareness of veterans and veterans issues took hold. Since then, not only have I been a patient, but I also had the honor of serving as the Administrator of the Veterans Administration during the Carter Administration. This year has seen a welcome and overdue increase in attention to the plight of our nation's veterans. I salute the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Appropriations Committee and the VA/HUD Subcommittee for their successful efforts to increase funding in this bill for veterans health care, and I regret that the Senator from Minnesota's attempts to provide an even more adequate boost in such funding were not approved. I am particularly proud that earlier this year the Senate passed my legislation to establish new national cemeteries not only in Metro Atlanta, but also in Pennsylvania, Florida, California, and Michigan-- the areas with the greatest documented need for such facilities. While I understand the difficult budgetary constraints which confronted the VA/HUD Subcommittee, I believe it is unfortunate that no funding or report language consistent with the authorizing legislation for new national cemeteries has been included. I have an amendment which would seek to correct this shortcoming, at least with respect to the Metro Atlanta cemetery. I also introduced the Federal Civilian and Uniformed Services Long- Term Care Insurance Act of 1999. This legislation would provide the opportunity for Federal employees, as well as current and retired members of the uniformed services, to obtain long-term care insurance to assist them with nursing home or other long-term care. Working closely with the distinguished Ranking Member of the VA/HUD Subcommittee as well as a number of other Senators from both sides of the aisle, we are close to having a consensus bill which I hope will receive favorable Senate action in this Congress. This year has also seen the passage of H.R. 1568, the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act. Included in the bill is language from S. 918, the Military Reservists Small Business Relief Act, which I co-sponsored. The bill provides financial and technical assistance to veteran-owned small businesses through the Small Business Administration (SBA). It also offers assistance to businesses owned by reservists during and following times of military conflict. America's reservists and veterans supported our nation, and it is now time for our nation to demonstrate its commitment to them and their small businesses. We are here today, Mr. President, to debate and approve the VA/HUD appropriations budget for fiscal year 2000. It is with a renewed sense of hope that I will support this legislation, which will represent the first real increase for veterans programs after a five year flat-lined budget. The House has already supported the $1.7 billion increase for the VA, and with the Senate's earlier action on this bill, we are now in agreement with the House position. The VA estimates that there are 25.6 million veterans in America. Our nation is proud to count within its population 3,400 World War I veterans, 5,940,000 World War II veterans, 4,064,000 Korean War veterans, 8,113,000 Vietnam War veterans, and 2,223,000 Gulf War veterans. My home state of Georgia has a veterans population of 667,128. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities have grown over the years from 50 hospitals in 1930 to today's 171 medical centers, 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics and 126 nursing home care units. The Department of Veterans Affairs has undergone many changes in recent years. I appreciate the general direction in which this agency is moving to answer the challenges of the new millennium. Unfortunately, these changes, exacerbated by under funding, have too frequently disrupted the service systems for our veterans. The VA has found cost savings and efficiencies in outpatient care, a departure from the long-term hospital care of the past. This shift allows the VA to reach beyond the normal geographic locations through Telemedicine and Telepharmacy to Medicare subvention. I support these proposals to move the VA beyond the large hospitals to more rural and small markets to provide access to all veterans. Despite these new directions, there is still more to be done. As I stated, this is the first significant increase in the VA budget in five years. The department is seeing a rise in veterans seeking treatment because of the recently enacted VA enrollment plan and the aging of our veterans population. The VA estimates an increase in total patients to 3.6 million in 2000, up from 2.7 million in 1997. However, with this growing patient load, the VA is currently estimating a reduction in VA employment of up to 8,000 employees in the medical system alone. This fact was recently brought home to me by announcements of serious potential reductions in force at the VA in Augusta if the VA budget is not boosted. As President Coolidge was quoted as saying, ``The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.'' Simply put, our veterans community--who won the two great World Wars of this Century, vanquished Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevich, and served honorably and well in Korea and Vietnam--needs our support. Our former service members should not only be the first in our hearts, but the first in our priorities when it comes to keeping the promises of the nation. They kept their commitment to us, let us fulfill our promise to them. I yield the floor.

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the distinguished Ranking Member. tubman museum

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the distinguished ranking Member. The Tubman African American Museum, located in Macon was founded in 1981. The Museum is dedicated to educating people about all aspects of African American art, history, and culture. In addition to its permanent and visiting art exhibits, the museum hosts concerts, plays, celebrity storytelling and frequent lectures by well-known authors. The benefits from these programs and others is not only to enhance the cultural opportunities for local residents, but also to showcase the significance of the social, cultural, and historical influence of African American culture on our society. I strongly support the Tubman African American Museum and believe that it strongly contributes to the education and understanding of both local citizens and visitors to the Macon area. This museum also has the strong support of the local community in Macon as well as prominent leaders in Georgia, including former Governor Zell Miller, Senator Sam Nunn, Macon's Mayor Jack Ellis and Macon's former Mayor Jim Marshall. The amendment that I have filed before the Senate would provide $2 million for the purposes of relocating and expanding the Tubman African American Museum. The proposed new facility is estimated to cost $15 million. The City of Macon and Bibb County have proven their commitment and support for this project by already providing $775,000 for the project's feasibility study and to purchase property in downtown Macon, the selected site for this project. Senator Mikulski, I recognize the budget constraints that you and Senator Bond are facing in trying to consider many valuable projects that deserve funding. With this recognition, I will be glad to withdraw my amendment. I simply ask that should additional funding become available during conference with the House, I would greatly appreciate this project be given strong consideration for funding.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today in hopes of engaging the Ranking Member, Senator Mikulski, in a discussion about a project of great importance to me and the citizens of Macon, Georgia, specifically the Tubman African American Museum.

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the distinguished Chair and Ranking member for their time and assistance in this matter. the swift plant

Mr. CLELAND. The Senator is correct. The building with its major friable asbestos is not only located right along this major highway, but the exposure to this migratory hazard has been further exacerbated by the partial destruction of this building. As I mentioned earlier, the Swift Building is located in a severely economically depressed area, so without federal assistance the health and economic consequences it presents will remain unaddressed. As you know, the Administration has stated its strong opposition to the exclusion of funding for the Redevelopment of Abandoned Building Program. The purpose of this new program is to address the blight caused by abandoned apartment buildings, single family homes, warehouses, office buildings and commercial centers. I believe that the Swift Building provides an ideal example of the type of project well suited for this program. Although I was greatly disappointed that I was unable to have my amendment accepted to obtain this critical funding, I will be glad to withdraw my amendment if I can get the assurances of the Chairman and Ranking Member that if funding is provided for the Redevelopment of Abandoned Buildings during conference with the House, this project will be given high priority.

Mr. CLELAND. I thank my distinguished colleagues. The Swift Building is located in Moultrie, Georgia, an area that faces a poverty rate well above the national average. I was horrified to see the current state of this building. the building is not only completely dilapidated and partially torn down, but also contains major friable asbestos contamination as well as traces of cadmium and celenium--all of which present serious health risks to the residents of the surrounding community. Senator Mikulski, you were kind enough to take the time to review this project with me. Would you agree that the Swift Building presents this community with a serious problem--one that needs and deserves immediate attention.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today in hopes of engaging the Chairman, Senator Bond, and Ranking Member, Senator Mikulski in a colloquy regarding a project of extreme concern and importance to me, specifically the Swift Building in Moultrie, Georgia.

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the ranking member for including such language endorsing the construction of a new national veterans cemetery in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. Again, I appreciate the help of the Senator from Maryland and the subcommittee on this issue, which is so vital to the veterans of Georgia. minnesota projects

Mr. CLELAND. Is it the understanding of the ranking member, that should funds be available in FY2000 to begin planning for a new round of national cemeteries that the authorized national cemetery in Atlanta will be included in the FY2000 budget?

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, it has been marvelous to listen to the eloquence of the distinguished Senator on the high-tech environment of Duck Hill, MS. It reminds me of my own educational background in Lithonia, GA, at little Lithonia Elementary School there. I worshiped my second- and third- and fourth-grade, fifth-grade teachers, too. But by no means do I want to go back to those days in 1953 and 1954. This is 1999. We are fixing to go into a new millennium and a new century. I am afraid this country is about to go into this new century, with great opportunity ahead of it, with minimal opportunity for our citizens to take advantage of it. Bill Gates, who has become preeminent as a thinker and an innovator, and certainly one who is interested in the cause of education, has put it clearly. He said: It is clear that our ability to continue benefiting from technology will largely depend on how well we educate the next generation to take advantage of this new era. I don't think anyone really questions the wisdom of Mr. Gates. The challenge, of course, is to live up to that challenge Mr. Gates has put before us. He not only talks the talk; he walks the walk. Last week, Bill Gates pledged to spend $1 billion to provide college scholarships to thousands of deserving but financially needy students across the country. This gift is the largest individual contribution to education in history. We can learn something from the leadership our business leaders around America are now showing. I think the Senate leadership can learn something. We are only 4 months away from the year 2000. We must not forget the future of this country is in very small hands. Yet despite all the rhetoric, the great speeches, and the fact that three out of four Americans in the latest Washington Post/ABC poll put improving education No. 1 on the national agenda, what we see here in the agenda of the Senate is a desire to raid the education pot to pay for other programs higher up on someone else's national agenda. How do I say that? If the words of our distinguished majority leader are true and the tremendous commitment he has shown on the floor today is actually true, then I wonder why the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education of the Committee on Appropriations of this great Senate has reduced the money for education by 17 percent over last year's levels. If all this rhetoric is really true, why are we, in the background, in some subcommittee on appropriations, cutting 17 percent out of education funding from last year? I agree with the words of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, the great British Prime Minister of the last century, when he said for his countrymen in that century words that ring true for us as we go into a new century. He said: Upon the education of the people of this country, the fate of this country depends. If I had to sum up our challenge as a Nation--and I am on the Armed Services Committee, and I know we are challenged in our military defense of this great Nation--I would say to you, without an educated workforce, without an educated defense force, we cannot compete in the world, either economically or in terms of our own defense. The sad part about it is, every day in America almost 2,800 high school students drop out. The United States, once the leader in high school graduation among industrialized nations, now trails 22 nations and leads only 1, Mexico. This is not acceptable. This will not get us where we want to go in the next century. Each school year, more than 45,000 underprepared teachers, teachers who have not even been trained in the subjects they are teaching, enter the classroom. Who here among us believes this to be acceptable? I don't. Most fourth graders cannot read and understand a simple children's book, and most eighth graders can't use arithmetic to solve a practical problem--that according to a recent survey in Education Week. Who would argue in this body we have to do better? Last year, there were 4,000 reports of rape and sexual battery in America's public schools. We have had an outbreak of violence in the schools. Remember Littleton, Jonesboro, Conyers? School shootings were unheard of in this Nation 20 years ago. Who here would not do everything in their power to restore safety and sanity to America's schools? The truth is, Democrats and Republicans alike have to raise this to the top of our agenda. It is time to put education first and put first things first. We have to be willing to invest in the Nation's future, improve the recruitment and retention of professional teachers. We have to improve our test scores, although that is not, in my opinion, the single-most important goal of our public educational system. The most important goal is to teach kids to think. I remember a story about Bill Gates. Out in Seattle, his mother went out in the garage where Bill was and said, ``Son, what are you doing?'' He said, ``Mother, I'm thinking.'' That is the goal of our public educational system. The Public Schools Excellence Act recognizes America's ability to attract and retain qualified teachers is key to quality education. S. 7, of which I am a cosponsor, would provide local school districts with the help and support they need to recruit excellent teacher candidates. I agree, the States are the leaders in educational improvement. They have to be. I was a State official, with 4 years in the State senate and 12 years as secretary of state. I spent more time as a State official than I have as a Federal official. But it is obvious, a lot of our school systems in our States can't get to where we need them to be without some Federal help. Who would deny that? We need 100,000 new, trained, qualified teachers in this country. One reason is to reduce class size in grades 1 through 3. Every index I have seen of student performance--and part of the key to student excellence and achievement is the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio, particularly in grades 1 through 3. No matter how you cut it, a teacher with 10 or 15 students in the class, regardless of where those teachers and students are--what State, what district, what county--they learn more and do better than a teacher who has 30 or 35 kids in the class. We have another problem: 14 million children in the U.S.A. attend schools in need of extensive repair or replacement. I come from a State that is fast-growing, and it is hard to build enough classrooms, particularly in Metropolitan Atlanta. If you look around my State, a recent survey pointed out that in Georgia some 62 percent of our classroom buildings need repair. We have had legislation on the floor of the Senate to deal with this. We have not dealt with it. There is another issue. Every day, 5 million children have to care for themselves in the hours before and after school. When I was growing up, in my hometown of Lithonia, when I came home--and my mother and father were working--my grandmother was there. I was not a latchkey kid. The truth is, in that key time period from 3 o'clock to 8 o'clock at night, half of all the violent juvenile crime in this country takes place. This is a key period for our youngsters in America. Why can't we help out? Today, only a virtual handful of children participate in good afterschool care. Let's not cut educational funding from what it was last year by 17 percent. Let's not let this subcommittee, behind our backs, cut the feet out from under us as we make great speeches on the floor of how many of us support education. Let us actually take a lesson from Bill Gates: Let us help our communities reduce juvenile crime by investing our dollars in afterschool care. That is one of the challenges before us and one of the programs that was cut by the subcommittee. Let me say also that I think we ought to take the words of Benjamin Disraeli to heart as we enter this debate next week, as it is a truism: ``An investment in education is an investment in the future of America.'' I yield the floor. Mr. ROTH addressed the Chair.