Ralph Regula

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I think the bill has been pretty sensitive to research; but I believe what the gentleman is addressing is the providing of dental care, and that really would, I think, be a Ways and Means jurisdiction more so than our committee.

Mr. REGULA. If the gentleman will continue to yield, I understand the problem. I dealt with the Bureau of Indian Affairs for many years, and they have probably as much in the way of dental problems as any group in our society. So I am sympathetic to it. However, it is a matter of where we get the resources to do that.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the full committee. Again I want to emphasize how much help he and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) in his role as ranking on the full committee have provided to us to make this bill the success that I think it is.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), one of the pride and joys of Ohio, our chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, who has done an outstanding job of providing reforms that will make sure that no child is left behind.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my point of order.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the amendment.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I want to thank the Members of the Subcommittee and of the Full Committee for their help in getting this bill to the floor. I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for working with us on a bipartisan basis. This is a far-reaching bill that touches the lives of every American, and I think we have had a spirit of bipartisanship in both the subcommittee and the full committee, with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) in their roles as chairman and ranking minority members of the full committee. I also want to thank the staff of both committees. They have worked closely together to ensure that we have a good bill that does the greatest amount of good for the American people. And I want to say a special thanks to the associate staff of the members of our subcommittee. They have been very helpful in letting us know and letting the staff of our committee know what was important to their members, so that we have tried to incorporate in this bill things that are very positive in every way. I have said early on that the Bible says there are two great commandments, the first is to love your Lord and the second is to love your neighbor. This committee is the ``love your neighbor committee,'' because there is not a life in America that is not touched by what we do. We could spend a lot of time, but we do not have a lot of time, so I do want to highlight some of the important things in this bill that are very essential, very important to the American people. The fiscal year 2002 Labor, Health and Human Services appropriation bill totals $123.371 billion. And I might say here that Chairman Young and Ranking Member Obey worked closely with OMB in arriving at the number we needed to do this bill in the best possible fashion. Also I want to say at the outset it is my understanding that the Office of Management and Budget will have a letter to us supporting what is in this bill, That is, the Administration. It is the result of 2 months of subcommittee hearings in which we heard testimony from three Cabinet Secretaries, numerous agency heads, as well as 180 public witnesses. The bill provide $14 billion for the Department of Labor, which includes a $75 million increase for the very popular Job Corp program, $53 million for discretionary programs at the Department of Health and Human Services, including $393 million for bioterrorism protections. And I might mention at this point that we added $100 million over what we had originally planned on as a result of the events just 30 days ago. So we have a very substantial sum to give the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta to respond to bioterrorism concerns. We have an increase of $22.8 million for biomedical research activities at the National Institutes of Health. And, finally, the bill provides increases for the Department of Education, totaling $4.7 billion above the President's request, and I might say it is in conformance with H.R. 1, which passed this House by a very sizable majority. Mr. Chairman, many in this Chamber as well as the general public have been awaiting the movement of this bill over the past months. The primary reason for its delay over the summer has been our interest in seeing the Committee on Education and the Workforce complete their work in authorizing comprehensive reform for our elementary and secondary education program, the President's number one domestic priority. Although the conference on this legislation is not yet complete, we have taken the format of the House passed version of H.R. 1 in crafting this bill. As many of you are aware, the bill received an increase in its allocation to address the priorities of education reform $4.2 billion of the $4.7 billion increase in the original allocation is devoted to three areas of education funding: Title I funding for the disadvantaged, Special Education and Pell Grants. And I am pleased that we could increase Pell Grants because this helps those students who do not have the necessary resources to get an opportunity to get education beyond high school. Education programs for the disadvantaged based upon H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act, are funded at $10.5 billion. While this funding level is a significant increase over last year, I want to highlight a major difference in the program over previous years. Under this bill and its underlying authorization, schools are now being held accountable to children and their parents for achieving success in reading and math. Gone are the days when Federal dollars flow to States and local education and counties with no accountability. The disadvantaged children of this country will no longer be permitted to be pushed along from grade to grade with little hope for their futures. As a former teacher and principal myself, I recognize the vital role of a good teacher in ensuring the success of a student. I appreciate the work of the authorizers in recognizing this as well in title II of H.R. 1. We have provided $3.175 billion in this bill for teacher quality programs. These programs include both training for teachers just entering the field and continuing education for those already teaching. In addition, we have provided $50 million for the Transition to Teaching/Troops to Teachers Program. I would especially highlight the Troops to Teachers Program, to which our First Lady Laura Bush is devoting a great deal of her time. This program will assist retiring members of our military by facilitating the necessary steps for teacher certification, enabling them to move into the field of teaching for their second careers. They bring to this field a vast amount of experience, both in working with people as well as experience and in many locations around the world. Our dedicated service men and women often have extensive knowledge and expertise in science and math, the very subjects that so many of our children are struggling with in the school experience. Further, these military personnel have attained a level of maturity and organization that would be of great benefit to our schools today. I personally am very enthused about this program and its potential for our Nation's leaders, and I am grateful to our First Lady for her leadership in attempting to make it a success. Next, we know how important the early years of learning are to promoting reading readiness. To assist our Nation's youngest children in obtaining these vital tools for reading, we are funding two new programs in the President's budget request, Reading First State Grants and Early Reading First. These programs are intended to enable children to derive the necessary tools for success in reading, including phonemic awareness, alphabetic knowledge and vocabulary. I know from my own experience as an elementary principal that you have to read before you can go into science, math and the other disciplines. Reading becomes fundamental. Consistent with H.R. 1, our bill eliminates 35 programs in the Department of Education, consolidating and streamlining them and granting maximum flexibility to States and local education agencies to use funds to best meet the needs of their students. Again, we will put the money where it helps children and not so much in administrative costs. Many Members have expressed their concerns about the level of Federal funding for Special Education. The fiscal year 2002 bill provides $7.7 billion for grants to the States for Special Education. This level is the highest ever for Special Education. As I mentioned earlier, the House and Senate education committees have not yet completed their conference on H.R. 1 and the issue of how special education is funded in the future has been an issue for the conference. The Senate version of the bill included a provision to take funding for special ed out of discretionary spending and instead provide for it through mandatory spending. I want to emphasize that the proposal is the wrong way to approach this type of funding. We need to have oversight to make sure these programs are reaching the students that we want, and that the money is used wisely and carefully. We are aware of numerous problems with the program, and only when the funding remains on budget is it accountable to the people through annual review of the Congress through the appropriations process. Mr. Chairman, I commend the Secretary of Education for his announcement this past week of a special commission to examine the special education program and make recommendations for improving it. It is through this process that we can improve the program and more effectively fund the many needs of our Nation's children in need of special education services. Finally, we all recognize the importance of higher education in meeting the needs of our 21st century global economy. Higher education expenses continue to increase at a higher level than inflation, presenting a major barrier for low-income students. I am pleased to report that the bill includes an increase in funding for the Pell Grant programs which would bring the maximum grant level to $4,000, the highest in history. The tragic events of September 11 have changed the lives of us all. While we are now focusing on terrorism around the world, we must make every effort to protect our citizens at home. Through several accounts within the Department of Health and Human Services, we are working to prepare our public health agencies to respond to bioterrorism threats. We have provided a total of $393 million to address these needs. Here at home the health and well-being of our citizens, not just in the area of bioterrorism, but otherwise, must remain a priority for us all. The bill provides an increase of $22.8 million for biomedical research activities at the National Institutes of Health. This increase is the same programmatic increase requested by the President. During the course of our public witness hearings over 7 full days, a majority of our witnesses testified about diseases afflicting either themselves or a loved one. They appeared before our subcommittee seeking hope, hope for successful treatment and cures for these diseases. Our members have been touched by this testimony, and we are committed to providing funding so that the best and brightest researchers in our Nation, and I might say the most dedicated, may work to achieve the hope of so many of our citizens. Whether it is hope for my young constituent in North Canton, Ohio, who suffers from juvenile diabetes, or an older constituent in my district who in his middle years has received the devastating diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, funds for research are the hope we can provide. The countless scientific breakthroughs and studies we have already funded have given us a great deal of knowledge in how to prevent disease and illness. It is incumbent upon us to share this knowledge to improve the health of the Nation. Through the good work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are getting the messages of prevention out. In total, the bill provides $4 billion directly to the Centers for Disease Control. Its work includes efforts to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke by promoting healthy lifestyles. Through the work of CDC's epidemic officers, we can bring important assistance and assurances to communities when disease outbreaks occur, as they did in my district this past spring. Students at a high school in my district contracted meningitis, a severe illness with potentially life-threatening consequences. The Centers for Disease Control, together with the Department of Health, worked to bring the outbreak under control and prevent its spread. The presence of CDC brought a sense of security to the community. Our Nation's community health centers, funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration, represent an important health care option for the underserved. A funding priority for the President, we are providing $1.3 billion for these centers, which is an increase of $150 million over last year's bill and $26 million over the President's request. These take the place in many areas of emergency rooms and provide a much better source of health care on an easy-to- get-to basis. This bill supports our country's comprehensive effort to aggressively combat HIV/AIDS, an epidemic claiming 40,000 new victims each year. It provides $112 million for the Ryan White AIDS programs, which enable individuals to access needed medical care and support services. The bill provides $844 million for programs at the CDC which fund research, surveillance, as well as State and local efforts to prevent the spread of this disease. It continues to support the groundbreaking research funded by NIH that could lead to improved treatments and, hopefully, a cure one day. Through all these programs, this bill continues to support the Minority AIDS Initiative, which seeks to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS among racial and ethnic minorities. We have included a total of $40 million for abstinence only education programs. This amount is $10 million over the President's budget request and $20 million over last year. The training of pediatricians and pediatric specialists is an important priority. I am pleased to report that the bill funds Children's Graduate Medical Education at the full authorization level of $285 million. Following the President's lead, this bill commits substantial resources to deal with our Nation's substance abuse program. It provides over $2 billion, an increase of $121 million from the previous fiscal year. Some of these funds will support the development of new prevention and treatment models and improve the delivery of services to the homeless population. Over $1.7 billion will be allocated for State substance abuse block grants, which support alcohol and drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services. The bill represents security in so many ways for so many people, including funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program at $2 billion, the highest level ever. In addressing the President's Faith-Based Initiative, I am pleased to report that we have funded two programs in the budget request: The Safe and Stable Families Program at $70 million and the Compassion Capital Fund at $30 million for a total of $100 million. The bill funds the Head Start Program at $6.4 billion, allowing for a continuation of the same level of services. It is a $276 million increase, and we are urging through report language that Head Start put more emphasis on education programs in their areas. This bill supports a number of efforts to improve the health and quality of life of older Americans. It provides a $10 million increase for programs designed to enhance the training of health professionals in geriatrics, so they can better understand and respond to the health needs of our aging population, and a number of other things that are important to seniors, foster grandparents and so on. The Department of Labor will receive a total of $14 billion in this bill to address growing needs in Workforce Investment Act job training as a result of our slowing economy. We provide $105 million over fiscal year 2001. One compelling public witness who appeared before our committee addressed funding for Job Corps. This gentleman, now an employee of Roto Rooter in Cincinnati, told us of how his training at a Job Corps center and the job he now holds as a result has changed his life. He now has hope for his future when before he had none. I think we forget when we do these bills how they really touch the lives of people, and he was such a classic example of how important this program was to his future and what a great difference it has made. Independent agencies. We gave the Social Security Administration additional funds so that when people need help in understanding their Social Security situation, there will be enough staff to take care of them. We worked with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, again an important agency for the people of America. Libraries in communities across this Nation are windows of opportunity for so many young and elderly people alike. The bill before you is a balanced, bipartisan bill. Through the numerous programs I have just described and the many I have not had time to mention, the bill provides security and hope for our citizens in greatest need. I say to my colleagues, I ask for your support of passage of this bill. It is a good bill. It is a fair bill. It tries in a balanced way to address the multiplicity of needs, and it does show that we are a good neighbor, that this Nation cares about the quality of life for all its citizens. 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Mr. REGULA. I thank the gentlewoman for her comments and assure her that I will work in conference to increase funding for the elementary school counseling program.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood), a member of the subcommittee who is very constructive in his work and offers many useful suggestions.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order, because we have not seen the amendment as yet.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly rise in opposition to this amendment. The committee understands the concerns raised by the amendment, but now is not the time to proceed with this amendment. I understand that this executive order is under review by the administration. Furthermore, the committee report accompanying the bill recommends that both Secretary Chao at the Department of Labor and Secretary Thompson at the Department of Health and Human Services, quote, ``carefully review the guidance and revisit its implications, impacts and consequences both practically and fiscally.'' I think we should give the administration time to address this in the regular order and not adopt the amendment of the gentleman to shut off funds. I might add that the administration will be able to address it with a subsequent executive order once they have had time to review it. I think out of courtesy we owe the administration time to review the implications of this order. Therefore, I think the amendment would be premature and should be rejected.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the remainder of the bill through title V be considered as read, printed in the Record and open to amendment at any point.

Mr. REGULA. We have no further speakers on this side.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentlewoman would continue to yield, we are aware of that; and will work with the gentlewoman.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, strike my original unanimous consent request. I ask unanimous consent that further debate on the pending amendment offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook) and any amendments thereto be limited to 20 minutes, to be equally divided and controlled by the proponent and myself, the opponent.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, we have recognized the problem; and we have increased those programs, as the gentlewoman has probably noticed. It has been a difficult issue to balance out all of the demands that confront us in this bill. We have tried to be fair in beefing up that program.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield my 10 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I agree that this is a concern. I had a conversation with the sponsor of the amendment, and I understand the need for this funding. We have a tough time balancing off all the different problems that afflict us in terms of disease and research. I do want to talk to the NIH folks and see if we could get a little more urgency on the part of NIH in doing research. Of course, we will also, in the conference, see if we cannot get some additional funding for this program.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that further debate on the pending amendment offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook), and any amendments thereto, be limited to 20 minutes, to be equally divided and controlled by the proponent and myself, the opponent.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I think the gentlewoman is addressing what is a serious problem. This is just one of the many fall-outs of September 11. There will be more yet to come, and I think we need to be sensitive to it. Probably as time flows along, the problems that the gentlewoman is discussing will become even more evident. It is an authorizing problem, as the gentlewoman realizes, and I am sure that the gentlewoman's amendment will be before the authorizing committee for a hearing. But we are well aware of it. Any portion that we deal with here, we have tried to put adequate funding in.