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This document presents the transcript of Congressional hearings held before the Committee on Labor and Human Resources on the scope and implications of illiteracy in the United States and on school and adult programs addressing literacy. After opening statements of the Hon. James M. Jeffords and the Hon. Christopher J. Dodd, the transcript for the hearing on the implications of illiteracy includes the texts of oral statements and prepared statements by the following individuals or organizations: Enrique Ramirez, Andy Hartman, Jean DeVard-Kemp, John P. Comings, and Richard C. Wade. Contains additional articles, "Understanding Health Literacy: New Estimates of the Costs of Inadequate Health Literacy" by Robert B. Friedland and Greg O'Neill, and a letter of Robert B. Friedland to the Hon. James M. Jeffords including a summary of research presented in the aforementioned article. (EF)

These hearing transcripts present testimony before the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the 105th Congress on early childhood education and related services. Participants provided different perspectives on early education, focusing on the academic achievement of American students, especially in comparison to students in other countries; the importance of early childhood longitudinal studies; the role of child care centers; and improving early childhood educators' qualifications. Speakers included Senators James Jeffords (Vermont), Tim Hutchinson (Arkansas), Susan Collins (Maine), and Jack Reed (Rhode Island). Providing expert testimony were the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics and the executive director of the Child Care Action Campaign. Witnesses indicated that basic measures from the National Household Education Survey document tremendous variation in the skills children bring to kindergarten. Studies of child care in the United States report that the vast majority of centers provide poor to mediocre care. One participant compared U.S. child care programs to early education programs in France, noting differences in caregiver qualifications and compensation, as well as other programmatic differences. This witness also recommended accelerating the move toward universal prekindergarten programming and increasing accreditation efforts. A report on data needs for early childhood development and learning readiness is appended. (KB)

The Committee on Labor and Human Resources examined the need for more qualified teachers in America's classrooms. Senators Bingaman and Jeffords made opening statements regarding the importance of the issue, then Margot Schenet, a specialist in social legislation with the Congressional Research Service, discussed the need for program quality in postsecondary schools and the role of the federal government. Her statement addressed institutional eligibility for student aid under the Higher Education Act. Statements from Kati Haycock, Director of the Education Trust; Terry Hartle, Senior Vice President of the American Council on Education; Arthur Wise, President of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education; and Donald Warren, Dean, School of Education, Indiana University followed. They addressed the importance of teacher quality and competency in providing optimal education to diverse students. An opening statement by Senator DeWine discussed the crisis in teacher education in the U.S., examining NCATE accreditation. Statements from Thomas Payzant, Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, and Nancy Grasmick, State Superintendent of the Maryland State Department of Education, follow. Payzant discussed the type of training teachers need to succeed in Boston's public schools. Grasmick discussed teacher education initiatives and reforms in Maryland. Prepared statements by Senators Bill Frist and Edward Kennedy supported the statements of the previous speakers. A prepared statement of the National Education Association made recommendations for achieving the goal of improved educational quality. (SM)

These hearings transcripts present testimony before a U.S. Senate Committee on the implementation and success of the Safe Kids campaign after 10 years. Statements at the hearing were provided by: Dr. C. Everett Koop, chairman of the National Safe Kids Campaign; Heather Paul, executive director of the National Safe Kids Campaign in Washington, DC; Cullen Dwyer and Mikaela Matten, Child Safety Stars; Senator Patty Murray (Washington State); Greg LeMond, a champion bicyclist; Ralph S. Larsen, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson; Robert Lange, director of auto safety, General Motors Corporation; Ann Brown, the chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; Dr. Ricardo Martinez, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and Mark L. Rosenberg the director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (EV)

The U.S. Senate conducted a hearing consisting of two panels: the first panel discussed overcoming reading difficulties with a primary focus on children and the second panel focused on reading and literacy outreach activities that are ongoing in the U.S. After opening statements of the Hon. James M. Jeffords, the Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, and the Hon. Jack Reed, the transcript includes the texts of oral statements and prepared statements by the following individuals: Blanche Podhajski, Stern Center for Language and Learning; Catherine E. Snow, Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children (National Research Council); Reid Lyon, Child Development and Behavior Branch (National Institutes of Health); Perri Klass, Vermont State Colleges; Charles I. Bunting, Department of Pediatrics (Boston Medical Center); Dawnna Lanctot (students) Community College of Vermont; Peggy A. Minnis, D.C. Head Start Toyota Family Literacy Program; Noel C.R. Gunther, WETA Learning Project; and Janet Arnowitz (teacher) Fairfax County Public Schools. An appendix contains a letter to Senator Jeffords from Gwen O'Donnell Graham and a series of articles from the Hartford Courant, by Robert A. Frahm and Rick Green. (RS)

This is a transcript from a Joint Hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce that addresses the U.S. Department of Education's development of regulations necessary to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997. It includes opening statements from Senator James Jeffords (R-VT), Representative William Goodling (R-PA), Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Senator Dan Coats (R-IN), Representative Matthew Martinez (D-CA), and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). Prepared statements are included from Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Representative Frank Riggs (R-CA), and Representative Charlie Norwood (R-GA). Presentations are then provided from Judith Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Martha Feland, the President of Cabot School Board in Arkansas, Frank Clark, a school district attorney from Hershey Pennsylvania, Brian McNulty, Colorado Assistant Commissioner of Education, and Patricia McGill Smith, from the National Parent Network on Disabilities. Questions from the members of Congress and answers from the panelists are included. Among issues addressed in the testimony are discipline, suspensions of students with disabilities, funding of IDEA, and alternative placements. (CR)

Charter schools are public schools that are established through state law and are often released from traditional regulations that apply to public schools in return for an accountability system that emphasizes student outcomes. This hearing focused on how Federal education funds are distributed to charter schools; the academic and administrative operations of charter schools; the impact of a charter-school environment on special-needs students; and the impact of charter schools on the public school system. The hearing includes the statements of Representative Tim Roemer; Senator Joseph Lieberman; Cornelia Blanchette, associate director of education and employment issues, Health, Education, and Human Services Division of the General Accounting Office; Lisa Keegan, state superintendent of Public Instruction, Arizona; Senator Christopher Dodd; Joan Heffernan, director of the Integrated Day Charter School; Raymond Jackson, president and chief executive officer of ATOP Academy; Tim Sindelar, an attorney for the Disability Law Center; and Eric Rofes, who produced a report on how school districts respond to charter laws and charter schools. Some of the issues covered include how some charter schools improve graduation rates and how some of these schools underserve the special-education population. (RJM)

This hearing explored ways in which to meet children's and families' needs during nonschool hours. It examined the nature of those needs, the barriers that various segments of the community face, how the Federal Government can help build coordinated school and community networks, and how to make nonschool hours safe for children. Testimony was provided by Gerald Tirozzi, assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, U.S. Department of Education; Shepherd Smith, president of Institute for Youth Development; Brad Luck, high school student and president of the Essex Vermont Teen Center; Sue Luck, associate executive director of the greater Burlington YMCA; Senator Patty Murray; Arthur Sheninger, principal of Hatchery Hill School; Linda Childears, president of Young Americans Bank; and Thomas Frazier, commissioner of the Baltimore police department. Some of the issues discussed include starting school later in the day, supporting communities' youth initiatives, liability issues, and other concerns. (RJM)

This transcript reports on a Senate hearing concerning the reauthorization of the Education of the Deaf Act. As well as statements by committee members, the transcript presents statements by and answers to questions of the following: students at Gallaudet University (Washington, DC), students at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (New York), Jordan I. King, president of Gallaudet University; Robert R. DaVila, vice president of National Technical Institute for the Deaf; Judith Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education; Carol Cichowski, Director, Special Education, Rehabilitation and Research Analysis Division, Department of Education; Ramone Rodriguez, Liaison Office for Special Institutions, Department of Education; Sarah E. Snyder, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf; and Nancy J. Bloch, President, National Association for the Deaf. Additional material includes a chart showing placements of Gallaudet graduates and responses to questions asked by Senators James Jeffords and Tom Harkin. (DB)

This publication contains the testimony from a hearing on growth and tobacco use. Statements include: (1) Opening Statement of Senator Bill Frist; (2) Statements of a panel of teens, Brandi Battle, Washington, DC; Kellie Jolly, Tennessee; Nickita Bradley, Maryland; and Josh, Virginia; followed by discussion; (3) Discussion and prepared statements of Scott J. Leischow, Ph.D., Director, Nicotine Dependence Program, Arizona Prevention Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; Richard D. Hurt, M.D., Director, Nicotine Dependence Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Michael C. Fiore, M.D., M.P.H., Panel Chair Smoking Prevention and Cessation, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and Director and Associate Professor, center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin; and Tim McAfee, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Center for Health Promotion, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound-Kaiser, Seattle, Washington; (4) Prepared Statement of Senator Mike Enzi; (5) Discussion and prepared statements of Paul Schwab, Deputy Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Maryland; and Joseph R. DiFranza, M.D., University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. (EMK)

A Senate committee met to discuss the appropriate preparation of teachers for schools of the future. Senator James M. Jeffords from Vermont presented an opening statement and discussed the need for high quality, competent teachers. Senator DeWine's opening statement discussed how education has changed over the years and what it still needs to improve. The two panels of experts and witnesses presented their opinions, experiences, and expertise on the subject of teacher education, teacher certification, and teaching. The first panel included: the President of Moyerson Academy (Larry Rowedder); the Superintendent of Toledo Public Schools (Merrill Grant); an associate professor from Central State University (Mary B. Howard); and the Former Dean of Education for Central State University (Edward Wingard). The second panel included: the 1997 National Teacher of the Year at Mayerson Academy (Sharon Draper); the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Cincinnati (Arlene Mitchell); the Assistant Superintendent and Co-Director of the Far East Regional Professional Development Center (Anna Marie Vaughn); the Professor of Education, chair-elect of the School of Education at the University of Rio Grande (Chormaine Lepley); and an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Cleveland State University (David Ball). An appendix provides the prepared statements of several individuals interested in improving education and teacher education (teachers, administrators, and university professors). (SM)

This hearing received testimony on school-age care. The hearing examined proposals to coordinate federal and state efforts to establish increased programs to provide after-school care for children and to improve academic and social outcomes for students by providing productive activities during after-school hours. Testimony was given by: (1) Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Connecticut; (2) Mary Margaret Oliver, State Senator, Georgia; (3) the associate director of School's Out Consortium/Seattle Most, Seattle, Washington; (4) the president and founder of the Bridgeport Youth Coalition and member of the Bridgeport Board of Education, Bridgeport, Connecticut; (5) Senator Barbara Boxer, California; (6) Edward A. Flynn, chief of police, Arlington, Virginia; (7) Thomas M. Menino, mayor, Boston, Massachusetts; (8) a parent of a child with special health needs; and (9) a program participant from the Chinle Learning Center, the Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona. (EV)

This transcript contains the testimony of witnesses who testified or submitted written materials for hearings of the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources on the following topics: (1) labor market shortages in the information technology jobs from a national perspective and from the perspective of the Washington, DC area; (2) the education crisis that exists in the District of Columbia public schools and the problems of infrastructure as well as educational problems revealed by test scores; and (3) innovative programs and solutions and ways to finance these plans in the Washington, DC region. Witnesses, who included corporation executives, school officials, public agency spokespersons, Senators, and staff of nonprofit programs, stressed the need to improve education in the United States, and especially in Washington, DC, so that students are prepared for the thousands of technology-related jobs that are now unfilled or are being exported overseas. They examined the problems of the Washington, DC schools and suggested improvements. Witnesses also discussed programs that are working and need to be replicated in other schools. (KC)

This report recommends passage of the Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1997. It describes this bill as one that streamlines the current federal job training system, making it more user-friendly, and consolidates the numerous federal job training programs, eliminating confusing and redundant mandates and creating integrated statewide work force development systems. Nine sections are included: (1) background and need for the legislation; (2) history of the legislation and votes in committee; (3) committee views; (4) cost estimate; (5) regulatory impact statement; (6) application of the law to the legislative branch; (7) section-by-section analysis; (8) additional views; and (9) changes in existing law. (YLB)

The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources met to hear two panels of witnesses discuss improving educational opportunities for low-income children, including provisions of Senate 847, to provide scholarship assistance for District of Columbia elementary and secondary school students. Opening remarks by Senators Coats, Lieberman, Reed, and Hutchinson set the stage for the discussion of educational improvement for low-income children and a discussion of school choice for urban students. The first panel of four witnesses included Howard Fuller (Institute for the Transformation of Learning, Marquette University), Pam Ballard (mother of urban students), Alieze Stallworth (teacher in the District of Columbia schools and parent), and Barbara S. Lewis (representative of a group supporting school choice and urban parent). With the exception of Ms. Stallworth, these panelists supported various forms of choice for urban schools. Ms. Stallworth argued that the issue was one of excellence in education for all students. The second panel included Glenn Lewis (State representative from Texas), Alex Molnar (professor of education), Paul Perseon (college professor), Zakiya Courtney (Parents for School Choice), and Dolores Fridge (Minnesota State Commissioner of Human Rights). These panelists discussed school choice programs currently operating. The prepared statements of panelists and supplemental materials are included. (SLD)

This 10th and final hearing in a series related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, focused on three specific areas: (1) the challenges posed by demographic changes in the college student population--nearly half of all students attend community colleges where the average age of students is 29; (2) the challenges and opportunities posed by technology, including distance learning and underserved communities; and (3) lifelong learning and nontraditional students. Testimony and prepared statements were submitted by: Senators James Jeffords, Edward Kennedy, Wayne Allard, and Christopher Dodd; and by Donald Stewart of the College Board (Washington, D.C.); Joel Harrell, University of Tennessee; Bryan Hannegan, National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (Wilmette, Illinois); Stanley Ikenberry, American Council on Education (Washington, D.C.); Philip Day, Daytona Beach (Florida) Community College; Omer Waddles, Career College Association (Washington, D.C.); and Deborah Dunn, Yorktowne Business Institute (York, Pennsylvania). Testimony covered such topics as: college costs and affordability, access and student aid, graduate education, the grant/loan imbalance, managing student debt, federal student loan programs, and the Kid's Bank amendment. (CH)

This congressional report contains testimony examining the vocational rehabilitation system and the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and exploring some of the issues, including linkage, faced by the vocational rehabilitation system in Ohio. Statements were provided by a U.S. senator (Mike DeWine, Ohio) and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission; The Ohio State University; Ohio Client Assistance Program; Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities; Ohio Association for the Deaf; and Ohio Disabilities Planning Council. Special attention was paid to proposed changes in the Vocational Rehabilitation Act to streamline the program's bureaucracy and regulations and improve the quality and quantity of job placements for people with disabilities. Other topics discussed include the following: the vocational rehabilitation process at the direct-service level; the role of the private sector in vocational rehabilitation; the Individualized Written Rehabilitation Program; and the National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems' nationwide Client Assistance Program. Appended are written statements by representatives of the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission and National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems. (MN)

These hearings transcripts present testimony on proposals to improve the quality of child care in the United States. Both oral and submitted written statements are included. Contributors are: Representative Peter Deutsch (Florida); Senator James M. Jeffords, committee chairman; Senator Mike Enzi (Wyoming); Senator Edward M. Kennedy (Massachusetts); Senator Christopher J. Dodd (Connecticut); Representative Benjamin Gilman (New York); Senator Connie Mack (Florida); Senator Bob Graham (Florida); a Florida couple whose child died while in day care; the principal investigator from the Study of Early Child Care, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; a physician representing the American Academy of Pediatrics; a family child care provider from Connecticut; vice president for global workforce diversity, IBM Corporation; commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services; Governor Jim Hunt (North Carolina); executive director of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies; a representative of the Child Welfare League of America; and executive director of the Early Childhood Development Center Legislative Coalition. (EV)

This congressional report contains testimony pertaining to reauthorization of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which was drafted to authorize funds for programs covered by the act and consolidate, coordinate, and improve employment, training, literacy, and vocational rehabilitation programs in the United States. Statements were provided by three U.S. senators (Mike DeWine, Ohio; Paul D. Wellstone, Minnesota; Tom Harkin, Iowa) and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education; Rehabilitation Services Administration; National Institution of Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission; Vermont Association of Business, Industry, and Rehabilitation; National Council for Independent Living; Fairfax Opportunities Unlimited; Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities; Council for State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation; and Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. An appendix constituting approximately 50% of the document contains statements, articles, publications, and letters that were submitted by 18 individuals and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: Council of Organizational Representatives; National Rehabilitation Association; National Industries for the Blind; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; and American Foundation for the Blind. (MN)

This hearing, the ninth in a series discussing issues related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, focuses on three programs: Aid for Institutional Development, or Title III; the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership Program; and the TRIO programs, which provide support services and scholarships for students, as well as institutional aid to colleges and universities and are intended to assist low-income, first-generation college students. The following witnesses made statements: (1) Moses Griffin, Wilberforce University (Ohio), who suggested that common evaluation criteria are inadequate for judging program effectiveness at historically black colleges and universities; (2) R. Vic Morgan, Sul Ross State University (Texas); who discussed the role of Title III at Hispanic-serving institutions; (3) Linda Shiller, speaking on behalf of the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership Program, who discussed the programs of the Vermont Student Assistance Program; and (4) Ann Coles, who spoke on behalf of the National Council of Educational Opportunity Associations, and noted that over 2 million TRIO program participants had graduated from colleges over the past 30 years. Additional materials from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities are appended. (CH)

These hearings transcripts present testimony concerning the status of medical and scientific findings on prenatal and postnatal brain development and the implications of federal policies for childhood development. Testimony was offered by Senators Dan Coats (Indiana) and Christopher Dodd (Connecticut); psychology professor Edward Zigler of Yale University; medical and psychological researchers; and spokespersons for child and family advocacy groups. The senators focused on the importance of early brain development and its impact on later development and government programs that assist families in raising children such as Head Start and the Family Medical Leave Act. Medical and university representatives described results of positron emission tomography studies of biochemical brain activity, comparative analyses of brain activity in normal and deprived infants, the critical period in brain growth, auditorially-mediated learning and auditory perception in human newborns, the impact of prenatal substance abuse and postnatal abuse on brain development, and the importance of early experience. Professor Zigler maintained that American society does not support optimal early development and recommended expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, addressing the problem of child care, and supporting expanded parent education programs. A clinical psychologist commented on the need to nurture developing attachment relationships and expressed concerns about day care quality. Child and family advocates recommended that the dependent child care tax credit be made universal and noted bills which could assist home-based businesses and telecommuting employees. Materials supporting the testimony are attached. (KB)

This congressional hearing examines vocational education, adult education, and job training initiatives in Vermont and the role of these programs in developing work force development legislation. Testimony includes statements from a U.S. Senator and individuals representing the following: Vermont Department of Employment and Training; Vermont State Colleges; Vermont Department of Social Welfare; Agency of Commercial and Community Development; Burlington Technical Center; Career and Lifelong Learning, Vermont Department of Education; Lyndon State College; Vermont Adult Education Board; Executive Team of Central Vermont Adult Basic Education; Welfare to Work Programs, Vermont Department of Social Welfare; Mahoney Hardware; Vermont Science and Education Center; Vermont Heating and Ventilating; Vermont Technical College; Champlain Initiative; Governor's Rehabilitation Advisory Council; School-to-Work, Randolph region; Rutland Economic Development Corporation, Rutland Regional Educational Alliance; School-to-Work, Upper Valley; River Bend Career and Technical Center; Bradford Area Workforce Investment Board; Northern New England Tradeswomen; and Northland Job Corps Center. Other statements are from students, apprentices, and instructors from the Northland Job Corps, Essex Technical Center, and Burlington Technical Center. (YLB)

This seventh hearing in a series related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act focused on the management structure of the Office of Postsecondary Education and the financial aid delivery system. In the opening statement, Chairman James M. Jeffords reported that the current system is outdated and inefficient and indicated that the committee was considering proposals for change that ranged from a performance-based system to privatizing student aid delivery. Testimony was given by David A. Longanecker and Betsy Hicks of the Department of Education who noted progress made in managing student financial aid programs and addressed changes still to come. Other witnesses included Brian Fitzgerald of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (Washington, D.C.); Cornelia M. Blanchette of the U.S. General Accounting Office; Judith Flink, University of Illinois; Barmak Nassirian, American Association of State Colleges and Universities (Washington, D.C.); and Barbara Tornow, Boston University (Massachusetts) who all testified on the inadequacy of the present financial aid delivery system and its management structure. The document also contains transcripts of oral discussions and prepared statements by Senators John Warner (Virginia) and Christopher Dodd (Connecticut). (CH)

This report of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources favorably recommends the passage of amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to reauthorize and improve the act. Specific recommended improvements include: (1) decreasing paperwork, (2) providing increased flexibility and lower costs in the delivery of services, (3) enhancing parental input in decision making, (4) making schools safer, and (5) consolidating and targeting discretionary programs. Individual sections of the report present the proposed legislation's purpose and summary, the background and need for this legislation, the history of the legislation and committee action, an explanation of the bill and committee views, the specific amendments to sections of the original act, and a section-by-section analysis. (DB)

This hearing on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, sought public comment in Maine on the cost of higher education and on Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Specifically, these hearings were intended to address the continuing low level of participation in higher education by Maine high school graduates, which was ascribed mainly to the fact that federal aid programs cover a smaller percentage of cost than they did 15 years ago. The hearing, chaired by Senator Susan M. Collins of Maine, heard statements from: Senator James M. Jeffords of Vermont; Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, who planned to introduce a "Go to College" tax incentive act; Melissa Chasse, a student who gave examples of the various federal student aid programs that had enabled her to attend college James Peacock, certified school counselor; Mid-Maine Technical Center; Andrea Cross, director of financial aid, St. Joseph's College; institutional administrators and counselors from Maine colleges, who all noted repayment burdens faced by students; and education policymakers for the state of Maine, who noted the importance of federal student aid programs to students in the state. Walter Moulton, director of student aid at Bowdoin College, presented a prepared statement suggesting three changes to the bill which would: (1) provide an alternative to the Perkins Loan Program; (2) consolidate the Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) program; and (3) allow use of retirement assets to help meet educational expenses. (CH)

This document is a record of the proceedings of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources' discussion on reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The particular focus of the hearing is education and how both endowments support the arts in schools. Comments from Senators James M. Jeffords and Edward M. Kennedy are recorded along with testimony by National Endowment for the Humanities chairman, Sheldon Hackney and National Endowment for the Arts chairman, Jane Alexander. Statements are also made by: Edward L. Ayers, project director, professor of history; Jeff Hooper, producing artistic director, Mad River Theatre Works; Alicia B. Dandridge, sixth grade teacher; Marie H. Reed, Community Learning Center, accompanied by Juanita Beasley and Kessia Cruz, former students; and Victor R. Swenson, executive director, Vermont Council on the Humanities. Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc. are appended. Testimony describes activities made possible by funding from both endowments. Included in the document are reports and empirical data pertaining to arts and humanities education, grant reports, regulatory reports concerning grant recipients, and lists of institutions receiving grants. (RJC)

This congressional report contains testimony examining the status of vocational assistance and its role in work force development and the Clinton Administration's views on reforming the federal investment in vocational education. Testimony was provided by two U.S. senators (James M. Jeffords, Vermont; Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts) and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: U.S. Department of Education; American Federation of Teachers; Vocational Education Task Force; National Center for Research in Vocational Education; Information Technology Association of America; New Urban High School Project; Clark-Theders Insurance Group; Center for Occupational Research and Development; and Office of Vocational and Technical Education of the Mississippi Department of Education. The following were among the topics discussed: the adequacy of vocational education policy and practices for the 21st century; the role of community and technical colleges in labor force development; career guidance and counseling services provided through the Perkins Act; proposed changes in the Perkins Act to streamline the vocational education system, improve it, and increase its flexibility and accountability; vocational education funding formulas and financing; school-to-work; national skill standards; business and industry views regrading the role of vocational education and skills needed for the work; work-based learning; and vocational education in urban settings. (MN)

These hearings transcripts present testimony before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources to address the question of how to improve the health care status of American children. The hearings addressed a range of issues relating to children's health from witnesses with expertise in pediatric care, public health, mental health, and substance abuse. Each witness addressed the following four questions: (1) "What are the health-related needs of children that we should work to fulfill?"; (2) "How can we better address children's health needs through improvements to federally-funded public health programs?"; (3) "How do you propose we address the problem of ensuring health coverage to children who are currently uninsured, and what should be the Federal role in that endeavor?"; and (4) "How might we encourage the private sector to participate in partnerships with our Government and community organizations to address the needs of children?" Specific child health issues addressed by a variety of witnesses included pediatric illness, children not covered by health insurance, quality care, substance abuse, care delivery systems, child and adolescent psychiatric services, oral health, and prenatal care. Speakers included Senators Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), Edward M. Kennedy (Massachusetts) and Barbara A. Mikulski (Maryland); Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala; hospital administrators and other administrators of organizations concerned with child health. (Author/SD)

This hearing transcript presents testimony exploring how the well-being of abused and neglected children can be improved through an amendment clarifying the "reasonable efforts" requirement of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (1980) to allow the child's health and safety to take precedence over parents' rights. Testimony begins with a statement from Ohio Senator DeWine, which notes the frequency with which abused or neglected children are returned to unsafe or unhealthy home environments, and the number of children in foster care for longer than 2 years. Additional testimony in support of the change is presented from: (1) the acting assistant secretary for Children and Families, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Olivia A. Golden; (2) the director of the University of Rhode Island's Family Violence Research Program, Richard J. Gelles; (3) director of Montgomery County (Ohio) Children Services Board, Helen Leonhart-Jones; and (4) director, Los Angeles County (California) Department of Children and Family Services, Peter Digre. Additional statements, articles, and correspondence--both anecdotal and research-based, are appended from Senator Jeffords, the speakers, and the Child Welfare League of America. (HTH)

This hearing transcript presents statements regarding programs that facilitate involvement of marginal or absentee fathers in the upbringing of their children. Opening or prepared statements, reiterating the increase in paternal abandonment and its attendant social costs, are presented for Indiana Senator Dan Coats, Chair of the Subcommittee on Children and Families, North Carolina Senator Lauch Faircloth, and for Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd. Statements and testimony are then presented from four administrators of programs intended to encourage greater paternal responsibility, including the president of the "Promise Keepers" initiative. These statements and testimony explore the detrimental effects of absent fathers, examine policy issues including paternal visitation rights and the cultural construct of marriage, and describe efforts of their various organizations to encourage paternal responsibility. A statement from the president of the Children's Rights Council, on certain policies that have contributed to the increase of absent fathers and changes that would encourage positive parenting, concludes the transcripts. (HTH)

This report of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources unanimously supports the passage of a bill (Senate Bill 1578) which amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1997 through 2002. The bill amends parts A through H of IDEA. Amendments are intended to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and increase flexibility for state and local educational agencies, while continuing the national commitment to ensure that all children with disabilities have available a free appropriate public education. Title I of the proposed bill revises general provisions and grant application procedures. Title II reorganizes and simplifies eligibility, procedural guidelines and safeguards, and administrative requirements. Title III authorizes a competitive state systems-change grant program. Title IV provides for improving educational services through research, demonstrations, outreach, and personnel preparation activities to be coordinated with local and state efforts. It consolidates programs authorized in parts D and E in current law. Title V also consolidates programs and authorizes the continued funding of technical assistance, support, and dissemination projects (including Parent Training and Information Centers) and technology and media projects. Title VI contains minor amendments to Part H of the present law, which provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Separate sections of the report present information on the historical background of and need for the legislation, cost estimates, the regulatory impact statement, a section-by-section analysis, views of individual senators, and the text of both the original law and the proposed amendments. (DB)

This hearing transcript presents statements and testimony regarding effectiveness of the Healthy Start Demonstration Project to reduce U.S. infant mortality rates and authorization for funding to establish new sites and to enable exiting programs to act as mentors for and to disseminate information to new projects. Opening statements are presented for Senators Nancy Kassebaum, Chair of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, and Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy. Prepared statements are then presented for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, and Dr. Louis Sullivan, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and creator of the Healthy Start initiative. These statements explore infant mortality rates and highlight the effectiveness of the projects in terms of prevention and the need for continued funding. Testimony is then presented from administrators of Healthy Start sites and recipients of these program services, as well as from Marie McCormick, Chair of the Department of Maternal and Child Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Prepared statements from the president of a Healthy Start site describing the Healthy Start Initiative in Boston, and from the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation supporting continued funding and highlighting March of Dimes' involvement with Healthy Start conclude the transcripts. Correspondence to Senator Kassebaum regarding Healthy Start is included. (HTH)

The hearing was held to examine the following student-transportation safety issues: defective handrails on school buses; the need for a school-bus specific-commercial driver's license; and the use of public transportation by students. Senator Mike DeWine presided over the hearing. The document contains testimonies and prepared statements of participants; articles, publications, and letters; communications; questions and answers; and selected charts on school-bus safety. Participants included officials of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National School Transportation Association, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and the American Academy of Pediatrics; a county prosecuting attorney; and school-transportation consultants. (LMI)

This document presents the texts of selected titles, sections, and amendments of federal laws dealing with specific aspects of postsecondary education. It is divided into the following major parts: (1) "General Higher Education Programs"; (2) "Native American Higher Education"; (3) "National Science Foundation"; and (4) "Assistance to Specified Institutions." Selected titles and subsections include those from the Higher Education Act of 1965; the Higher Education Amendments of 1968, 1980, 1986, and 1992; the Morrill Acts; the Bankhead-Jones Act; the Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship Act; the Navajo Community College Act, the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978; the National Science Foundation Act of 1950; and acts that aid Howard University (Washington, D.C.), the Herbert Hoover Memorial (California), Eisenhower College (New York) the Samuel Rayburn Library (Texas) and other institutions. Among the subjects addressed are institutional and student aid, teacher recruitment, international programs, academic facilities, graduate education, minority programs, and educational improvement in math, science and engineering. (JB)

This congressional report addresses the Workforce Development Act of 1995 that would consolidate federal employment training programs and create a new process and structure for funding the programs. Contents include the following: a summary of the bill; background and need for the legislation; history of the legislation and votes in committee; committee views; cost estimate; regulatory impact statement; section-by-section analysis; additional views of: Senator DeWine; Senator Pell; and Senators Pell, Simon, Jeffords, and Kennedy; minority views of Senators Kennedy, Dodd, Simon, Harkin, Mikulski, and Wellstone; and changes in existing law. Appended is a letter to Senator Nancy Kassebaum from Howard Dean, Tommy G. Thompson, Mel Carnaham, and Arne H. Carlson of the National Governors Association. (YLB)

The Subcommittee heard testimony from seven witnesses and statements from three senators on whether or not it is in the Federal Government's best interest to divest itself of the Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae), and the College Construction Loan Insurance Association (Connie Lee). Lawrence A. Hough of the Student Loan Marketing Association testified that Sallie Mae is poised to move away from government sponsorship, that it would remain committed to the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and that privatization plans must be designed carefully to assure approval by shareholders. Oliver R. Stockwell of Connie Lee testified that Connie Lee was ready and willing to convert to private status. Senator Dodd appeared and spoke in support of privatization. Leo Kornfeld of the Department of Education testified in support of privatizing Connie Lee and cautioned that the current marketplace needs, offset fees, and exit fees must be considered in any Sallie Mae privatization plan. Darcy Bradbury of the Department of the Treasury argued for privatization to reduce the debt that carries some perception of government support. Senator Claiborne Pell urged caution in privatization. A member of the Congressional Research Service, a representative of the Financial Guaranty Insurers, and a representative of First Boston Corporation also testified on privatization issues. Prepared statements of senators and witnesses are included. (JB)

This report provides information on the proposed Child Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995, which reauthorizes and amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. It also makes changes in the 1990 law to give states greater flexibility in designing their child care system, provides greater emphasis on parental choice, consolidates various federal child care programs, and removes barriers to providing child care for Indian tribes. Section 1 provides a summary of the bill, while Section 2 outlines the background and need for the legislation. Section 3 describes the legislative history and committee action that affected the bill, while Section 4 contains the views of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in regard to the bill. Section 5 provides a cost estimate of the legislation; Section 6 contains a regulatory impact statement. Section 7 contains a section-by-section analysis of the bill, and Section 8 details the changes that the bill will enact to existing law. (MDM)

These Congressional hearings contain testimony pertaining to the future of job training in Ohio. Among the topics discussed are the following: the job training needs of selected special needs groups, including convicted felons on probation, dislocated workers, displaced homemakers, unemployed individuals, underskilled employees, disadvantaged individuals, disabled individuals, and welfare recipients; private sector and federal government roles in job training; public policies creating disincentives to seek training and employment; and cooperation between the business and educational sectors. The following are among the agencies and organizations whose representatives provided testimony at the hearings: Court of Common Pleas; Zagar, Inc.; Hollaender Manufacturing; The George Gund Foundation; Jobs Plus Employment Network; Job Corps; Centers for Independent Living; Ohio Restaurant Association; Ladders for Success; Ohio Department of Employment Services; Ohio Board of Regents; Ohio Department of Development; Ohio Department of Education; Ohio Rehabilitation Commission; Eastland Vocational School District; Adult Education Division and Postsecondary Adult Vocational Education Division, Ohio Vocational Association; Postsecondary Adult Vocational Education Division, Ohio and American Vocational Association; Springfield-Clark Joint Vocational School; and Ohio Women Work. (MN)

This report provides information on the proposed Health Professions Education Consolidation and Reauthorization Act of 1995, which is designed to reauthorize and consolidate 44 different federal health professions training programs currently authorized under Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act. It also reauthorizes a variety of other public health service programs. Section 1 provides a summary of the bill, while section 2 outlines the background and need for the legislation. Section 3 describes the legislative history and committee action that affected the bill, while section 4 presents the views of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in regard to the bill. Section 5 provides a cost estimate of the legislation, while section 6 contains a regulatory impact statement. Section 7 contains a section-by-section analysis of the bill, while section 8 provides additional views on the bill. Section 9 details the changes to existing law that the bill will enact. (MDM)

This Congressional hearing discussed the issue of reform of adult education and family literacy legislation. Testimony includes oral and written statements of U.S. senators and individuals representing the following: U.S. Department of Education; National Institute for Literacy; Dallas Can! Academy, Dallas, Texas; Pima County Adult Education, Tucson, Arizona; Delaware Department of Adult Education; and Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Inc. The hearing focused on how the Federal Government, state governments and the private sector can improve the adult education delivery system. What are the goals for adult education? The three most important outcomes desired are: (1) increasing the number of high school diplomas or competencies for those who did not complete high school initially; (2) improving literacy skills, particularly by emphasizing the importance of literacy skills for parents; and (3) enhancing economic growth--productivity--so that all members of the workforce possess the necessary basic skills. (YLB)

This document contains the text of testimony presented at a congressional hearing examining education's role in economic competitiveness. Senator James M. Jefford's opening statement is followed by testimony given by representatives of the following agencies and organizations: TRW, Inc., Circuit City Stores, Inc., McGraw-Hill, Inc., Drew University, U.S. Bureau of the Census, University of Southern California, Cornell University, and Knowledge Network for All Americans. Also included is a paper titled "Improving Education: How Large Are the Benefits? How Can It Be Done Efficiently?" (Bishop), and a paper titled "Improving National Economic Competitiveness through Educational Investment" (Lloyd). Charts summarizing the following are contained in the testimony: average annual federal taxes by family for 1991; change in median family income by education; education loan debt; employment by major economic sector from 1800 to 1993; the growing gap between individuals based on mastery of the skills required for economic competitiveness; distribution of available capital stocks in the U.S. business economy; components fueling domestic economic growth in the United States from 1929 to 1990; and shifts in federal budget priorities from 1993 to 1995. (MN)

This document reports the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at oversight hearings on vocational education in the United States. The document also includes statements from other sources not present at the hearings. The testimony includes statements from U.S. Senators and Representatives, business leaders, and national and local leaders about the state of vocational education in the United States. The testimony was taken in connection with reauthorization legislation for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The witnesses stressed the increasing need for more, not less, vocational education, if the United States is to remain competitive in the world economy. They stressed the need for integrating academic and vocational education and making sure that every student had skills that could be used in the job market. They pointed to successes in Germany and Japan and to some local successes; however, the testimony showed that much remains to be done in improving vocational education and in improving how results are measured and programs are coordinated to reduce waste and duplication. (KC)

This document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at 2 days of U.S. Senate oversight hearings on Job Corps programs. Witnesses included several Senators who have been involved in Job Corps legislation since the program's beginning in 1968, Job Corps program completers and dropouts, and local officials in areas of Job Corps sites. According to their testimony, some Job Corps sites have lost the idealism that permeated their programs when they were formed and have become little more than reform schools. Some former participants complained about incidents of violence in the sites and of little learning taking place. Other program completers said that the Job Corps had been their salvation and was largely responsible for their success in life. Overall, the hearings provided support for the good that Job Corps had accomplished but revealed concern over reports of gangs and violence at the sites and a determination to reform a program that has had many successes over the years. (KC)

These Congressional hearing transcripts present testimony on the need to encourage parent involvement in children's education, focusing on national and local programs and activities designed to promote such involvement. Testimony was heard from: (1) Senators Christopher J. Dodd and James M. Jeffords; (2) Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley; (2) the chair of the National Coalition for Parental Involvement in Education; (3) a mother and her 11th-grade daughter; (4) the executive director of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce's business-education partnership; (5) a mother of three children; and (6) a high school principal. The prepared statements of four of the witnesses and related materials are appended. (MDM)

This report contains testimony regarding various proposals to reform and consolidate federal job training programs, with special attention to the provision, benefits, problems, and funding needs of the Job Corps program. Statements by the following individuals are presented: U.S. Senators from the states of Illinois, Vermont, Utah, Kansas, Iowa, and Rhode Island; the Secretary of Labor, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor, and the department's Assistant Inspector General for Audit; representatives of Job Corps centers in three cities (Lopez and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Clearfield, Utah); the director of Partners in Vocational Opportunities Training in Portland, Oregon; and professors from Swarthmore College and Northwestern University. Appendixes constituting approximately 50% of this report include prepared statements submitted by 10 of the witnesses, a letter from the National Job Corps Alumni Association, a letter from the National Association of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Alumni; and a resolution recommending that the U.S. Congress fund the Job Corps program. (MN)

This hearing is a continuation of a bipartisan effort to consolidate, reform, and revitalize federally funded job training programs. Testimony includes statements of U.S. senators and individuals representing the following: National Association of State Job Training Coordinating Council and Human Resource Investment Council; American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Focus: HOPE, Detroit, Michigan; Federal Reserve Bank of Boston; National Association of Private Industry Councils; Tradeswomen of Purpose/Women in Nontraditional Work; and Eastman Kodak Co. (YLB)

This document contains the oral and written statements of witnesses who testified at a hearing on the Reemployment and Retraining Act of 1994 and the WARN [Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification] Amendments Act. Witnesses included Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, several union and public employment program officials from several states, and several dislocated workers. Additional material submitted for the report includes questions submitted by Senator Metzenbaum to several state and federal officials, a summary of a publication of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International, and several communications to local officials. The witnesses testified about the need for a one-stop service that would link dislocated workers with unemployment benefits, job retraining programs, income-replacement during retraining, and social services programs. Several examples of local and state programs were described. Witnesses also stressed the need for early warnings about plant and office closings so that agencies and workers can prepare for retraining and career change. (KC)

This report presents verbatim, a hearing before the Subcommittee on Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism. The hearing featured a series of testimonies and stories on violence among young people in the United States. It opened with remarks by Subcommittee Chairman, Christopher Dodd. He was followed by numerous statements on the nature of violence in communities. These statements were made by those who work with children and youth. Included in these testimonies were accounts provided by children and young people, who spoke of the state of violence in their neighborhoods. The many reports also featured details on programs that appeared to be effective in thwarting violence among youth. A number of prepared testimonies by government officials also appear in this report. (RJM)

This document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at a Senate committee hearing concerning authorizing funds to states for worker reemployment and training programs. Witnesses included the following: Senators Claiborne Pell, Nancy Kassebaum, and Edward Kennedy; top officials from several major corporations; and several federal, state, and city officials involved in labor retraining and employment programs. The testimony generally supported the proposed legislation, which would create one-stop retraining and employment services for dislocated workers. An executive from a large private corporation headquartered in Germany testified that in Germany, all companies provide training, but that in the United States few companies provide training because trained workers could go to other companies that do not provide training. He supported one-stop employment centers and financial incentives for companies to provide training for workers to encourage more companies to do so. (KC)

These transcripts of hearings present testimony on how we can protect children in dangerous and violent environments. The statements address the longstanding efforts to reduce childhood injury in this country, with an emphasis on prevention as the best approach to child injury and health care. Statements and testimony are presented for the following: (1) Senators Dodd (Connecticut), Kennedy (Massachusetts), Thurmond (South Carolina); (2) Dr. C. Everett Koop, Chairman of the National Safe Kids Campaign; (3) four adolescents, victims of accidents or witnesses to violent crime, whose experiences highlight the benefits of prevention; (4) Senator Jeffords (Vermont); (5) the director of the National Center for Injury Protection and Control; (6) program director of the National Public Services Research Institute; and (7) an assistant professor of health policy. (AP)