CLINTON PUTTING FOCUS ON EDUCATION FIXING SCHOOLS TOPS AGENDA
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Thursday, January 6, 2000
Author: Associated Press
President Clinton said Wednesday that his legislative agenda would focus on revitalizing public schools , declaring that American children should not have to put up with leaking roofs and busted windows. He hopes the focus on fixing crumbling schools will give Democrats an election year edge.
Clinton discussed budget priorities with House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. Afterward, Clinton said his top priority would be funding programs to repair or renovate dilapidated schools .
``We can't expect our students to meet high academic standards if their schools don't even meet high building standards,'' Clinton said. ``Our New Year's resolution is to reach across party lines to help our children reach for the sky.''
UNFINISHED AGENDA
Otherwise, Clinton's agenda consists mostly of efforts he pursued unsuccessfully last year, such as hate-crime legislation, gun restrictions, a minimum-wage increase, a patient's bill of rights and fixing Social Security and Medicare.
``This unfinished agenda was a casualty of last year's raw partisan politics,'' Gephardt said. ``We all hope this year can be different.''
Clinton was heading to Chappaqua, N.Y., to join his wife, who was moving into their new house north of New York City.
Clinton's proposal will include a program that devotes $1.3 billion a year for school construction. He also is seeking to revive earlier efforts to use tax breaks to help communities upgrade existing schools. The plan will be included in the fiscal 2001 budget he will send to Congress on Feb. 7.
The plan was not expected to be embraced by the GOP-controlled Congress, which consistently has been cool to his education proposals. But White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said there is a sense this year that Republican leaders will not be able to thwart the plan during budget negotiations.
``We have found that we've been very effective in getting things done at the table late in the process,'' Lockhart said. ``We're determined to get this problem addressed any way we can, and if the Republican majority wants to block it, we're going to find innovative ways to unblock it.''
EDUCATION IS FOCUS
The plan spotlights an election-year desire by the White House and congressional Democrats to focus on education, an issue where they hold an advantage over Republicans, according to polls. The edge exists even though the GOP has tried to improve its image by abandoning plans to abolish the Department of Education in favor of supporting added spending for schools.
House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Archer, R-Texas, said Wednesday that despite Clinton's proposal, the GOP is planning another school construction proposal as part of an overall tax relief package.
Clinton discussed budget priorities with House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. Afterward, Clinton said his top priority would be funding programs to repair or renovate dilapidated schools .
``We can't expect our students to meet high academic standards if their schools don't even meet high building standards,'' Clinton said. ``Our New Year's resolution is to reach across party lines to help our children reach for the sky.''
UNFINISHED AGENDA
Otherwise, Clinton's agenda consists mostly of efforts he pursued unsuccessfully last year, such as hate-crime legislation, gun restrictions, a minimum-wage increase, a patient's bill of rights and fixing Social Security and Medicare.
``This unfinished agenda was a casualty of last year's raw partisan politics,'' Gephardt said. ``We all hope this year can be different.''
Clinton was heading to Chappaqua, N.Y., to join his wife, who was moving into their new house north of New York City.
Clinton's proposal will include a program that devotes $1.3 billion a year for school construction. He also is seeking to revive earlier efforts to use tax breaks to help communities upgrade existing schools. The plan will be included in the fiscal 2001 budget he will send to Congress on Feb. 7.
The plan was not expected to be embraced by the GOP-controlled Congress, which consistently has been cool to his education proposals. But White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said there is a sense this year that Republican leaders will not be able to thwart the plan during budget negotiations.
``We have found that we've been very effective in getting things done at the table late in the process,'' Lockhart said. ``We're determined to get this problem addressed any way we can, and if the Republican majority wants to block it, we're going to find innovative ways to unblock it.''
EDUCATION IS FOCUS
The plan spotlights an election-year desire by the White House and congressional Democrats to focus on education, an issue where they hold an advantage over Republicans, according to polls. The edge exists even though the GOP has tried to improve its image by abandoning plans to abolish the Department of Education in favor of supporting added spending for schools.
House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Archer, R-Texas, said Wednesday that despite Clinton's proposal, the GOP is planning another school construction proposal as part of an overall tax relief package.
Caption: photo: Bill Clinton with Richard Gephardt (a-ran in BROWARD)
ASSOCIATED PRESS HELP FOR SCHOOLS: President Clinton speaks as House minority leader Richard Gephardt listens.
ASSOCIATED PRESS HELP FOR SCHOOLS: President Clinton speaks as House minority leader Richard Gephardt listens.
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