Posted on 07/09/2003 12:26:40 PM PDT by chance33_98
American Federation of Teachers Statement on the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill
7/9/03 11:38:00 AM
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To: National Desk, Education Reporter
Contact: Leslie Getzinger of the American Federation of Teachers 202-585-4373 or lgetzing@aft.org
WASHINGTON, July 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a statement by Sandra Feldman, president, American Federation of Teachers on the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill:
The House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill pitifully shortchanges education funding. It comes in $8 billion below No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) authorized levels, slashes support for IDEA, and underfunds Title I a full 34 percent below the fiscal year 2004 congressional budget resolution. This legislation also denies Pell Grant award increases to college aspirants who need a helping hand in the face of spiraling tuition costs.
Congress appropriately has required that teachers, paraprofessionals, and other education practitioners meet NCLB requirements, but the congressional majority has failed to live up to its commitment to provide sufficient funding that will allow educators to implement that law. If we truly want to provide high-quality public education for all, including the poorest children, financially struggling college hopefuls and special education students, then we need adequate and sustained federal support to pay for it.
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The AFT represents more than 1.2 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel, higher education faculty, nurses, healthcare workers, and federal, state and local government employees.
If the bill is so horrible why did every Democrat on the subcommittee vote for it? Obey, Hoyer, DeLauro, Lowey, Jackson, Kennedy, Roybal-Allard all voted in favor.
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