Clinton Urges Passage of New Education Funds

WASHINGTON —  President Clinton on Saturday sought to prod Congress to resolve the budget battle and approve billions of new federal dollars for schools, saying education is essential to continuing economic growth.

“We must not take our economic strength for granted,” he said in his weekly radio address, which for the second week in a row focused on an education spending package.

Making education a priority is integral to a healthy economy, he said, along with paying down the national debt, keeping inflation in check and interest rates low, and promoting trade.

America also must “keep investing in our people--that’s the most important thing--closing the skills gap with more training and better education.”

The education package would provide money to replace and repair crumbling schools, operate after-school programs, hire new teachers, reduce class sizes, improve teacher training, turn around failing schools and expand the Head Start program for preschoolers.

“If we want to invest in the prosperity of our nation, we must invest in the education of our children, so that their talents may be fully employed,” Clinton said.

Also included in the education budget are increases in Pell Grant college scholarships for needy students, and funds for tutoring and counseling to help prepare low-income students for college.

“We know these are the basic building blocks of the 21st century work force,” Clinton said. “I hope Congress will keep its commitment to America’s children and pass a balanced budget that makes education the No. 1 priority.”

A top House Republican, Oklahoma’s J.C. Watts Jr., agreed with the president on the importance of an educated work force to a strong economy. But he renewed the GOP argument that states, not Washington, should decide how to spend the new money.

At issue is a $350-billion measure financing labor, health and education programs for fiscal 2001, which began Oct. 1. Including that measure, four of the 13 spending bills for the new fiscal year still have not been completed.

A bipartisan compromise on that bill drafted in November--but later rejected by House GOP leaders--included an $18-billion boost for hiring teachers, AIDS treatment and other programs.

In two White House meetings last week, Clinton offered to trim about $2 billion off that increase, while Republicans have called for a reduction closer to $6 billion.

An agreement would finally close the books on the overdue fiscal 2001 budget and the 106th Congress as early as next week.

“We are still actively working to pass a budget that would protect vital investments,” Gene Sperling, Clinton’s economic advisor, said in a conference call later with reporters.

The GOP’s right wing has become restive as Clinton administration officials and congressional leaders move toward a year-end budget pact.

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) told reporters Friday that he listened to the conservatives and predicted that whatever deal emerges from the negotiations would get strong GOP support.

The Clinton administration also played down tax proposals by Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, saying they could endanger economic growth.

Texas Gov. Bush and his running mate, Dick Cheney, have raised the possibility of a looming recession as they urge quick action next year on their $1.3-trillion tax cut.

But, Sperling said, “The lesson of the last eight years has clearly been that the reality and expectation of fiscal discipline has kept interest rates low. Movement back to fiscally reckless tax cuts could easily lead to higher interest rates and lower investments.”

Meantime, Republicans used their weekly address to outline their agenda under a Bush administration. The speech by Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) was taped Friday.

Biggert did not see a need to change the address considering the fresh developments in legal cases concerning the Florida recount in the presidential election, spokesman Chris Close said. “We still think Gov. Bush will be the president,” he said.

Biggert echoed themes from Bush’s campaign of increased accountability in schools, tax relief and a larger maximum amount Americans can contribute annually to retirement savings accounts.

“These are just a few of the improvements you can expect with a new President Bush working together with Democrats and Republicans in Congress next year,” Biggert said.