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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2000

News Release

'The Grinch' Visits Congress

Unbowed by Pleas from Parents and Teachers, Congress Won't Budge on School Funding

Washington, D.C. -- "The Grinch is at work on Capitol Hill," declared National Education Association (NEA) President Bob Chase referring to Congress' continuing refusal to pass education appropriations bills. "After inexcusable delays, Congressional leadership spurned important bipartisan action in support of children and public education. Despite a clear mandate from voters last month to make education a top priority, leaders won't budge. The Grinch's heart is two sizes too small, what is House leadership's excuse?"

Schools and children are already suffering the effects of Congress' shirking its responsibility to pass basic appropriations bills. "Impact Aid" schools, such as those on military bases and Indian reservations, should have received funding last month and are operating in budget limbo. Under frozen funding levels, financial aid officers won't be able to provide college students with financial aid. In addition, schools nationwide are trying to make hiring decisions and without funding allocations they will be hard pressed to recruit and hire new teachers. "Failing to act on final passage this week would be unconscionable," said Chase. "The education funding bills are not Republican priorities or Democratic priorities, but are American education priorities."

NEA affiliate presidents across the nation joined Chase in pressing Congress to act. State NEA leaders are in Washington, D.C. this week making Congressional office visits. These educators see the effects of school funding in their state's classrooms everyday and understand the urgency. In House Speaker Dennis Hastert's own state of Illinois $219.7 million in education funding is at stake if Congress fails to act.

Despite reaching a bipartisan agreement last month, Republican leaders rejected a $7.9 billion compromise that would provide a 22 percent increase in federal education programs. The funds would be used to hire and train new teachers, reduce class size, repair and renovate schools, increase the federal share of special education for children with disabilities, and provide additional afterschool programs. "For the first time in history, schools could receive targeted federal help to make much-needed school repairs," said Chase. "This isn't Whoville, real students are waiting for real help."

For state-by-state information on the implications of Congressional inaction visit -- http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/12-2000/state.html

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.