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The purpose of this hearing was to examine the education system of New Orleans. Statements were presented by: Honorable Lamar Alexander, Chairman, Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development; Honorable Mary L. Landrieu, U.S. Senator from Louisiana; Honorable Richard Burr, U.S. Senator from North Carolina; Linda Johnson, President, Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; Sarah Ottinger, Parent, Audubon Charter School; Father William F. Maestri, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of New Orleans; Carole Butler-Wallin, Deputy Superintendent, Louisiana Department of Education; Robin Jarvis, Ph.D., Acting Superintendent, Recovery School District; Greg Richmond, President, National Association of Charter School Authorizers; Brian Riedlinger, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Algiers Charter Schools Association; Phyllis Landrieu, President, Orleans Parish School Board; Senator J. Chris Ullo, Chairman, Louisiana State Senate Education Committee. Additional material includes letter from Gordon Alexander Cole; prepared statement of Scott S. Cowen, and responses to questions of Senator Alexander and Senator Landrieu.

Career and technical education is a critical component of a number of Federal education and training initiatives that are designed to help support the development of a 21st Century workforce. Career and technical education is unique in that it fuses challenging academic curricula with relevant skill training in order to prepare secondary and postsecondary students for the workplace. The central goal of Federally supported career and technical education programs is to provide students with strong academic and technical preparation, so that students can successfully enter the workforce or pursue additional education. The purpose of S. 250, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2005, is to reauthorize and improve the federally supported career and technical education programs last reauthorized by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Amendments Act of 1998.

The purpose of this hearing was to review the implementation of Titles I through III of Public Law 106-393, "The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000." Statements were presented by: Honorable Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senator from New Mexico; Honorable Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator from Washington; Honorable Larry E. Craig, U.S. Senator from Idaho; Dr. Timothy Creal, Superintendent, Custer School District, Custer, South Dakota; James B. French, Trinity County Superintendent of Schools, Weaverville, California; Reta Griffith, Commissioner, Pocahontas County, West Virginia; Honorable Tim Johnson, U.S. Senator from South Dakota; Sherry Krulitz, Commissioner, Shoshone County, Idaho on Behalf of the National Association of Counties and the Idaho Association of Counties; Tim Lillebo, Conservation Policy Advocate, Oregon Natural Resources Council, Bend, Oregon; Mark Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture; Honorable Ken Salazar, U.S. Senator from Colorado; Ed Shepard, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior; Ed Wehrheim, Chairman, Catron County Commission, Catron County, New Mexico; Honorable Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator from Oregon.

In his opening statement, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman, Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development, stated that one responsibility of Congress is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent for the purposes intended and for the children intended. Between January 2003 and the first months of this year, there were numerous accounts from communities across the country of serious financial abuses or irregularities by individuals or entities entrusted with Head Start dollars. That is why the House and Senate Education Committee leaders asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look into allegations of financial abuse and irregularities by the local agencies or individuals entrusted with Head Start funds. The purpose of this hearing was to consider the findings of the GAO report as well as its recommendations for how the Department of Health and Human Services can do a better job of overseeing the spending of Head Start money. Among those testifying were witnesses, representatives of the writers of the GAO report and of the Federal managers of the Head Start money as well as representatives from the community agencies that actually administer and use the Head Start money. Testifying before the Subcommittee were: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chairman, Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development; Michael B. Enzi, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA); Wade Horn, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Marnie S. Shaul, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Christopher Dodd (D-CT); Jim Caccamo, Director, Metropolitan Council on Early Learning, Kansas City, MO; A.C. Wharton, Mayor, Shelby County, TN; Yvonne Gates, Director for Marketing and Community Relations, Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach, Clark County, NV; Olivia A. Golden, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute; and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY). Additional material (statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.) were submitted by: Wade F. Horn (in response to questions of Senator Enzi); Wade F. Horn (in response to questions of Senator Ensign); Government Accountability Office (in response to questions of Senator Alexander); Mayor A.C. Wharton (in response to question of Senator Alexander); and Olivia A. Golden (in response to questions of Senator Enzi). (Contains 4 figures.)

The purpose of these hearings was to explore the problems that unaccredited, substandard colleges and universities, often referred to as diploma mills, pose to the Federal Government and to private-sector employers. The schools examined during these hearings practice a sophisticated form of deception and they charge students accordingly. All of the schools we investigated gave credit for prior work or life experience, even for advanced degrees, which is very rare among accredited institutions. One institution's list of life experiences that could qualify for academic credit included horseback riding, playing golf, pressing flowers, serving on a jury, and planning a trip. The schools examined also required their students to do some modicum of work, either tests or papers or both, and they at least give the impression that the school includes professors with suitable academic credentials who actually play a role in the school's academic programs. The danger of these more sophisticated diploma mills is that they can attract a far broader range of students. The schools investigated take pains to try to convince prospective students that they are legitimate and that students have to earn their degrees. That is why a healthy dose of credit for work and life experience becomes such a critical component of their business model. That is what permits these more sophisticated diploma mills to assume an air of legitimacy while minimizing the actual amount of work required. During the two days of these hearings, the focus was on the challenges posed by diploma mills to the Federal Government. Opening statements at the hearings were provided by: Senators Collins; Akaka; Lautenberg; Carper; Durbin; Lieberman; and Pryor. Witnesses provided testimonies and prepared statements on both days of the hearings. An appendix presents: (1) memorandum dated April 15, 2004; and (2) questions and responses for the record from various participants. (Contains 31 exhibits.)

A Senate committee hearing received testimony on the problems of Native American youth and programs addressing those problems. Speakers included representatives of the American Academy of Pediatrics, United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY), Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Oral and written comments and materials focused on Native youth problems with substance abuse, poverty, hopelessness, lack of economic and employment opportunities on reservations, health disparities and unmet health needs, high rates of obesity and diabetes, high rates of motor vehicle injuries and suicide, and high dropout rates. Current programs and initiatives addressing such problems are described, including targeted advertising and public communications strategies to spread the anti-drug message; the BIA's Family and Child Education (FACE) program, which promotes family and parent involvement in children's education from birth to first grade; UNITY programs related to leadership training, youth empowerment, physical fitness, and substance abuse prevention; Native Vision's focus on youth involvement in sports and healthy family lifestyles; and the comprehensive programs of Boys and Girls Clubs and their program involving gang members and "wannabe" gangs. Some private foundations funding such programs are described. Recommendations for further action and federal funding are offered. (SV)

A Senate committee hearing received testimony on the implementation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 in American Indian and Alaska Native tribal communities. The act provided authority for tribal governments to administer welfare programs formerly administered by the states but did not provide funds to develop the infrastructure to administer welfare programs. A panel of researchers from the General Accounting Office and elsewhere reported on an ongoing study of tribal welfare programs, focusing on economic conditions on Indian reservations; changes in the numbers of Indian welfare recipients since the law was enacted; how the law's flexibility has allowed recipients to engage in traditional subsistence activities and self-employment and pursue education and job training; and tribes' lack of administrative experience and necessary infrastructure, such as automated data systems. Written statements and testimony from Senators and representatives of various tribes, American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, and federal and state agencies discussed poverty and unemployment in Indian country, needs of tribal governments for administrator training and technical assistance, the need for financial assistance to develop small businesses, policy and governance problems in relationships between state and tribal programs, the need for "rural/frontier status" for isolated areas, inadequate funding to meet education and job training needs, needs for child care assistance, and descriptions of tribal welfare services. Many witnesses supported a proposed "American Indian Welfare Reform Act." (SV)

Noting the significant increase since 1990 in food-borne illnesses affecting school children, these hearings transcripts provide testimony on the safety of federal school lunches. Statements by Senator Richard Durbin and Representatives Stephen Horn, Janice Schakowsky, and Carolyn Maloney emphasized the array of federal agencies with various food safety responsibilities, food safety agencies' inability to mandate food recalls, and the need for better cooperation and communication between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Representative Rosa DeLauro discussed findings of unsanitary conditions and unsafe food handling practices in Chicago area schools, recordkeeping flaws preventing officials from tracing food contamination to its source, the need to consolidate and streamline the number of federal agencies/committees responsible for protecting food, and the need to give the USDA and FDA authority to conduct mandatory recalls. General Accounting Office testimony recommended making schools aware of federal inspection and compliance records of potential food suppliers and described USDA and FDA measures to protect the food supply from deliberate contamination. Officials from the FDA and USDA described their respective roles in ensuring food safety and procedures for responding to illness outbreaks. An official of the Center for Science in the Public Interest discussed gaps in the food safety system and urged passage of the Durbin-DeLauro Safe Food Act. Two parents from a food safety advocacy group testified about their childrens food-borne illnesses, urged trace-back capability and accountability, advocated a single food safety agency, and maintained that overemphasizing consumer education misdirects responsibility for food safety from producers to consumers. Counsel for the National Food Processors Association asserted that mandatory recall is unnecessary because of industry cooperation with federal recall requests and maintained that a single food safety agency is not likely to provide the kinds of benefits proposed. Questions for witnesses related to interagency cooperation and communication, bioterrorism possibilities, specific incidents of foodborne illnesses and the followup investigations, USDA guidance to districts regarding procurement procedures, and concerns about due process. Appended to the transcripts are prepared statements, letters, and charts illustrating the school lunch supply chain and food safety oversight responsibilities. (KB)

A U.S. Senate committee hearing received testimony on proposed amendments to the Education Amendments of 1978 and the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988. The amendments deal with accreditation and academic standards for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools, facilities standards for BIA school dormitories, geographical attendance area boundaries for BIA schools, instructions to the General Accounting Office to conduct a national survey of the physical condition of all BIA-funded school facilities, facilities construction priorities and funding, federal funding formulas for BIA schools, administrative cost grants, establishment of a Division of Budget Analysis within the BIA's Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP), the system of uniform direct funding and support for BIA schools, policy for Indian control of Indian education, school board training, hiring and qualifications of Indian education personnel, discharge and conditions of employment of educators, compensation or salaries for teachers and counselors, early childhood development programs, tribal departments of education, grants to tribally controlled schools, and eligibility for such grants. Statements and testimony were received from U.S. senators, the director of OIEP, and representatives of national and tribal organizations concerned with Indian education. Additional materials include details of educational facilities needs, estimated construction costs, and photographs of facilities on the Tohono O'odham Nation. (SV)

A U.S. Senate committee hearing received testimony on the Indian School Construction Act, which would establish a bonding authority for leveraging existing tribal education funds through bonds to fund tribal school construction, maintenance, and repair. The testimony from U.S. senators and representatives of the Department of the Interior and American Indian organizations discussed the following: the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school construction and repair backlog of over $1 billion; the terrible condition of school facilities on Indian reservations; the need to regard any bonding initiative as a supplement, not a replacement, to federal appropriations; the specific details of how tribes would issue bonds that would be secured by federal money in an escrow account and would have interest payments covered by federal tax credits; the question of federal loan guarantees; and the nature of the federal government's trust responsibility concerning educational assistance to tribes. The complete text of the Act is included. (SV)

This report focuses on the Educational Opportunities Act, S. 2, which was designed to reauthorize and improve programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for the next 5 years. It describes the purposes of the Act's 11 titles, which focus on the following issues: helping disadvantaged children meet high standards; teacher quality; enrichment activities; safe and drug-free schools; educational opportunity initiatives; innovative education; Impact Aid; general provisions; and amendments to other acts. The report's 11 sections are: (1) "Purpose and Summary"; (2) "Background and Need for the Legislation"; (3) "History of the Legislation and Votes in Committee"; (4) "Explanation of the Bill and Committee Views"; (5) "Cost Estimate"; (6) "Regulatory Impact Statement"; (7) "Application of Law to the Legislative Branch"; (8) "Section-by-Section Analysis"; (9) "Additional Views"; (10) "Minority Views"; and (11) "Changes in Existing Law." (SM)

This transcript records testimony concerning Senate Bill 2490 which would bar federal aid from being used at colleges that directly or indirectly discriminate against off-campus businesses. The bill responds to difficulties small businesses have in competing with college campus bookstores due to the ability of colleges to channel student financial aid to college businesses and college bookstores. Following opening statements by Senators Lauch Faircloth and Olympia J. Snowe, the transcript presents the full testimonies of the following individuals: Graham Gillette, on behalf of Campus Bookstores, Inc.; William D. Gray, president of Gray's College Bookstore and national chairman of the Campus Area Small Business Alliance; Rob Karr, representing the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, and Anthony Samu, president of the United States Student Association. Also included are comments for the record from: John-Paul de Bernardo, of Campus Area Small Business Alliance; Daniel Lieberman, of Dynamic Student Services; David Longanecker, of the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education; and Richard C. Yount, Loupots Bookstores of Houston, Inc. (DB)

This hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on examining legislation authorizing funds for the Elementary Secondary Education Act, focusing on educational technology programs, contains statements by: James M Jeffords, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Barbara Means, Assistant Director, Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International, Menlo Park, California; Phil Hyjek, School Information Technology Specialist, Vermont Institute for Science, Math, and Technology, Waterbury Center; Patty Murray, Senator from Washington State; Jeff Bingaman, Senator from New Mexico; Ervin Duggan, President, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Alexandria, Virginia; Daniel Hogan, participant, PBS Mathline Program, Cincinnati, Ohio; Inabeth Miller, President, the Jason Foundation for Education, Waltham, Massachusetts, accompanied by Georgene Lytle, third grade teacher, Wooster, Ohio; Michael Pitroff, Project Director, Baltimore Learning Community, Baltimore, Maryland; and Carmen Gonzales, Director, Regional Educational Technology Assistance Project, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico. (MES)

The Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the U.S. Senate, held February 11, 1999, contains opening statements by Senators Jeffords, Hutchinson, Hagel, Sessions, Kennedy, Dodd, and Murray; prepared statements by educators, school board personnel, and a state representative; and additional material on education budget proposals and federal funding for education. (DFR)

A joint report by members of two Congressional Committees examined the proposed bill to carry out the National Sea Grant College Program Act and recommended that the bill be passed. The Sea Grant College Program Act authorizes appropriations for the National Sea Grant Program, which provides grants to support university-based marine research, education, and advisory services, and repeals the Strategic Marine Research Program. The committees supported a 5-year reauthorization at levels that would permit the continuation of the existing network without reduction. The committees reviewed the legislative history of this reauthorization and authorized levels of funding for 5 years with cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. An examination of the regulatory impact of the bill found that as the bill reauthorizes an existing program, no additional regulatory, economic, paperwork, or personal privacy burdens would be imposed on individuals or businesses. However, because the Strategic Marine Research Program component of the National Sea Grant Program duplicated another program, it was repealed. The report analyzes the bill section by section and indicates changes and omissions from the original bill. (JB)

At an Espanola (New Mexico) hearing, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies of the Senate Committee on Appropriations heard testimony on heroin addiction and intervention efforts in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. An opening statement of Senator Pete Domenici outlined the problem of an epidemic of black tar heroin addiction afflicting the county, with accompanying crime and delinquency problems. A representative of the federal Office of Justice Programs (OJP) described relevant OJP initiatives, particularly Weed and Seed, which provides funding for community law enforcement, drug treatment programs, and after-school youth activities aimed at drug and delinquency prevention. Other federal officials discussed block grants and state incentive grants for drug prevention and treatment programs, the Starting Early Starting Smart program for children aged 0-7, physical and mental health problems related to drug abuse, the science of heroin addiction and treatment, and science-based drug education materials for grades 5-9. Representatives of state and local agencies discussed substance abuse-related detention costs; substance abuse, mental health, and related medical costs for local prisoners; the Rio Arriba Strategic Plan for Substance and Alcohol Abuse and Treatment; the rationale for a county-wide plan; current substance abuse reduction activities in the county; youth development as primary prevention; the high rates of drug-related death in New Mexico; the special problems of isolated rural communities; and a drug treatment program based on yoga, meditation, and nutrition. (SV)

These hearings addressed three measures introduced to the Senate: the Excellence in Teaching Act, S. 1675; the National Teacher Act of 1989, S. 1676; and the Teacher's Professional Development Act, S. 498. The key provisions of the bills focus on: (1) addressing the teacher shortage through a revitalized Teacher Corps Program providing scholarships to college and graduate students who agree to teach for 5 years after graduation; (2) placing special emphasis on training teachers in areas of urgent need, such as math, science, bilingual education, special education, and early childhood education; (3) encouraging minority recruitment through magnet schools, residential summer institutes for disadvantaged high school students, education programs at historically black colleges and universities, and improved coordination between two- and four-year institutions; and (4) providing inservice training through professional development academies and offering a range of incentives for teachers to continue in the profession. (JD)

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 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)

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 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)

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)

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing to assess the success of Public Law 102-477, the Indian Employment, Training, and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992. Specifically, the hearing looked at how well the Act is working in terms of enhancing program efficiency, reducing unemployment in Native communities, and improving availability of employment and other services to Native people. The intent of Congress in enacting the Act was to allow tribal authorities to consolidate federal formula-funded programs into a single program, and to achieve efficiencies in that consolidation. The Act allows consolidation of 11 programs of the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and will be extended to include welfare reform in July 1997. At the time of the hearing, participants included 18 grantees representing 177 federally recognized tribes. Representatives of the BIA testified about the Act's success in reducing administrative burdens on the tribes, the BIA's reluctance to support inclusion of Johnson O'Malley funds in the program, and cash flow problems. Representatives of tribes and intertribal organizations described their programs and discussed program successes in terms of increased tribal involvement, job placements, and intertribal cooperation and decreased costs and paperwork; implications for tribal implementation of welfare reform; and repeated bureaucratic delays in dealing with the BIA. (SV)

This hearing presents testimony on Medicare support for graduate medical education in light of Clinton Administration and other reform proposals to reduce the number of specialized residencies in teaching hospitals. The testimony includes opening statements by Senator William V. Roth, Jr., chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, and Senator Phil Gramm. Bruce Vladeck, administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration offered a statement as administration witness. Statements by public witnesses included those of: Robert Crittenden of the University of Washington School of Medicine; Don E. Detmer, on behalf of the Association of Academic Health Centers; Spencer Foreman, on behalf of the Greater New York Hospital Association of Academic Health; and Ralph W. Muller, on behalf of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Appended are prepared statements by the witnesses and communications regarding graduate medical education reform from the Alaska Family Practice Residency, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, American Association of Dental Schools, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Hospital Association, National Association of Children's Hospitals, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, and National League for Nursing. (MDM)

This hearing discussed proposed legislation authorizing funds for programs of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Opening statements by senators Fred Thompson, Joseph R. Biden, Herbert Kohl, Orrin G. Hatch, Charles E. Grassley, and Alan K. Simpson introduced the issue. Presentations involved two panels. The first consisted of Steve A. Carson, Chief of Police, LaFollette, TN; Byron Oedekoven, Sheriff, Campbell County, WY; Ray Luick, Administrative Officer, Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance, Madison, WI; and William R. Woodward, Director, Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Public Safety, Denver, CO. The second included S. Camille Anthony, Executive Director, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Salt Lake City, UT; Jerry Regier, Director, Oklahoma Department of Juvenile Justice, Oklahoma City, OK; Patricia West, Director, Virginia Department of Youth and Family Services, Richmond, VA; Marion Kelly, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services; and Robert G. Schwartz, Chairman, Juvenile Justice Committee, American Bar Association, Philadelphia, PA. An appendix presents questions to witnesses on both panels from the Committee on the Judiciary and responses from the panelists. Additional submissions include letters to Senator Thompson from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice and from the Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Public Safety; a biography of Jerry Paul Regier; and prepared statements from Gary B. Melton for the American Psychological Association; Lavonda Taylor for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice; and Barry Krisbert, President, National Council on Crime and Delinquency. (SM)

This hearing focused on a bill to amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to identify violent and hard core juvenile offenders and treat them as adults. Opening statements by four U.S. senators (the Honorable Fred Thompson, Herbert Kohl, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., and Orrin G. Hatch) present various perspectives on the role of the federal government in dealing with the problem of increasing youth violence. Following that are prepared statements by Senator John Ashcroft; Shay Bilchik, Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice; a panel consisting of Laurie E. Ekstrand, Associate Director, Administration of Justice Issues, General Government Division, U.S. General Accounting Office; Ira Schwartz, Dean, School of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania; and Lavonda Taylor, Chair, Coalition for Juvenile Justice, West Memphis, AR; and a panel consisting of Marvin E. Wolfgang, Professor of Criminology and of Law and Director, Selin Criminology Center, University of Pennsylvania; Delbert S. Elliott, Director, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado, Boulder; and Terence P. Thornberry, Professor, School of Criminal Justice, State University of New York at Albany, NY. An appendix presents questions and answers. (SM)

This document contains proceedings of the hearing held on September 12, 1995, before the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, which is a subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. The purpose of the hearing was to hear testimony on the funding for Goals 2000, the Educate America Act. The document contains the opening remarks of Senators Arlen Specter, Harry Reid, Judd Gregg, Slade Gorton, and James M. Jeffords. It contains a summary of and the full prepared statement made by the Secretary of Education, Richard M. Riley. The document also contains the Secretary's responses to senators' questions about the following issues: the possible elimination of the National Education Standards and Improvement Council; the secretarial review of state improvement plans and standards; direct federal grants to localities; national history standards; application requirements for Goals 2000; the importance of Goals 2000 to the economy; and set-aside funds for national programs. The document also contains the statement of Ovide Lamontagne, chairman of the New Hampshire State Board of Education and his answers to queries about federal requirements. (LMI)

The purpose of this hearing was to probe a pattern of fraud and abuse in the Pell Grant Program for postsecondary students, focusing specifically on the IADE American Schools, a for-profit vocational school with campuses in the Los Angeles (California) area and serving primarily Hispanic students. In his opening remarks Senator Roth detailed a history of prior abuses of the program and lax oversight by the Department of Education. Senator Nunn, after summarizing a five-year series of hearings, reports, and recommendations, testified that a year-long investigation of the IADE schools had uncovered serious misconduct, abuses, and possibly fraudulent practices. He charged that the Department was not only incapable of preventing a fraudulent institution from participating in student aid programs but was also unable to detect or pursue such fraudulent activities. Following the senators' opening statements, the Subcommittee team investigating IADE schools reported its findings. David Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, then reviewed the Department's procedures and policies, stating that oversight was being improved. The final testimony was a report from the U.S. General Accounting Office assessing the Department's effectiveness in using student aid data to ensure compliance and prevent abuses. An appendix contains the texts of the witnesses' prepared statements. 56 exhibit statements are listed separately. (CH)

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)

A hearing before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs received testimony concerning the feasibility of providing direct federal funding through block grants to tribes and the ability of tribes to administer local welfare and social services programs. An Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) listed federal human services programs with specific funding allocations for Native Americans, described federal support to tribal governments in providing services to children and families, and discussed the Clinton Administration's support for welfare reform but opposition to the block grant approach. A representative of the Office of Inspector General, DHHS, reported on a study indicating that the current structure of DHHS programs created a barrier to tribal governments receiving federal funds for foster care and other child welfare services. Other witnesses included U.S. Senators; other elected officials; and representatives of numerous tribes, tribal agencies, and national Indian organizations. Their testimony included the following topics: high levels of poverty and unemployment on reservations, the need for tribal governments to design and manage their own social services programs, concern that tribal sovereignty and the special government-to-government relationship between the tribes and the federal government be maintained, avoidance of conflict between tribal and state governments, tribal determination of its service population, and service delivery by multitribal consortia. Appendix of written statements includes program descriptions and funding details. (SV)

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs received testimony from representatives of federal agencies as to how the U.S. government might better address the needs of American Indian youth through the development of federal laws, programs, and policies. The hearing was a followup to an oversight hearing 1 month earlier in which American Indian young people identified critical challenges they face. In oral testimony and written statements, senators and representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); the Indian Health Service (IHS); and the Departments of Labor, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) discussed the following topics: (1) the high rates of substance abuse, suicide, and teen pregnancy among American Indian youth; (2) problems of alcoholism and child abuse and neglect on Indian reservations; (3) summer youth employment programs sponsored through the Job Training Partnership Act, and proposed budget rescissions that would eliminate the programs; (4) the extent of crime in Indian country, and federal assistance to tribal law enforcement, tribal courts, and social services for delinquency prevention and intervention; (5) child health and family well-being; (6) HUD programs for Indian youth, focusing on drug elimination, sports, cultural activities, and Boys and Girls Clubs; (7) BIA efforts in the areas of child abuse prevention, parent education, youth entrepreneurship, health promotion, school improvement, drug abuse prevention in schools and communities, and gang resistance training; (8) IHS services related to physical and mental health; and (9) implications for tribes of the new block grants to states, including lists of programs to be terminated or amended. (SV)

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 presents witness testimony and supplemental materials from a Congressional hearing called to assess the effectiveness of federally funded educational technology programs, particularly Technology for Education, Star Schools, Ready to Learn Television, and Mathline. Other educational technologies were introduced at the hearing as well, so that all could be prioritized in light of new presidential budget requests. Senators whose remarks or questions comprise part of the document include Thad Cochran, James Jeffords, Ernest Hollings, and Mark Hatfield. Other witnesses include: (1) Madeleine Kunin, Department of Education; (2) Tom Burnham, Mississippi superintendent of education; (3) Gary Vance, Satellite Educational Resources Consortium; (4) Walt Hindenlang, Hughes Electronics Galaxy Institute for Education; (5) Benito Casados, Hughes Electronics Galaxy Institute for Education; (6) Carolyn Reid-Wallace, Corporation for Public Broadcasting; (7) Joy Rouse, St. Louis County, Missouri Board of Education; (8) Beryl Jackson, PBS Mathline; (9) Joan Miller, West Sylvan Middle School, Portland, Oregon; (10) Margaret G. Kelly, International Society for Technology in Education; (11) Jeanne Hayes, Quality Education Data; (12) Anne Miller, Eastmen Kodak Co.; (13) Kathleen Fulton, Office of Technology Assessment; (14) Linda Morra, General Accounting Office; and (15) John Cradler. (Contains 30 tables.) (BEW)

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 report presents the text, background, and analysis of proposed amendments to the Indian Education Act of 1972. The amendments reauthorize the Indian Education Act, revise existing law to improve administration of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) education programs, and incorporate school reform legislation enacted in Goals 2000 (the Educate America Act). The Indian Education Act funds 185 BIA-operated or tribally operated schools and dormitories on 63 American Indian reservations; supplemental programs for Indian children in over 1,200 public school districts; and competitive grants to support planning, demonstration projects, fellowships and professional development for Indians, and agency administrative budgets. While reauthorizing formula grants for supplemental programs, the amendments specify minimums for program enrollment and funding; require applicants to provide a comprehensive plan covering objectives, coordination of funds, teacher training, student evaluation, and dissemination of assessment results to parents; and require the school district to assess Indian student needs. The amendments also reauthorize the six Indian Education Technical Assistance Centers, provide educational planning grants to tribal governments, provide for revision of BIA education standards to reflect community goals, authorize new funding for Indian and Alaska Native language instruction, address the enormous backlog of needs for school construction, and change criteria for investment of endowment funds of the tribally controlled community colleges. Includes a Congressional Budget Office cost estimate. (SV)

This report of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources recommends that appropriations be authorized for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Historic Building Restoration and Preservation Act (H.R. 2921), as amended. The bill provides the authorization necessary to appropriate funds for structures located on the campuses of HBCUs that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or that are designated a National Historic Landmark. The bill provides authorization for the use of $10 million for grants to 11 projects identified as the most historically significant and critically threatened structures and $5 million to Fisk University, to be funded through the Historic Preservation Fund. The report outlines the bill's legislative history, Committee recommendations and tabulation of votes, Committee amendments, a section-by-section analysis, cost and budgetary considerations, regulatory impact evaluation, and communications from the Department of the Interior. (JDD)

The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs heard testimony on the proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as it relates to American Indian education. ESEA incorporates virtually all major programs constituting federal aid to education; of particular concern to American Indians and Alaska Natives is the title called the Indian Education Act, as well as titles providing for the education of economically disadvantaged children, bilingual education, and impact aid. Statements were received from U.S. Senators, administrators of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the U.S. Department of Education, and representatives of regional and national Indian education associations. Topics and issues discussed included mechanisms for developing tribal and BIA standards consistent with Goals 2000 standards, BIA budget preparation procedures, teacher salaries in BIA schools, parent participation in goal setting, the formula for allocating impact aid to public school districts serving Indian children, state-tribal relationships, Native language preservation and cultural maintenance, the definition of "Indian," appointment and status of the Director of the Office of Indian Education in the U.S. Department of Education, need for additional funding to BIA schools due to increasing student enrollments, eligibility of BIA schools for Chapter I funds, inability of tribal school boards to fire long-term BIA "status quo" employees at local schools, and needs for school construction and maintenance. An appendix contains additional materials on these topics as well as program descriptions, funding formulas, and information on the need for Indian Technical Assistance Centers. (SV)

This Senate report delivered by Mr. Kennedy describes elements of the Human Services Reauthorization (HSR) Act of 1994. It provides: (1) a summary of the bill which reauthorizes funding for Head Start, the Community Services Block Grant, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the Family Resource Program for fiscal years 1995 through 1998 (1999 in the case of the Energy Assistance Program); (2) background information on the programs funded by the HSR Act, and the continuing need for such programs; (3) a brief history of the 1994 reauthorization legislation; (4) an explanation of the bill and committee views on allocation of funds, performance standards, outcome measures, monitoring, quality improvement, eligibility, facilities, and service delivery; (5) program cost estimates; (6) regulatory impact; (7) section-by-section analysis of the HSR Act's modifications to existing legislation; (8) committee action on the bill; and (9) the text of the statutes to be amended or replaced by the HSR Act. (MDM)

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"; (4) Mathematics, Science, and Engineering"; and (5) "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 National Science Foundation Act of 1950; and the Excellence in Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education Act of 1990. Among the subjects addressed are institutional and student financial assistance; educator recruitment, retention, and development; international education programs; academic facility improvement and construction; cooperative education; land-grant status for colleges in the United States, Virgin Islands, and Guam; postsecondary education legislation directed at American Indians; and educational improvements in the areas of mathematics and the sciences. (GLR)

This hearing examined issues concerning Project Head Start quality and expansion. Testimony was offered by: (1) Senator Edward Kennedy, who discussed the importance of strengthening Head Start; (2) Mary Jo Bane, Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, who presented highlights of the final report of the Advisory Committee on Head Start Expansion and answered questions about the committee's work; (3) Ronald Herndon, president of the National Head Start Association, who spoke about his experiences as a Head Start program director; (4) Diane Hebert, a parent and committee member of a Head Start program who related how Head Start had helped her and her children; (5) Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund, who lauded the expansion of Head Start; (6) Edward Zigler, one of the founders of Head Start, who called for more focused appropriations for the program; (7) Douglas Besharov, a scholar with the American Enterprise Institute, who warned that Head Start may be less cost effective than other forms of preschool education; and (8) Lisbeth Schorr of Harvard University, who argued that children should enter Head Start at an earlier age. (MDM)

A Senate committee hearing received testimony on the Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act, which would extend land-grant status and concomitant federal aid to 29 Indian tribal colleges and postsecondary institutions. Senators and representatives of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Navajo Community College, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Sinte Gleska University, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Indian Education Programs endorsed the act and discussed the analogies between the mission of tribal colleges and that of present land-grant institutions, the underfunding of tribal colleges, the need for education in agriculture and natural resource management on American Indian reservations, and the opportunity for expanded rural extension initiatives that land-grant status would provide. Additional materials submitted to the committee include a list of the benefits of land-grant status; a description of the mission, philosophy, programs, students, and needs of Navajo Community College (NCC); statistical information on the Navajo community and economy; results of a survey of NCC graduates; and a proposed amendment to the bill. (SV)

This special hearing, held in Portland, Oregon, addressed the concept of allowing states and local governments more flexibility in their use of federal funds designated for educational programs in exchange for increased state and local accountability. It focused on programs and policies in place or under consideration in the states of Oregon and Washington. Testimony was presented by: (1) U.S. Representative Jolene Unsoeld of Washington; (2) Oregon State Senator Shirley Gold; (3) U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon; (4) school superintendents from Salem, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington; (5) Oregon State Representative Carolyn Oakley; (6) the heads of boards of education in Salem and Trigard, Oregon; (7) teachers, principals, and a professor from Oregon public schools and universities; and (8) David Geiger, president of the Oregon School Boards Association. (MDM)

A Senate committee hearing received testimony on the condition of facilities at tribal colleges and on the role that telecommunications technology might perform in helping tribal colleges accomplish their mission. Representatives of tribal colleges described inadequate and unsafe buildings with leaky roofs and structural problems, trailers and donated spaces used as classrooms, problems with electricity and other utilities, growing enrollments and overcrowding, and the lack of federal funds for building repair and renovation. The telecommunications project director of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium summarized plans for an educational telecommunications network that would link tribal colleges, reservation schools, and tribal community-services agencies. Appendices contain prepared statements that describe the history of federal funding for tribal telecommunications and distance-learning projects; provide details on funding needed for construction projects and telecommunications equipment; and discuss the history, socio-political environment, physical resources, educational accomplishments, enrollment trends, construction and renovation needs, and costs of capital improvement and renovation projects at Navajo Community College (Arizona/New Mexico). Photographs of Sinte Gleska University (South Dakota) facilities are included. (SV)

Testimony on federal aid to higher education in Africa is recorded in this report of a congressional hearing. Subcommittee chairman Senator Paul Simon opened by describing his hope that more U.S. aid be directed to the relatively new but now deteriorating African institutions of higher education. John Hicks, from the Bureau for Africa at the Agency for International Development, testified on early efforts to assist Kenya and Uganda, past assistance in agricultural higher education, and current activities. Fred Hayward, of the American Council on Education, testified by comparing U.S. and African higher education. Frank Morris, Dean of Graduate Study and Research at Morgan State University (Maryland), testified about using indigenous experts, policies that encourage short-term solutions, and the untapped resources of the historically black colleges and universities in the U.S. Carl Schieren of the African American Institute testified on the role of African higher education in national development and the extreme challenges that hinder their efforts. Pearl Robinson of Tufts University (Massachusetts) testified on three programs of the African Academy of Sciences. Also included are prepared statements of all the witnesses and a record of the verbal testimony and questions that followed. (JB)

In this report, the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources--to which Senate Bill 1513 was referred--recommends that the bill pass as amended, thereby clearing the way for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 legislation, including Title 1. Title 1 funds have been a major factor in providing locally operated "compensatory" educational programs, as well as other educational programs. Renamed the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, the legislation is designed to continue improvement of learning and teaching and also to realign federal educational policy and programs to achieve the educational objectives of the Goals 2000 bill. The report is divided into nine sections. The first 123 pages contain sections on: (1) introduction to and purpose of the legislation; (2) committee views; (3) tabulation of votes cast in committee; (4) cost estimate of the legislation; (5) regulatory impact statement; (6) section-by-section analysis of the bill; (7) additional views of Senator Dave Durenberger; and (8) minority views of Senator Dan Coats. Section 9, the remaining 457 pages, examines changes in existing law that would result from passage of this bill. (ET)

These hearings transcripts present testimony regarding reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). "Chapter 1" of this legislation is a central part of federal education policy. Education is currently funded at about $7 billion a year; an additional $700 million, or 10 percent, is budgeted for the coming fiscal year. These hearings are in response to the Clinton Administration's proposal to reform, simplify, and refund the current funding program. The proposal is titled "The improving America's Schools Act in 1993." This reauthorization proposal is placed within an overall framework for educational reform and reflects the objectives of Goals 2000, raising standards for the education of all children. It also realigns the ESEA with state and local reform efforts in the Goals 2000 bill. Statements are divided into 10 areas: (1) Reauthorization of ESEA; (2) Current Status of Chapter 1; (3) New Directions for Chapter 1; (4) Professional Development: ESEA Reauthorization; (5) ESEA: School Libraries and Family Literacy; (6) ESEA Reauthorization School Improvement Programs: Focusing on What Works; (7) another section on ESEA Reauthorization; (8) Making the Transition to School: Early Childhood Programs and Parental Involvement; (9) Foreign Language Education in Elementary Schools; and (10) School Improvement Programs Focusing on What Works. These hearings include a statement from Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, on the proposed legislation. Early childhood education is specifically addressed in a 50-page section of the statement, in which representatives from: Headstart; PTA; National Association of State Boards of Education, Early Childhood Services; Youth Guidance; and other organizations aligned with education speak to the issues, in general supporting the "Improving America's Schools" proposal. (ET)

This report provides background on Senate Bill 1345 to establish land-grant status for 24 tribally controlled community colleges, 2 tribally controlled vocational colleges, 2 Bureau of Indian Affairs postsecondary institutions, and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Brief sections describe the history of the 73 existing land-grant institutions, the benefits of land-grant status, and the present status and enrollments of the 29 Indian institutions. This committee report amends the bill and recommends passage. The bill authorizes an endowment of $23 million for the 29 institutions; an annual appropriation of $50,000 for each institution to be used for instruction in food and agricultural sciences; an annual appropriation of $5 million for state land-grant colleges entering into cooperative agreements with the designated institutions for the delivery of extension services; and an appropriation of $1.7 million for 5 years for construction of research facilities. Dr. John Tippeconnic, Director of Office of Indian Education Programs, testified that the Bureau of Indian Affairs supports the bill and points out that Indian colleges serve the special needs of the rural Indian population in much the same way as land-grant colleges serve the rural population. (KS)

This report recommends a legislative amendment authorizing grants to support arts and culture development programs for Alaska Natives in the same manner as such programs are currently supported for Native Hawaiians. Missionaries and school teachers who arrived in Alaska in the late 19th and early 20th centuries attempted to impress their languages, customs, and values upon Alaska Natives and encouraged the abandonment of Native arts and cultures. While U.S. policy compelled the abandonment of indigenous languages and cultures well into the 20th century, Congress has in recent years authorized special programs to enable American Indians and Native Hawaiians to recover and sustain their arts and cultures. Due to the large distance between Hawaii and the mainland United States, Congress has enacted legislation to preserve and protect Hawaiian culture separate from legislation covering American Indian culture. Similarly, support for arts and culture development of Alaska's Eskimos, Aleuts, and Indians should be provided in Alaska. A possible beneficiary of the amendment may be the Alaska Native Heritage Park, a statewide Alaska Native cultural center in planning for almost 12 years. Includes the text of the proposed amendment to Section 1521 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1986 (the Program for Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Development) and a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office of approximately $2 million annually. (SV)

Of the 54 million acres of Indian-owned lands held in trust by the United States, approximately 75 percent is used for agricultural production. Nevertheless, in 1993 over 1.1 million acres of Indian agricultural lands lay idle. The American Indian Agricultural Resource Management Act seeks to establish a viable system for management and administration of Indian owned agricultural lands, enhance the production capabilities of Indian ranchers and farmers, affirm the authority of tribal governments in the management of Indian agricultural lands, and enhance educational opportunities for Indian students in the management of Indian natural resources. These two reports recommend passage of the act, and describe demographic and historical background for Indian agricultural programs; Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) agriculture programs and their staffing; educational and employment opportunities for Native students; and committee and tribal concerns about bureaucratic delays, civil trespass on Indian lands, leasing of Indian agricultural lands, and the rights of Indian landowners. Title II of the act creates: (1) 20 federally funded internship positions for American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled full-time in an agricultural resources study program; (2) a cooperative education program with tribal colleges to recruit Native agricultural students for employment in federal agencies; (3) scholarships for Indians enrolled in accredited agriculture-related programs; (4) an agricultural resource education outreach program for Indian youth; and (5) federal employment for Indian graduates of tribal or BIA agriculture programs, possibly in exchange for assumption of student loans. Includes section-by-section analysis of the act and a cost estimate by the Congressional Budget Office. (SV)