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These hearings transcripts present testimony on proposals to improve the quality of child care in the United States. Both oral and submitted written statements are included. Contributors are: Representative Peter Deutsch (Florida); Senator James M. Jeffords, committee chairman; Senator Mike Enzi (Wyoming); Senator Edward M. Kennedy (Massachusetts); Senator Christopher J. Dodd (Connecticut); Representative Benjamin Gilman (New York); Senator Connie Mack (Florida); Senator Bob Graham (Florida); a Florida couple whose child died while in day care; the principal investigator from the Study of Early Child Care, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; a physician representing the American Academy of Pediatrics; a family child care provider from Connecticut; vice president for global workforce diversity, IBM Corporation; commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services; Governor Jim Hunt (North Carolina); executive director of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies; a representative of the Child Welfare League of America; and executive director of the Early Childhood Development Center Legislative Coalition. (EV)

This congressional report contains testimony pertaining to reauthorization of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which was drafted to authorize funds for programs covered by the act and consolidate, coordinate, and improve employment, training, literacy, and vocational rehabilitation programs in the United States. Statements were provided by three U.S. senators (Mike DeWine, Ohio; Paul D. Wellstone, Minnesota; Tom Harkin, Iowa) and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education; Rehabilitation Services Administration; National Institution of Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission; Vermont Association of Business, Industry, and Rehabilitation; National Council for Independent Living; Fairfax Opportunities Unlimited; Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities; Council for State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation; and Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. An appendix constituting approximately 50% of the document contains statements, articles, publications, and letters that were submitted by 18 individuals and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: Council of Organizational Representatives; National Rehabilitation Association; National Industries for the Blind; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; and American Foundation for the Blind. (MN)

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)

These hearings transcripts present testimony concerning the status of medical and scientific findings on prenatal and postnatal brain development and the implications of federal policies for childhood development. Testimony was offered by Senators Dan Coats (Indiana) and Christopher Dodd (Connecticut); psychology professor Edward Zigler of Yale University; medical and psychological researchers; and spokespersons for child and family advocacy groups. The senators focused on the importance of early brain development and its impact on later development and government programs that assist families in raising children such as Head Start and the Family Medical Leave Act. Medical and university representatives described results of positron emission tomography studies of biochemical brain activity, comparative analyses of brain activity in normal and deprived infants, the critical period in brain growth, auditorially-mediated learning and auditory perception in human newborns, the impact of prenatal substance abuse and postnatal abuse on brain development, and the importance of early experience. Professor Zigler maintained that American society does not support optimal early development and recommended expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, addressing the problem of child care, and supporting expanded parent education programs. A clinical psychologist commented on the need to nurture developing attachment relationships and expressed concerns about day care quality. Child and family advocates recommended that the dependent child care tax credit be made universal and noted bills which could assist home-based businesses and telecommuting employees. Materials supporting the testimony are attached. (KB)

This congressional hearing examines vocational education, adult education, and job training initiatives in Vermont and the role of these programs in developing work force development legislation. Testimony includes statements from a U.S. Senator and individuals representing the following: Vermont Department of Employment and Training; Vermont State Colleges; Vermont Department of Social Welfare; Agency of Commercial and Community Development; Burlington Technical Center; Career and Lifelong Learning, Vermont Department of Education; Lyndon State College; Vermont Adult Education Board; Executive Team of Central Vermont Adult Basic Education; Welfare to Work Programs, Vermont Department of Social Welfare; Mahoney Hardware; Vermont Science and Education Center; Vermont Heating and Ventilating; Vermont Technical College; Champlain Initiative; Governor's Rehabilitation Advisory Council; School-to-Work, Randolph region; Rutland Economic Development Corporation, Rutland Regional Educational Alliance; School-to-Work, Upper Valley; River Bend Career and Technical Center; Bradford Area Workforce Investment Board; Northern New England Tradeswomen; and Northland Job Corps Center. Other statements are from students, apprentices, and instructors from the Northland Job Corps, Essex Technical Center, and Burlington Technical Center. (YLB)

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 report of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources favorably recommends the passage of amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to reauthorize and improve the act. Specific recommended improvements include: (1) decreasing paperwork, (2) providing increased flexibility and lower costs in the delivery of services, (3) enhancing parental input in decision making, (4) making schools safer, and (5) consolidating and targeting discretionary programs. Individual sections of the report present the proposed legislation's purpose and summary, the background and need for this legislation, the history of the legislation and committee action, an explanation of the bill and committee views, the specific amendments to sections of the original act, and a section-by-section analysis. (DB)

This hearing on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, sought public comment in Maine on the cost of higher education and on Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Specifically, these hearings were intended to address the continuing low level of participation in higher education by Maine high school graduates, which was ascribed mainly to the fact that federal aid programs cover a smaller percentage of cost than they did 15 years ago. The hearing, chaired by Senator Susan M. Collins of Maine, heard statements from: Senator James M. Jeffords of Vermont; Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, who planned to introduce a "Go to College" tax incentive act; Melissa Chasse, a student who gave examples of the various federal student aid programs that had enabled her to attend college James Peacock, certified school counselor; Mid-Maine Technical Center; Andrea Cross, director of financial aid, St. Joseph's College; institutional administrators and counselors from Maine colleges, who all noted repayment burdens faced by students; and education policymakers for the state of Maine, who noted the importance of federal student aid programs to students in the state. Walter Moulton, director of student aid at Bowdoin College, presented a prepared statement suggesting three changes to the bill which would: (1) provide an alternative to the Perkins Loan Program; (2) consolidate the Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) program; and (3) allow use of retirement assets to help meet educational expenses. (CH)

This document is a record of the proceedings of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources' discussion on reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The particular focus of the hearing is education and how both endowments support the arts in schools. Comments from Senators James M. Jeffords and Edward M. Kennedy are recorded along with testimony by National Endowment for the Humanities chairman, Sheldon Hackney and National Endowment for the Arts chairman, Jane Alexander. Statements are also made by: Edward L. Ayers, project director, professor of history; Jeff Hooper, producing artistic director, Mad River Theatre Works; Alicia B. Dandridge, sixth grade teacher; Marie H. Reed, Community Learning Center, accompanied by Juanita Beasley and Kessia Cruz, former students; and Victor R. Swenson, executive director, Vermont Council on the Humanities. Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc. are appended. Testimony describes activities made possible by funding from both endowments. Included in the document are reports and empirical data pertaining to arts and humanities education, grant reports, regulatory reports concerning grant recipients, and lists of institutions receiving grants. (RJC)

This congressional report contains testimony examining the status of vocational assistance and its role in work force development and the Clinton Administration's views on reforming the federal investment in vocational education. Testimony was provided by two U.S. senators (James M. Jeffords, Vermont; Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts) and representatives of the following agencies and organizations: U.S. Department of Education; American Federation of Teachers; Vocational Education Task Force; National Center for Research in Vocational Education; Information Technology Association of America; New Urban High School Project; Clark-Theders Insurance Group; Center for Occupational Research and Development; and Office of Vocational and Technical Education of the Mississippi Department of Education. The following were among the topics discussed: the adequacy of vocational education policy and practices for the 21st century; the role of community and technical colleges in labor force development; career guidance and counseling services provided through the Perkins Act; proposed changes in the Perkins Act to streamline the vocational education system, improve it, and increase its flexibility and accountability; vocational education funding formulas and financing; school-to-work; national skill standards; business and industry views regrading the role of vocational education and skills needed for the work; work-based learning; and vocational education in urban settings. (MN)

These hearings transcripts present testimony before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources to address the question of how to improve the health care status of American children. The hearings addressed a range of issues relating to children's health from witnesses with expertise in pediatric care, public health, mental health, and substance abuse. Each witness addressed the following four questions: (1) "What are the health-related needs of children that we should work to fulfill?"; (2) "How can we better address children's health needs through improvements to federally-funded public health programs?"; (3) "How do you propose we address the problem of ensuring health coverage to children who are currently uninsured, and what should be the Federal role in that endeavor?"; and (4) "How might we encourage the private sector to participate in partnerships with our Government and community organizations to address the needs of children?" Specific child health issues addressed by a variety of witnesses included pediatric illness, children not covered by health insurance, quality care, substance abuse, care delivery systems, child and adolescent psychiatric services, oral health, and prenatal care. Speakers included Senators Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), Edward M. Kennedy (Massachusetts) and Barbara A. Mikulski (Maryland); Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala; hospital administrators and other administrators of organizations concerned with child health. (Author/SD)

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 focused on the cause of juvenile crime and the need for juvenile justice reform. On the first day, an opening statement by Senator Joseph R. Biden examined the seriousness of the problem. Two panels contributed prepared statements. The first panel included Jim Hutchinson, Mayor, Dover, DE; Alan Ellingsworth, Colonel, Delaware State Police; George Pipin, Stevenson House, Milford, DE; and Greg Sleet, U.S. Attorney. The second panel included among others George Puliam, Unit Director for the Dover Boys and Girls Club, and Anthony Southerland, Director of the Youth Violence Initiative. On the second day, 13 people delivered statements. They included Jane Brady, Delaware Attorney General; Larry Sullivan, Public Defender; Hon. Vincent Poppiti, Chief Judge, Family Court, Delaware; Tom Gordon, Police Chief; New Castle, DE; Guy Sapp, Director of Division of Rehabilitative Services, Wilmington, DE; Orlando J. George, Jr., President, Delaware Technical and Community College; Hon. Rich Davis, Representative in the State House, DE; and Vince Garlick, President, Stormin' Norman Basketball League. An appendix presents additional submissions. (SM)

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 youth violence and the importance of developing local and state solutions. Senator Fred Thompson made an introductory statement. This was followed by four panels on each of 2 days of testimony. Day one's first panel included involved students and business people from Memphis, TN. The second panel included two Tennessee mayors, the president of the Memphis Board of Education, and the Honorable Kenneth Turner, Juvenile Court Judge, Memphis, TN. The third panel included James Ball, Facility Administrator, Shelby County Training Center, Memphis, TN; Veronica Coleman, U.S. Attorney, Memphis, TN; John W. Pierotti, District Attorney General, Memphis, TN; and Robert Wood, Consultant, Agency for Youth and Family Development, Memphis, TN. The fourth panel included community health workers, advocates, religious representatives from Memphis, TN. Day two's first panel included the Honorable Don Sunquist, Governor, State of Tennessee; George Hattaway, Commissioner of Youth Development, Nashville, TN; and Rita Wadley, Commissioner of Public Health, Nashville, TN. The second panel included the Honorable Beth Halteman Harwell, State Representative, State and Local Government Committee; the Honorable Douglas Henry, State Senator, Special Select Committee on Children and Youth, and Chairman, Finance Ways and Means Committee; and the Honorable Page Walley, State Representative, Special Select Committee on Children and Youth. The third panel included administrators from various community organizations that focused on adolescent needs. The fourth panel included the Honorable Paul R. Wohlford, Judge, Juvenile Court, Bristol, TN; the Honorable Randy Camp, Judge, Crockett County, TN; the Honorable Dan Speer, Mayor, Pulaski, TN; the Honorable Bernie Swiney, Mayor, London, TN; and the Honorable C. Van Deacon, Judge, Juvenile Court, Cleveland, TN. An appendix presents additional submissions for the record. (SM)

This hearing examined the current state of youth violence, focusing on its changing nature and juvenile intervention programs designed to prevent increased violence. Opening statements by Senators Fred Thompson, Herbert Kohl, and Joseph R. Biden addressed the seriousness of the problem. Two panels contributed prepared statements. The first panel included James Alan Fox, Dean, College of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University, Boston, MA; Alfred Blumstein, Professor, the Heinz School, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA; John J. Dilulio, Jr., Director, Center for Public Management, Brookings Institution, Washington, DC; and Eugene F. Rivers, III, Fellow, Center for the Study of Values and Public Life, Harvard Divinity School, and Pastor, Azusa Christian Community, Dorchester, MA. The second panel included the Honorable Carol Kelly, Circuit Court Judge, Oak Park, IL; the Honorable C. Van Deacon, Jr., General Services and Juvenile Circuit Court Judge, Bradley County, TN; Thomas P. Gordon, former Chief of Police, New Castle County, DE; and Steven Hare, Faith City Baptist Church, Newark, DE. (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 hearing report concerns possible antitrust and anticompetitive violations by the College Bowl Alliance consisting of the Southeastern Athletic Conference (SEC), the Big 12, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and the Big East, as well as Notre Dame University; and after 1998 will include PAC-10, Big 10, and the Rose Bowl. An agreement was made between the College Alliance and three Bowls: Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. Under the terms of the agreement, each year a different Alliance bowl is allowed to choose first from among the pool of Alliance conference champions and at-large teams. The stated purpose of this arrangement is to provide a No. 1 versus No. 2 championship match-up every year in a different bowl game. Excluded non-Alliance teams have raised issues involving the selection methods, the consequent disparity in television revenues, and related effects such as the inability to recruit top athletes by non-Alliance teams. Witnesses were grouped into two panels each consisting of individuals for or against the Alliance. Testifying against the Alliance included Senators Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), Robert Bennett (Utah), Craig Thomas (Wyoming), and Michael Enzi (Wyoming); as well as Karl Benson, commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference, and Ron Cooper, former head football coach, University of Louisville, Kentucky. Those testifying in favor of the College Bowl Alliance include Wally Richardson, a graduate of Penn State University, Roy F. Kramer, commissioner of the SEC, James E. Delaney, commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, and Cedric W. Dempsey, executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). An appendix includes the transcript of a question-and-answer session between committee members and various witnesses. (BF)

Senate Bill 363 is designed to protect American children from the harm caused by viewing violence on television. The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that violent video programming be limited to broadcast after the hours when children are reasonably likely to comprise a substantial portion of the audience, unless it is specifically rated on the basis of its violent content so that it is blockable by electronic means specifically on the basis of that content. This report on the Bill provides background information on television violence and details the legislation. Section 1 of the report addresses background and needs for such legislation. Section 2 describes the historical Congressional concern over the amount of violence on television. Section 3 summarizes research on television violence and violent behavior, while section 4 addresses the growth of television violence. Section 5 presents anecdotal evidence of the effect of television violence. Section 6 provides a summary of the response by the television community, including: (1) public service announcement; (2) common television code; (3) warning labels; and (4) industry-proposed ratings system. Section 7 provides response to the industry's proposed ratings system. Section 8 provides summary information on actions taken in other countries. Section 9 discusses the issues of constitutional analysis. The final sections describe the legislative history of this bill. (Author/SD)

This hearing transcript presents testimony exploring how the well-being of abused and neglected children can be improved through an amendment clarifying the "reasonable efforts" requirement of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (1980) to allow the child's health and safety to take precedence over parents' rights. Testimony begins with a statement from Ohio Senator DeWine, which notes the frequency with which abused or neglected children are returned to unsafe or unhealthy home environments, and the number of children in foster care for longer than 2 years. Additional testimony in support of the change is presented from: (1) the acting assistant secretary for Children and Families, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Olivia A. Golden; (2) the director of the University of Rhode Island's Family Violence Research Program, Richard J. Gelles; (3) director of Montgomery County (Ohio) Children Services Board, Helen Leonhart-Jones; and (4) director, Los Angeles County (California) Department of Children and Family Services, Peter Digre. Additional statements, articles, and correspondence--both anecdotal and research-based, are appended from Senator Jeffords, the speakers, and the Child Welfare League of America. (HTH)

Existing U.S. Federal law has not been sufficiently effective in preventing youth violence or in ensuring the punishment of juvenile offenders. Young people are the most violent segment of American society, and there is little reason to believe that a continuation of present Federal policy is likely to reduce youth crime. Bill S. 1952 seeks to make significant changes in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The legislation: (1) makes changes designed to ensure that the Federal Government's policy toward youth violence is focused on those activities that the Federal Government can perform best, that are appropriately Federal, and that would be unlikely to be undertaken by state or local levels of government; (2) eliminates many bureaucratic and procedural requirements of current law; (3) reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and Missing Children's Assistance Act; and (4) repeals authorizations for programs for which there is little or no evidence of success in preventing youth violence and reallocates those funds. The contents of this legislative report, submitted by Mr. Hatch from the Committee on the Judiciary, are: (1) Purpose; (2) Legislative history; (3) Discussion; (4) Vote of the Committee; (5) Section-by-section analysis; (6) Cost estimate; (7) Regulatory impact statement; (8) Additional views of Messrs. Kennedy and Feingold; (9) Additional views of Mr. Kohl; and (10) Changes in existing law. (JBJ)

A hearing was held before the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families of the Committee on Labor and Human Relations to discuss possible solutions to the problem of juvenile crime. An opening statement by parents whose young child was murdered by an adolescent set the scene for the panel discussion that followed. James Fox, a professor of juvenile justice, described the crisis in juvenile crime as it exists and asserted that the public sector must become as involved as the private sector, and that violence prevention efforts are needed in the early grades. Journalist Edward Humes considered the role of the courts and their present inadequacies in the face of increased juvenile crime. John DiIulio, professor and director of the Brookings Institution's Center for Public Management, explored the vital role inner-city churches can play in crime prevention. The Reverend Eugene Rivers described some efforts churches have made in crime prevention. Law professor Jimmy Gurule expressed the need for comprehensive services from multiple providers, and Jerry Regier of the Oklahoma Department of Juvenile Justice described some of that state's crime prevention initiatives. Panelists also discussed the role of the school and athletic programs, and the adverse effects of television on juvenile attitudes. Prepared statements of these speakers and of Senators Ashcroft and Dodd are included in an appendix. (SLD)

This hearing transcript presents statements regarding programs that facilitate involvement of marginal or absentee fathers in the upbringing of their children. Opening or prepared statements, reiterating the increase in paternal abandonment and its attendant social costs, are presented for Indiana Senator Dan Coats, Chair of the Subcommittee on Children and Families, North Carolina Senator Lauch Faircloth, and for Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd. Statements and testimony are then presented from four administrators of programs intended to encourage greater paternal responsibility, including the president of the "Promise Keepers" initiative. These statements and testimony explore the detrimental effects of absent fathers, examine policy issues including paternal visitation rights and the cultural construct of marriage, and describe efforts of their various organizations to encourage paternal responsibility. A statement from the president of the Children's Rights Council, on certain policies that have contributed to the increase of absent fathers and changes that would encourage positive parenting, concludes the transcripts. (HTH)

This report of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources unanimously supports the passage of a bill (Senate Bill 1578) which amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1997 through 2002. The bill amends parts A through H of IDEA. Amendments are intended to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and increase flexibility for state and local educational agencies, while continuing the national commitment to ensure that all children with disabilities have available a free appropriate public education. Title I of the proposed bill revises general provisions and grant application procedures. Title II reorganizes and simplifies eligibility, procedural guidelines and safeguards, and administrative requirements. Title III authorizes a competitive state systems-change grant program. Title IV provides for improving educational services through research, demonstrations, outreach, and personnel preparation activities to be coordinated with local and state efforts. It consolidates programs authorized in parts D and E in current law. Title V also consolidates programs and authorizes the continued funding of technical assistance, support, and dissemination projects (including Parent Training and Information Centers) and technology and media projects. Title VI contains minor amendments to Part H of the present law, which provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Separate sections of the report present information on the historical background of and need for the legislation, cost estimates, the regulatory impact statement, a section-by-section analysis, views of individual senators, and the text of both the original law and the proposed amendments. (DB)

This hearing transcript presents statements and testimony regarding effectiveness of the Healthy Start Demonstration Project to reduce U.S. infant mortality rates and authorization for funding to establish new sites and to enable exiting programs to act as mentors for and to disseminate information to new projects. Opening statements are presented for Senators Nancy Kassebaum, Chair of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, and Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy. Prepared statements are then presented for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, and Dr. Louis Sullivan, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and creator of the Healthy Start initiative. These statements explore infant mortality rates and highlight the effectiveness of the projects in terms of prevention and the need for continued funding. Testimony is then presented from administrators of Healthy Start sites and recipients of these program services, as well as from Marie McCormick, Chair of the Department of Maternal and Child Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Prepared statements from the president of a Healthy Start site describing the Healthy Start Initiative in Boston, and from the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation supporting continued funding and highlighting March of Dimes' involvement with Healthy Start conclude the transcripts. Correspondence to Senator Kassebaum regarding Healthy Start is included. (HTH)

This document presents witness testimony and supplemental materials from a Congressional hearing focused on the role of technology in promoting distance learning in the United States. Distance learning programs make educational resources available to citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location, and enable citizens to remain competitive with each other and with other countries. Issues of cost and funding for distance learning are discussed. The document features an opening statement by Senator Conrad Burns, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space; and statements by Senator Ernest F. Hollings, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Senator J. James Exon, and Senator Larry Pressler. Testimony and prepared statements are included from the following witnesses: (1) Kimberly K. Obbink, director of Distance Learning and Instructional Telecommunications at Montana State University; (2) Janet K. Lewis, Ph.D., Dean of Continuing Education, University of South Dakota; (3) Henry Marockie, Ph.D., West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools; (4) Jessica Lambert, Distance Learning Student, Mount View High School, Welch, West Virginia; (5) Patrick Portway, founder and executive director, U.S. Distance Learning Association; (6) Linda G. Roberts, Ph.D., director, Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education; (7) Kenneth C. Elliott, assistant professor of psychology, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Maine at Augusta; (8) Shelly Weinstein, president and CEO, National Education Telecommunications Organization; (9) Pat Wright, senior vice president of Education, ETC, with Telecommunications, Inc.; (10) David W. Jupin, general manager of Network Systems, COMSAT RSI; (11) Carl E. Swearingen, president, Georgia BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc.; and (12) Sally M. Johnston, Ph.D., director, Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. (SWC)

The hearing was held to examine the following student-transportation safety issues: defective handrails on school buses; the need for a school-bus specific-commercial driver's license; and the use of public transportation by students. Senator Mike DeWine presided over the hearing. The document contains testimonies and prepared statements of participants; articles, publications, and letters; communications; questions and answers; and selected charts on school-bus safety. Participants included officials of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National School Transportation Association, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and the American Academy of Pediatrics; a county prosecuting attorney; and school-transportation consultants. (LMI)

This report from the Committee on Environment and Public Works describes S.1873, the National Environmental Education Amendments Act of 1996, which amends the National Environmental Education Act of 1990. The report begins with a general statement on the background of the Act, which established a comprehensive environmental education program at the Federal level to support State and local efforts. It also established an Office of Environmental Education within the Environmental Protection Agency. The general statement is followed by the current congressional legislation history and a summary of S.1873. The bill, a single title with nine sections, extends the authorization for programs authorized by the National Environmental Education Act until the year 2007. The bill includes a number of changes to make programs authorized under the Act operate more effectively and efficiently. For example, Section 2 ensures that the Office of Environmental Education's programs will be balanced and scientifically sound. The Act supports environmental education programs and materials that characterize environmental problems in a factual and objective manner. A section-by-section analysis describes these changes. The analysis is followed by a cost projection of the legislation and changes in the language of the existing law. (PVD)

This document contains proceedings of Senate hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations on H.R. 2127, an act making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and other related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1996. The document contains testimonies, answers to committee questions, and prepared statements from: Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor; Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services; Richard Riley, Secretary of Education; Harold Varmus, Director of the National Institutes of Health; and representatives from other federal agencies. Secretary Riley's testimony includes comments on proposed revisions from Department of Education Programs, the streamlining of Department services and functions, the features of the 1996 budget request, standards-based reform, and preparing students to work in the Information Age. A subject index and list of witnesses, communications, and prepared statements are included. (LMI)

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 Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space held a hearing in Billings, Montana, on rural America's access to the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and uses of NII in the provision of rural education and services. An Assistant Secretary of Commerce discussed the development of the Internet, problems in rural access to the Internet and other information technologies, a federal grant program that helps rural communities to gain such access, and the effects of deregulation on rural access. A researcher outlined the potential impact of technology on rural schools, including opportunities for new distance learning models, for new models of student learning, and for improving teacher development. A health services administrator described the Eastern Montana Telemedicine Network, which delivers specialist physician consultation through video conferencing, delivers mental health consultative services, offers continuing medical and higher education programming to rural communities, and provides community outreach and telebusiness opportunities to geographically isolated communities. The computer systems and telecommunications director at Salish Kootenai College discussed the problems of providing telecommunications technology to tribal colleges on American Indian reservations and related problems involving rural telephone cooperatives, inadequate telephone service, and obsolete laws governing the delivery of utility services. Representatives of communications companies discussed the potential role of NII in promoting rural development and delivering rural services, and the need for continued Congressional action to support telecommunications competition. (SV)

This document presents witness testimony and supplemental materials from a Congressional hearing called to address pornography in cyberspace. It features opening statements by Senator Charles E. Grassley and Senator Patrick J. Leahy; and statements by Senators Strom Thurmond, Russell D. Feingold, Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Paul Simon, and Herbert Kohl. Testimony is included from three panels of witnesses. The first includes: Donelle Gruff; Patricia W. Shao; and Susan Tillman Elliott, M.D.; all of whom describe experiences with pornography on the Internet. The second panel includes: Barry F. Crimmins, investigative journalist; William W. Burrington, assistant general counsel and director of governmental affairs, America Online, Inc.; and Stephen Balkam, Recreational Software Advisory Council; who discuss the role of online service providers in restricting online child pornography and a content labeling system for violence, nudity/sex, and language for recreational software and other media. The third panel includes: Dee Jepsen, executive director, Enough is Enough Campaign; Michael S. Hart, executive director, Project Gutenberg, and professor of electronic texts, Illinois Benedictine College; and Jerry Berman, executive director, Center for Democracy and Technology; who discuss the issues of censorship and determining which materials are appropriate or inappropriate for children. (SWC)

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)

The Subcommittee heard testimony from seven witnesses and statements from three senators on whether or not it is in the Federal Government's best interest to divest itself of the Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae), and the College Construction Loan Insurance Association (Connie Lee). Lawrence A. Hough of the Student Loan Marketing Association testified that Sallie Mae is poised to move away from government sponsorship, that it would remain committed to the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and that privatization plans must be designed carefully to assure approval by shareholders. Oliver R. Stockwell of Connie Lee testified that Connie Lee was ready and willing to convert to private status. Senator Dodd appeared and spoke in support of privatization. Leo Kornfeld of the Department of Education testified in support of privatizing Connie Lee and cautioned that the current marketplace needs, offset fees, and exit fees must be considered in any Sallie Mae privatization plan. Darcy Bradbury of the Department of the Treasury argued for privatization to reduce the debt that carries some perception of government support. Senator Claiborne Pell urged caution in privatization. A member of the Congressional Research Service, a representative of the Financial Guaranty Insurers, and a representative of First Boston Corporation also testified on privatization issues. Prepared statements of senators and witnesses are included. (JB)

This report provides information on the proposed Child Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995, which reauthorizes and amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. It also makes changes in the 1990 law to give states greater flexibility in designing their child care system, provides greater emphasis on parental choice, consolidates various federal child care programs, and removes barriers to providing child care for Indian tribes. Section 1 provides a summary of the bill, while Section 2 outlines the background and need for the legislation. Section 3 describes the legislative history and committee action that affected the bill, while Section 4 contains the views of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in regard to the bill. Section 5 provides a cost estimate of the legislation; Section 6 contains a regulatory impact statement. Section 7 contains a section-by-section analysis of the bill, and Section 8 details the changes that the bill will enact to existing law. (MDM)

These Congressional hearings contain testimony pertaining to the future of job training in Ohio. Among the topics discussed are the following: the job training needs of selected special needs groups, including convicted felons on probation, dislocated workers, displaced homemakers, unemployed individuals, underskilled employees, disadvantaged individuals, disabled individuals, and welfare recipients; private sector and federal government roles in job training; public policies creating disincentives to seek training and employment; and cooperation between the business and educational sectors. The following are among the agencies and organizations whose representatives provided testimony at the hearings: Court of Common Pleas; Zagar, Inc.; Hollaender Manufacturing; The George Gund Foundation; Jobs Plus Employment Network; Job Corps; Centers for Independent Living; Ohio Restaurant Association; Ladders for Success; Ohio Department of Employment Services; Ohio Board of Regents; Ohio Department of Development; Ohio Department of Education; Ohio Rehabilitation Commission; Eastland Vocational School District; Adult Education Division and Postsecondary Adult Vocational Education Division, Ohio Vocational Association; Postsecondary Adult Vocational Education Division, Ohio and American Vocational Association; Springfield-Clark Joint Vocational School; and Ohio Women Work. (MN)

This report provides information on the proposed Health Professions Education Consolidation and Reauthorization Act of 1995, which is designed to reauthorize and consolidate 44 different federal health professions training programs currently authorized under Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act. It also reauthorizes a variety of other public health service programs. Section 1 provides a summary of the bill, while section 2 outlines the background and need for the legislation. Section 3 describes the legislative history and committee action that affected the bill, while section 4 presents the views of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in regard to the bill. Section 5 provides a cost estimate of the legislation, while section 6 contains a regulatory impact statement. Section 7 contains a section-by-section analysis of the bill, while section 8 provides additional views on the bill. Section 9 details the changes to existing law that the bill will enact. (MDM)

This Congressional hearing discussed the issue of reform of adult education and family literacy legislation. Testimony includes oral and written statements of U.S. senators and individuals representing the following: U.S. Department of Education; National Institute for Literacy; Dallas Can! Academy, Dallas, Texas; Pima County Adult Education, Tucson, Arizona; Delaware Department of Adult Education; and Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Inc. The hearing focused on how the Federal Government, state governments and the private sector can improve the adult education delivery system. What are the goals for adult education? The three most important outcomes desired are: (1) increasing the number of high school diplomas or competencies for those who did not complete high school initially; (2) improving literacy skills, particularly by emphasizing the importance of literacy skills for parents; and (3) enhancing economic growth--productivity--so that all members of the workforce possess the necessary basic skills. (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)

This document presents witness testimony and supplemental materials from a Congressional hearing regarding legislation to reform national telecommunications policy. Most of the proposed changes would allow Americans greater freedom to choose among communication products and services. Among the topics this hearing addresses are increasing competitiveness of telephone services, cable rate deregulation, and the removal of government-imposed barriers to new investment in and ownership of broadcasting stations. Testimony is included from: (1) Decker Anstrom, National Cable Television Association; (2) Richard H. Cutler, Small Cable Business Association; (3) U. Bertram Ellis, Jr., Ellis Communications, Inc.; (4) Edward O. Fritts, National Association of Broadcasters; (5) Scott Blake Harris, Federal Communications Commission; (6) Gerald L. Hassell, Bank of New York; (7) Roy Neel, United States Telephone Association; (8) Eli Noam, Columbia Institute for Tele-Information; (9) Preston R. Padden, Fox Broadcasting Co.; (10) Bradley Stillman, Consumer Federation of America; and (11) Jim Waterbury, NBC Affiliates Association. The document also features statements by Senators Larry Pressler, Conrad Burns, and John D. Rockefeller. (BEW)

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)

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs received testimony from American Indian youth about the problems confronting Indian young people on reservations and in urban areas and about their own personal experiences with such problems. Witnesses included college and high school students representing various youth councils and youth organizations at a conference of United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY). Statements were also received from senators and from representatives of philanthropic foundations that provide funding to Indian youth programs. Included in the testimony and written statements are the following topics: (1) the efforts of tribal youth councils to involve young people in educational and cultural activities and activities helpful to their communities; (2) high rates of alcohol abuse and unemployment among Native Americans; (3) the need for Native American students attending public schools to be taught about their languages, cultures, and history; (4) the need for an American Indian university providing a full range of graduate degrees; (5) the importance of strong cultural identity and spirituality in preventing social problems and individual despair; (6) community programs to fight alcohol and drug abuse; (7) the involvement of urban Indian youth in gang violence; (8) the importance of positive role models for Indian youth; (9) water rights and traditional natural resources; (10) teen pregnancy; (11) the national youth agenda developed by UNITY; (12) youth leadership development programs, such as Running Strong for American Indian Youth; (13) programs for Native American children and youth funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation; and (14) juvenile justice needs. (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)

These hearing transcripts present testimony on the high risks and emerging fraud in several areas of the federal government, including the Student Loan Program of the Education Department (ED), the Multifamily Housing Program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax return filing. Testimony was heard from concerned senators and government officials responsible for risk management and fraud in these departments and agencies. Current and possible solutions to risk management and fraud were discussed. Opening and/or prepared statements were given by: Senators John Glenn, Byron L. Dorgan, Jim Sasser, William S. Cohen, and William V. Roth, Jr. Testimony was heard from: (1) the special assistant to the comptroller general and the director of tax systems issues, General Accounting Office (GAO); (2) the commissioner, deputy commissioner, and other officials of the IRS; (3) the deputy secretary, inspector general, and other officials of ED; and (4) the inspector general, assistant inspector general for audit, and other officials of HUD. An appendix contains the prepared statements of several witnesses, along with written questions and answers from officials of GAO, ED, HUD, and the Department of Treasury. (MDM)

Evidence was gathered from those involved with at-risk children and juvenile offenders in Maine on how the Federal Government can best help states and communities battle juvenile crime. The kinds of prevention and intervention programs that work were considered, with the allocation of public resources an underlying concern. Panels of educators, social service providers, youth workers, community representatives, and young people in the process of turning their lives around made it clear that simply holding youthful offenders accountable for crimes is not enough. Governments need to work to eliminate domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and drug abuse. Programs must improve the self-esteem of young participants. Mothers and fathers must be held accountable for their children's well-being, and when they ask for help, they should receive it. Although the overall incidence of youth crime in Maine has remained relatively stable when compared to other parts of the country, there is widespread agreement that there has been a proliferation of juvenile crime. Lessons taught by the citizens of Maine have national implications. (SLD)

This document reports the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at oversight hearings on vocational education in the United States. The document also includes statements from other sources not present at the hearings. The testimony includes statements from U.S. Senators and Representatives, business leaders, and national and local leaders about the state of vocational education in the United States. The testimony was taken in connection with reauthorization legislation for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The witnesses stressed the increasing need for more, not less, vocational education, if the United States is to remain competitive in the world economy. They stressed the need for integrating academic and vocational education and making sure that every student had skills that could be used in the job market. They pointed to successes in Germany and Japan and to some local successes; however, the testimony showed that much remains to be done in improving vocational education and in improving how results are measured and programs are coordinated to reduce waste and duplication. (KC)

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)