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This document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at 2 days of U.S. Senate oversight hearings on Job Corps programs. Witnesses included several Senators who have been involved in Job Corps legislation since the program's beginning in 1968, Job Corps program completers and dropouts, and local officials in areas of Job Corps sites. According to their testimony, some Job Corps sites have lost the idealism that permeated their programs when they were formed and have become little more than reform schools. Some former participants complained about incidents of violence in the sites and of little learning taking place. Other program completers said that the Job Corps had been their salvation and was largely responsible for their success in life. Overall, the hearings provided support for the good that Job Corps had accomplished but revealed concern over reports of gangs and violence at the sites and a determination to reform a program that has had many successes over the years. (KC)

A Senate committee hearing received testimony about high dropout rates and other problems at seven off-reservation boarding schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) or by tribal groups under BIA contract. The schools are Pierre Indian Learning Center (South Dakota), Sequoyah Indian High School (Oklahoma), Wahpeton Indian School (North Dakota), Chemawa Indian School (Oregon), Flandreau Indian School (South Dakota), Riverside Indian School (Oklahoma), and Sherman Indian High School (California). Together, these seven schools enrolled 2,623 students at the start of the 1993-94 school year, but had only 1,557 students in attendance at the end of the year. In addition, persons associated with the schools had expressed concern that inadequate funding made it impossible for the schools to deal with rising numbers of court referred students and students with serious social and emotional problems. Testimony from BIA and Indian Health Service administrators, school administrators and board members, tribal leaders, and students discussed the feasibility of the therapeutic community school model, whether the model can be developed for implementation in off-reservation boarding schools, per-pupil funding at the seven schools compared to funding at comparable state residential institutions, needs for psychiatric and other mental health services, substance abuse, parent participation, school monitoring and evaluation procedures, and inadequate dormitories. An appendix of additional materials includes school mission statements, descriptions of service delivery models, a review of the Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP) suggesting that ISEP funding is inadequate, investigations of student criminal activities, profiles of student needs and problems, concept papers on the development of alternative schools, data on academic achievement and mental health indicators, federal boarding school evaluations, research reports on student tobacco use, and a summary of identified school strengths and needs based on correlates of effective schools. (SV)

These Congressional hearing transcripts present testimony on the need to encourage parent involvement in children's education, focusing on national and local programs and activities designed to promote such involvement. Testimony was heard from: (1) Senators Christopher J. Dodd and James M. Jeffords; (2) Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley; (2) the chair of the National Coalition for Parental Involvement in Education; (3) a mother and her 11th-grade daughter; (4) the executive director of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce's business-education partnership; (5) a mother of three children; and (6) a high school principal. The prepared statements of four of the witnesses and related materials are appended. (MDM)

Following the passage of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, a Senate hearing was held to examine whether the prescriptions set forth in the Act could function and how they could be implemented as part of the U.S. government's drug strategy. This transcript of the hearing contains statements (in order) by: Senators Joseph R. Biden and Orrin G. Hatch; Lee P. Brown, Office of National Drug Control Policy; a panel consisting of Robert L. Smith, Department of Public Safety, Tampa, Florida, Robert L. Allen, community activist, Tampa, Claire McCaskill, Kansas City, Missouri county prosecutor and vice president of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and John Ratelle, correctional facility warden in San Diego, California; and John P. Walters, Office of National Drug Control Policy. An appendix provides questions from two senators to Lee P. Brown and his responses, questions from Senator Biden to three others present and their responses, and a letter to Senator Biden from a professor of criminal justice. (LSR)

This report contains testimony regarding various proposals to reform and consolidate federal job training programs, with special attention to the provision, benefits, problems, and funding needs of the Job Corps program. Statements by the following individuals are presented: U.S. Senators from the states of Illinois, Vermont, Utah, Kansas, Iowa, and Rhode Island; the Secretary of Labor, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor, and the department's Assistant Inspector General for Audit; representatives of Job Corps centers in three cities (Lopez and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Clearfield, Utah); the director of Partners in Vocational Opportunities Training in Portland, Oregon; and professors from Swarthmore College and Northwestern University. Appendixes constituting approximately 50% of this report include prepared statements submitted by 10 of the witnesses, a letter from the National Job Corps Alumni Association, a letter from the National Association of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Alumni; and a resolution recommending that the U.S. Congress fund the Job Corps program. (MN)

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 document contains the text of the "Albert Einstein Distinguished Educators Fellowship Act of 1994" (S. 2104) along with related analysis. The bill establishes a Department of Energy (DOE) fellowship program for math and science teachers that provides them opportunities to work at DOE labs in order to enhance coordination and communication among the educational community, the Congress, and the Executive Agencies responsible for developing and administering federal education programs. Following the text of the bill is a discussion of background and need and a description of DOE mathematics and science programs. A report on the bill's legislative history is included along with committee recommendations and a tabulation of committee votes. A Committee amendment expands the program to authorize fellowships in other parts of the Federal government, directs the Secretary of Energy to administer the program, broadens the qualification criteria for recipients, and authorizes a partnership with the Waste Management Education & Research Consortium. The document includes a section-by-section analysis, a statement of cost and budgetary considerations, regulatory impact evaluation, recounting of relevant executive communications, and a letter from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (JB)

This document contains the oral and written statements of witnesses who testified at a hearing on the Reemployment and Retraining Act of 1994 and the WARN [Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification] Amendments Act. Witnesses included Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, several union and public employment program officials from several states, and several dislocated workers. Additional material submitted for the report includes questions submitted by Senator Metzenbaum to several state and federal officials, a summary of a publication of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International, and several communications to local officials. The witnesses testified about the need for a one-stop service that would link dislocated workers with unemployment benefits, job retraining programs, income-replacement during retraining, and social services programs. Several examples of local and state programs were described. Witnesses also stressed the need for early warnings about plant and office closings so that agencies and workers can prepare for retraining and career change. (KC)

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 examines the background, purpose, cost, and regulatory impact of Senate Bill 1614, the proposed Better Nutrition and Health for Children Act of 1994. The purpose of the act is to reauthorize and make improvements in various federal nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act. The report outlines past federal support for child and family nutrition and the current need for reauthorization changes in such programs. It summarizes four hearings held by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on the proposed legislation and contains a section-by-section analysis of the Act. Congressional Budget Office cost estimates for the Act through 1999 are included. The bulk of the report specifies the changes that the Act will bring about in existing law. (MDM)

These hearings addressed proposed Bill S. 2104 to create a Department of Energy (DOE) fellowship program for math and science teachers that would provide them opportunities to work at DOE labs in order to enhance coordination and communication among the educational community, the Congress, and the Executive Agencies responsible for developing and administering federal education programs. Following opening statements by Senators Wendell H. Ford and Mark O. Hatfield, Terry Cornwell Rumsey of the Department of Education testified on the Department's philosophy and strategies to address national education goals and in particular how S. 2104 would fit in with these and with existing programs. James A. Tegnelia of Sandia National Laboratories testified that S. 2104 would be helpful, would result in tangible improvement in DOE educational outreach programs, and should encourage participation of rural and minority school teachers. John M. Fowler of the Coalition for Science and Technology Education testified on the beginnings of the program that led to S. 2104. (It brought teachers on fellowships to work in Congressional offices and to contribute their insights into educational legislation and policymaking.) Senator Pete V. Domenici offered remarks on the importance of the proposed program. A brief discussion followed concerning similar programs at DOE, the best length for fellowships, program costs, and requirements for participants. The document contains a list and descriptions of DOE minority education programs and appendixes with response to additional questions, and additional material submitted for the record. (JB)

This hearing focused on S. 2195, the National Public Telecommunications Infrastructure Act of 1994, which would guarantee that noncommercial and public interest groups would have a place reserved on the information superhighway for the provision of free educational, informational, cultural, civic, or charitable services to the public. It was noted that approximately 100 public interest, broadcasting, educational, library, civic, and cultural groups have expressed their support for the bill, which they believe would ensure their participation on the information superhighway. This report begins with opening statements by Senators Ernest F. Hollings (South Carolina) and Daniel K. Inouye (Hawaii) and a prepared statement from Senator Conrad Burns (Montana). Prepared statements and comments from six witnesses are then presented: (1) Andrew Blau, Director, Communications Policy Project, Benton Foundation; (2) Henry J. Cauthen, President, South Carolina Educational Television Network (SCETV); (3) George P. Connick, President, University of Maine at Augusta; (4) Carol Fukunaga, Hawaii State Senate and Chair of the Communications Committee of the National Conference of State Legislature's (NCSL) State-Federal Assembly; (5) Monroe E. Price, Professor of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University; and (6) Anthony T. Riddle, Chairman, Alliance for Community Media and Executive Director of the Minneapolis Telecommunications Network. Appended materials include a letter to Senator Inouye from Tim Finnerty, Chair, Legislative/Public Policy Committee, Minnesota Association of Cable Television Administrators; a letter to Senator Inouye from Susan S. Littlefield, President, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors; a prepared statement from the National School Boards Association; NCTA comments on S. 2195; a prepared statement from the People for the American Way Action and Fund and Media Access Project; and a prepared statement from Senator Larry Pressler (South Dakota). (BBM)

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 Senate Subcommittee met in order to examine the alarming increase of out-of-wedlock teenage pregnancies in the United States. Information provided at the hearings included: the scope of the issue; input from experts on what is causing the increases being recorded; different approaches to reducing teen pregnancy; and, teen parent perspectives. Statements were given by organizations such as: Women's Health Services, Teen Services Program, Athletes for Abstinence, Family Court Division of the City of Philadelphia, Sex Respect, Inc., and the Philadelphia Board of Education. Dr. Jocelyn Elders, Surgeon General, also gave a statement. Topics discussed include: pressure to become sexually active, role of mass media, young men's responsibility, the role of parents, comprehensive health education, abstinence, welfare, and the use, cost, and availability of Norplant were addressed. Extensive charts, graphs, program descriptions, and testimony are included. (JBJ)

This hearing transcript presents testimony concerning minority participation and retention in higher education with emphasis on implications for student aid programs. Oral testimony or prepared statements were presented by Senators Paul Simon, Claiborne Pell, and Carol Mosely-Braun. Testimony was also offered by: (1) the president and three officials of the American Council on Education; (2) the associate director and two officials from the Education and Employment Issues section of the U.S. General Accounting Office; (3) the executive director of the National Council of Education Opportunity Associations; and (4) the presidents of Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, Nebraska Indian Community College, Hostos Community College, Chicago State University, and Spelman College. The testimony in general pointed to the low, and in some cases declining, rates of participation by Blacks, Latinos, and other minorities in higher education in the United States. Many witnesses decried the lack of minority graduate students and faculty to serve as role models. Much testimony was also critical of federal student aid initiatives, such as the Pell Grant program, for not providing enough money to needy students. (MDM)

This report presents verbatim, a hearing before the Subcommittee on Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism. The hearing featured a series of testimonies and stories on violence among young people in the United States. It opened with remarks by Subcommittee Chairman, Christopher Dodd. He was followed by numerous statements on the nature of violence in communities. These statements were made by those who work with children and youth. Included in these testimonies were accounts provided by children and young people, who spoke of the state of violence in their neighborhoods. The many reports also featured details on programs that appeared to be effective in thwarting violence among youth. A number of prepared testimonies by government officials also appear in this report. (RJM)

This document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at a Senate committee hearing concerning authorizing funds to states for worker reemployment and training programs. Witnesses included the following: Senators Claiborne Pell, Nancy Kassebaum, and Edward Kennedy; top officials from several major corporations; and several federal, state, and city officials involved in labor retraining and employment programs. The testimony generally supported the proposed legislation, which would create one-stop retraining and employment services for dislocated workers. An executive from a large private corporation headquartered in Germany testified that in Germany, all companies provide training, but that in the United States few companies provide training because trained workers could go to other companies that do not provide training. He supported one-stop employment centers and financial incentives for companies to provide training for workers to encourage more companies to do so. (KC)

These transcripts of hearings present testimony on how we can protect children in dangerous and violent environments. The statements address the longstanding efforts to reduce childhood injury in this country, with an emphasis on prevention as the best approach to child injury and health care. Statements and testimony are presented for the following: (1) Senators Dodd (Connecticut), Kennedy (Massachusetts), Thurmond (South Carolina); (2) Dr. C. Everett Koop, Chairman of the National Safe Kids Campaign; (3) four adolescents, victims of accidents or witnesses to violent crime, whose experiences highlight the benefits of prevention; (4) Senator Jeffords (Vermont); (5) the director of the National Center for Injury Protection and Control; (6) program director of the National Public Services Research Institute; and (7) an assistant professor of health policy. (AP)

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)

The purpose of this congressional hearing was to determine how libraries fit into the emerging national information infrastructure (NII). Testimony and prepared statements include those from Howard F. McGinn, Director, Emporia Public Library, Emporia, Kansas; James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington D.C., accompanied by Nat Gadson, Donald Hiller, Betsy Miller, and Rubin Medina; Hardy R. Franklin, President, American Library Association, and Director, Washington, D.C. Public Library; Agnes M. Griffen, Montgomery County Public Library, Rockville, Maryland; James Ubel, Director, Shawnee Library System, Carterville, Illinois; Grant P. Thompson, Executive Director, Libraries for the Future, New York, New York; Donald Pascarella, General Manager, Harron Communications, Frazer, Pennsylvania; James S. Fogarty, Director of Curriculum and Technology, Project Consultant to Commonwealth Libraries, Schuylkill Intermediate Unit, Mar Lin, Pennsylvania; Beverly Choltco-Devlin, Director, Morrisville Public Library, Morrisville, New York; and Jeanne H. Simon, Chairperson, U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. (JLB)

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)

A Senate committee received testimony supporting reauthorization of the Native Hawaiian Education Act as part of reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In the previous week, the House of Representatives had narrowly defeated an effort to delete the Native Hawaiian Education Act from ESEA reauthorization. The Native Hawaiian Education Act recounts the history of the U.S. invasion and illegal annexation of Hawaii, describes the basis of the federal government's trust responsibility toward Native Hawaiians, the educational needs of Native Hawaiian children, and authorizes supplemental educational programs to assist Native Hawaiians to reach the National Education Goals. These supplemental programs are Native Hawaiian Language Immersion Project; Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers serving infants, preschoolers, and their families; Native Hawaiian Higher Education Demonstration Program; Native Hawaiian Gifted and Talented Demonstration Program; and Native Hawaiian Special Education Program. Testimony by U.S. Senators and Representatives, school and college administrators, program directors, teachers, and parents describes the programs and provides evidence about the need for these programs and about program successes and accomplishments. Appended materials include the text of the Act and data on program enrollments and Native Hawaiian college enrollment. (SV)

The Senate Committee on Finance met to hear testimony on and discuss the preparation of medical doctors and how the Clinton Administration's proposed health care reform would influence medical education and the supply of health care professionals. Peter P. Budetti, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University (Washington, D.C.), testified on how past federal policy has contributed to the rise of doctors training in specialties and subspecialties and has caused a decline in general practitioners. Jack M. Colwill, representing the Council on Graduate Medical Education, testified that the nation has too few generalists, has a surplus of specialists, and is moving toward a progressive physician surplus, which may impede the ability to move into systems of managed care and may contribute to escalating costs. Debra J. Folkerts, a family nurse practitioner from Kansas, testified on graduate nurse education and other health care reform efforts. Clayton E. Jensen, dean of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine, testified on how his institution has responded to North Dakota's health care service needs. The document also includes statements from Senators Orrin G. Hatch, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Bob Packwood and a position statement from the American Academy of Family Physicians. (JB)

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)

The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources reports favorably on Senate Bill 1040 (S. 1040) and recommends its passage as amended. S. 1040 is designed to provide leadership at the federal level to promote effective uses of technology to improve teaching and learning and to promote equal access to educational opportunities for all. It establishes a framework and future direction for the infusion of high-quality technology in support of the Goals 2000 legislation and other initiatives. An Office of Educational Technology is established and directed to undertake a long-term plan for educational technology. The remainder of the bill describes a series of grants to assist states in developing comprehensive technology plans and to encourage research. The legislation also provides funds for establishing consortia for educators and nonprofit providers to develop training, technical assistance, and information dissemination to advance technology in education. Proposed amendments are modifications to the language and some simplifications that do not affect the bill's emphasis on the role of technology as a major tool for education. (SLD)

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the Clinton Administration's plans to expand and improve Project Head Start. Testimony was heard from Senators Christopher J. Dodd, Dan Coats, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, Strom Thurmond, James M. Jeffords, and Harris Wofford, as well as Representatives Matthew G. Martinez and Susan Molinari, and Mary Jo Bane, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Testimony was also offered by Sandra Kessler Hamburg, director of education studies for the Committee for Economic Development, Valora Washington of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, a Head Start program director, two Head Start parents, and a graduate of a Head Start program. An appendix includes prepared statements delivered by Assistant Secretary Bane, Ms. Hamburg, the Head Start program director, parents, and the Head Start graduate. (MDM)

The Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice of the Committee on the Judiciary convened to discuss the federal role in combating juvenile participation in gangs. A proposed amendment to the crime bill being developed, described at the hearing by Senator Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), makes it a federal offense to engage in gang-related crime and subjects gang members to tough mandatory minimum penalties, while providing funding for additional federal prosecutors to make implementation of the measure a reality. Senator Christopher J. Dodd (Connecticut) spoke in support of the "ounce of prevention" amendment to the crime bill he and other senators have sponsored that would make resources available to community agencies that are already working with young people to reduce gang problems. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colorado) expressed some personal insights on gang issues and suggested tax benefits for corporations involved in juvenile rehabilitation efforts. A panel of law enforcement officials and an educational administrator spoke about the roles of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the local police, and school systems in combating gang violence. A second panel of youth agency leaders, a police administrator, and a college professor reviewed the gang situation and provided examples of successful initiatives. (SLD)

The U.S. Senate held a hearing to address two issues facing the nation's armed service academies--honor systems and sexual harassment. This was the first of several oversight hearings to be held regarding the service academies. Two events prompted the Senate to hold these hearings: (1) a cheating scandal at the U.S. Naval Academy that began in 1992; and (2) the publication of a U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) report in 1994 entitled "DOD Service Academies: More Action Needed to Eliminate Sexual Harassment." The Hearing consisted of the presentations of three panels to the Subcommittee on Force Requirements and Personnel. The first panel, consisting of U.S. Ambassador Richard Armitage and Vice Admiral David M. Bennett, discussed the cheating scandal at the U.S. Naval Academy. The second panel, made up of GAO personnel, summarized the findings of their 1994 report on sexual harassment. The superintendents of the three service academies comprised the final panel. They discussed honor systems and sexual harassment at their institutions and the steps the academies had made to address these issues. The hearing document includes the presentations of all three panels as well as text from the GAO report and the "Report of the Honor Review Committee to the Secretary of the Navy On Honor at the United States Naval Academy." (CK)

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)

Data show that gangs, drugs, and random murders are becoming staples in the lives of U.S. children. Every major U.S. city is facing a deadly gang problem, exemplified by drive-by shootings and teenagers brandishing assault weapons. This document presents witness testimony, prepared statements, and panel discussions that examine the problem of gang violence and the use of firearms by young people within the community, as well as what has and has not worked in attempting to eliminate these problems at the local level. Panelists include Stanley G. Feldman, Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court; Sophia Lopez, representing Mothers Against Gangs; Lora Nye, chairperson, Phoenix Blockwatch Commission; Robert K. Corbin, president, National Rifle Association; and several Arizona city mayors, law enforcement officials and judges, school district administrators, and representatives of community anti-gang grass roots organizations. An appendix contains additional submissions that were submitted for the record. (GLR)

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)

This document records the oral and written given by witnesses at a Congressional hearing on the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1993 held in Fall 1993. Witnesses included Senators, the U.S. Secretary of Education, the U.S. Secretary of Labor, business officials, school officials, and program directors of various local and state programs. The testimony noted that the United States is one of the few Western nations that does not provide a career path for noncollege-bound students. It was suggested that formal programs encompassing the last 2 years of high school and 1-2 years after high school be set up to provide students with skills and certification. Cooperation between school systems and business and industry is essential to set up such programs. Testimony also profiled various successful programs throughout the country, such as "academies" for various industries set up within high schools. Such programs have resulted in students not only gaining job skills but also going on for further training or college education. Also stressed was the need to set and adhere high standards and to have staff encouraging young people to look to their futures. (KC)

In October 1992, Congress passed legislation supporting American Indian tribal demonstration projects that would consolidate employment services, job training, and related services to improve the effectiveness of such services, reduce unemployment, and further tribal goals. In September 1993, a Senate hearing received testimony concerning the extent of implementation of these pilot projects. Representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services reported that: (1) these agencies had established a management framework specifying their roles and responsibilities with respect to the statute; (2) the agencies were developing written guidance for tribes on project implementation, as well as consolidated program report forms; and (3) 55 tribes were willing to participate in program implementation during fiscal year 1994. Representatives of tribes and Indian organizations discussed: (1) the importance of federal agencies treating the tribes as full partners in the implementation process; (2) concerns that federal agencies not create barriers to implementation; (3) the relationship of this initiative to ongoing tribal self-governance initiatives; (4) the need for data collection that would allow program evaluation in terms of local circumstances; and (5) concerns over Department of Labor plans to publish new regulations affecting Indian Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs. An appendix making up the bulk of this document contains the text of the legislation (Public Law 102-477), much discussion about the proposed JTPA regulations, reports on Native unemployment and economic development efforts on reservations and in urban areas, and a description of a planned electronic network linking grantees with each other and with federal agencies. (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)

This document provides an overview and minority viewpoints on Senate Bill 1020. S. 1020 would authorize the Department of Labor to make grants to nonprofit organizations to research, identify, and develop new and advanced workplace technologies and practices to promote the improvements of workers' skills, wages, working conditions, and job security. These organizations would then, in turn, disseminate such information to workers, workers' organizations, employers, state industrial extension programs, and manufacturing technology centers and provide technical assistance to encourage the use of such technologies and practices in the workplace. The report includes information on the background and need for the legislation, history of the legislation and votes in committee, explanation of the bill and committee views, cost estimates, regulatory impact, and additional views. In addition, some senators conclude that the proposed legislation is illegal because it violates provisions of the National Labor Regulations Act against labor-management cooperation. They propose an amendment called the TEAM (Teamwork for Employees and Management) Act as an alternative. (KC)

This document presents, as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, witness testimony and prepared statements on the subject of professional development in the elementary and secondary school systems. Witnesses included Rhode Island (RI) elementary and secondary school principals and teachers, officials from the RI Department of Education, U.S. congressional members, and commissioners and superintendents of schools. Among the attendees were Daniel F. Casey, Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of RI; elementary school principal Robert J. Britto; Edward Eddy, Chairman, Providence Blueprint for Education; Peter McWalters, Commissioner, RI, Department of Education; and Arthur Zarrella, Superintendent, Providence Public Schools. Prepared statements are also included from RI's U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell and Congressman Jack Reed. (GLR)

A Congressional hearing held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, received testimony on the Goals 2000: Educate America Act as it applies to American Indian education. The purpose of the hearing was to explore ways in which American Indians can participate as equal partners in the process of reaching national consensus on education reform, including the development of content and performance standards and an assessment mechanism. A representative of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) described how BIA schools are addressing the six national goals as well as two additional goals concerning Indian culture and language and school facilities. A representative of the Navajo Nation outlined the history and philosophy of Navajo education, described the six school systems serving Navajo students, and discussed Navajo educational goals and interest in reform, particularly the establishment of a "Department of T'aa Dine Education" to oversee Navajo education in a manner similar to a state department of education. Pueblo leaders and educators praised the national goals while pointing out how interpretation of the goals from an inappropriate perspective could be damaging to Indian students; discussed the danger of raising expectations without providing needed financial support; described needs for educational facilities and culturally sensitive teachers; and addressed the problem of culturally biased evaluation instruments driving the curriculum. (SV)

This transcript contains the following: (1) statements of several Committee Members; (2) text of the proposed legislation; (3) a list of witnesses; and (4) statements, testimony, and supporting documents submitted by the witnesses. Numerous laypersons and professionals have their testimonies recorded, giving statements in support of and in opposition to passage of the bill. Witnesses include politicians, educators, police officials, medical professionals, National Rifle Association representatives, and religious figures. Includes a booklet prepared by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, newspaper clippings, and charts (U.S. & Wisconsin Juvenile Weapons and Murder Arrests; Age and Race Specific Arrest Rates for Selected Offenses, 1965-88; etc.). (MSF)

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 document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at a hearing on a proposed amendment to the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1993. The amendment would spell out how the federal work force is to be reduced in size and would provide cash incentives for early retirement as well as make retraining of existing workers more feasible. Witnesses included Senators Glenn, Roth, Stevens, Sasser, Pryor, and Akaka, as well as several officials of the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Defense. The witnesses generally supported the idea of the amendment but pointed out the need to ensure that new workers were not hired to replace each one who left and that top-level officials as well as lower supervisors and workers were chosen for early retirement or voluntary layoff. The text of the amendment is included in the document. (KC)

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)

The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources reports favorably on the bill (S. 286) to extend and strengthen authorities of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and to promote a number of education-improvement programs through fiscal year 1999. OERI is the research and development arm of the U.S. Department of Education. In spite of the importance of its duties, funding in terms of constant dollars has decreased approximately 80% since 1973. The proposed act seeks to reverse this trend by redefining the authorities, functions, and responsibilities of the office, and establishing five new research directorates. The bill also creates a nonpartisan Advisory Board of Educational Research to review research and evaluate its quality. An Office of Dissemination and Reform Assistance is established to provide national coordination, and regional education laboratories are established to advance the National Education Goals. In addition, S. 286 includes a minority focused civic education program for improved instruction in civics for minorities and Native Americans. This initiative also supports teacher education in civics. The Committee believes that this act will support educational research of the highest quality and will strengthen the flow of information and technical assistance to every student. (SLD)

This document reports on and recommends for passage the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1993 (S. 1361), legislation proposed to establish a national framework within which states can create statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems enabling youth to identify and navigate paths to productive and progressively more rewarding roles in the workplace. These systems are intended to provide students with performance-based education and training programs that will enable them to earn portable credentials, prepare them for first jobs in high-skill, high-wage careers, and increase opportunities for further education or training. This report provides a summary and history of the proposed legislation, a rationale for it, a summary of the committee views on the bill, a cost estimate for its implementation, a regulatory impact statement, a section-by-section analysis, and minority views concerning the bill. (KC)

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)