A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

   FOR RELEASE                               Contact: Kathryn Kahler    September 13, 1995                                 (202) 401-3026

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley Regarding Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Markup

The education funding approved today by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education represents a step in the right direction, but it still falls far short of the level of investment needed if we are serious about raising standards and lifting the level of achievement in our schools. Even under the Senate subcommittee's bill, the Congress would reduce the nation's investment in education by more than $2 billion.

President Clinton has emphasized repeatedly that education is the key to a successful future for our young people in this Information Age, and he has shown that we can balance the budget without cutting education. Improvements made by the Senate subcommittee were done in a way that underscores the importance of bipartisan support for education. I hope that the Congress will work in a bipartisan fashion to make further improvements.

The Senate Subcommittee gave education a higher priority than the House, but it still approved a severe cut in education -- a decrease of more than $2 billion from current spending. This cut means less opportunity to get our young people on the right course to make the most of their lives.

The American people want to invest more in quality education, not signal retreat. This is not the time to reduce our commitment and the nation's investment in education.