Arlen Specter: “this morning President Clinton announced the budget for the administration for fiscal year 2001. It has a large number…”

“this morning President Clinton announced the budget for the administration for fiscal year 2001. It has a large number of new programs and has a very substantial increase in spending, up to $1.835 trillion. In examining the budget as to its applicability to the Departments of Labor, Health, Human Services and Education on items which I chair, the appropriations subcommittee, I am concerned about the number of new programs. On Education, there are 19 new programs. In the Department of Labor, there are nine new programs. It is a matter of concern when the President proposes programs which have mandates directing the local school districts as to what they should be doing without giving discretion to local school districts as to specific needs which they might have which might be in a somewhat different category. For example, this year the 19 new programs will increase expenditures by $2 billion 951 million--almost $3 billion. Let's put it that way, round it up a little bit. Within these programs, there is a new program for school renovation of $1.3 billion. While there may be some merit to that specific kind of program, it may well be that the local school district could better use that money, depending upon local needs, for matters such as a science program, for laboratory equipment, for computers, for teacher training depending upon what the needs are in the local school district.”