Education Insider  
A weekly review of progress on the Quality Public Schools Agenda and other
legislation that impacts our students, classrooms, and public education.
  February 7, 2003  
 
“ NEA Board Members go to Capitol Hill to advocate for
children and public education in the richest country on earth.” 
 
The issues: •  The Social Security Fairness Act (HR 594) - NEA Starts the Ball
Rolling 
Representatives McKeon had a welcome message for a delegation of
Association leaders from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia,
Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio,
Rhode Island and Texas: The McKeon-Berman Social Security Fairness Act
(HR594) to completely repeal Government Pension Offset (GPO) and
Windfall Elimination Provisions (WEP) was filed this week with 92
cosponsors. Reps. McKeon (R-CA) and Berman (D-CA) sponsored the
original legislation in the last Congress. 
Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Collins (R-ME) will file a new Senate
companion bill shortly. The GPO and the WEP unfairly penalize many public employees, including
many school employees. Reps. McKeon and Berman said, "It is simply
unacceptable to ask Americans to perform the most vital services in our
nation and reduce their retirement benefits in the process." 
Action Sought: Thank and Ask! •  To the co-sponsors, express your THANKS. 
•  Ask all other House members to show their support by becoming
co-sponsors of this important legislation. 
•  Student Success and Congressional Inaction 
The House-Senate Conference Committee took no action this week on
spending bills for this budget year that include funding the new ESEA
mandates and special education. NEA Board Members carried a message to Congress: A zero-percent
solution is a broken promise - with tragic consequences for children. 
What's at Stake? Relief from Unfunded Mandates 
•  The Administration's 2003 proposals and the House-passed bill
underfund the mandates of the new ESEA and IDEA. 
•  The Senate-passed bill adds $5 billion as a block grant and puts
funding for special education (the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act or IDEA) on a six-year path to fully funding the federal
share of special education costs. 
The Senate additions would help fund the new federal education mandates
and relieve stressed state education budgets.
www.nea.org/lac/03fund.html. But the gains could all be lost in the
conference committee report. 
 
Urge your colleagues to join with you in sending a message to Congress! 
•  Thank your U.S. Senators for the Senate's support of critical
education funding. •  If your U.S. Senator is a conferee (see list below), ask him or her
to fight to keep the Senate funding for education in the conference
committee report, without cutting all other programs "to pay for"
education. Senate Conferees: AL-Shelby; AK-Stevens; CA-Feinstein; CO-Campbell,
HI-Inouye; IA-Harkin; ID-Craig; IL-Durbin; KS-Brownback; KY-McConnell;
LA-Landrieu; MD-Mikulski; MO-Bond; MS-Cochran; MT-Burns; ND-Dorgan;
NH-Gregg; NM-Domenici; NV-Reid; OH-DeWine; PA-Specter; SC-Hollings;
SD-Johnson; TX-Hutchinson; UT-Bennett; VT-Leahy; WA-Murray; WI-Kohl;
WV-Byrd. •  Ask Senators who are not conferees and your U.S. Representative to
urge the conference committee to keep the Senate bill's funds for
education in the conference committee report, without cutting all other
programs "to pay for" education. 
 
NEA, Coalition Partners Voice Support for Title IX 
NEA and a broad coalition of organizations are urging support for Title
IX. Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware has offered a resolution reaffirming
congressional commitment to the program. The concerns stem from the new
Commission on Opportunity in Athletics convened by U.S. Secretary of
Education Rod Paige in June 2002. The Commission will submit to the
Secretary its final report by February 28.