From: Jamal Mazrui 
Subject: Clinton statement on Gorton amendment (Forward From 
dandrews@visi.com)
The White House Briefing Room
September 16, 1997
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Message Creation Date was at 16-SEP-1997 13:11:00
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________________
________ For Immediate Release       September 16, 1997
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
 The vote by a narrow majority of the U.S. Senate to support the
 Gorton
Amendment undermines the bipartisan spirit of cooperation that is so
vital to improving American education.  At worst, this decision to
block grant education programs is, as Secretary Riley said, a
"back-door attempt to kill off the Department of Education." At best,
the vote was a hasty, ill-considered decision that would have a
serious impact on our schools.
 I welcome the Senate,s overwhelming support for my proposal to offer
 states
and communities voluntary national tests in 4th grade reading and 8th
grade math.  However, the adoption of the Gorton Amendment less than
two hours later eliminated the very funding needed to continue
development of these tests.
 The Gorton Amendment would halt many of our most successful efforts
 to improve
education, including our efforts to get computers into every
classroom; raise standards through Goals 2000; establish more charter
schools; assist young people in making the transition from school to
work; help parents and schools keep our children safe and drug-free;
and create more opportunities to help immigrant children learn English
and stay in school.  The Amendment would seriously harm the Title I
program, which provides extra help to low-income students so they can
master the basic skills of reading and math and reach high academic
standards.  It also undermines programs targeted to help gifted and
talented students, support arts education, and promote exciting new
efforts to create technology partnerships.  Further, this amendment
would slash funds used to help adults with severe disabilities obtain
employment.
 This is not a vote, as some would suggest, about who controls public
education.  Rather it is a vote about whether the Federal government
will maintain its commitment to help local communities strengthen
accountability and raise academic standards in basic skills,  improve
teaching and learning, assist parents and schools in keeping children
safe and drug-free, promote public school choice for parents and
students, and prepare all of our students for the 21st Century.
 The Department of Education has historically targeted its funding to
 schools
that serve disadvantaged students.  If the Gorton Amendment became
law, the wealthiest school districts would be the winners and the rest
of our communities would inevitably be the losers.
 Politics must stop at the schoolhouse door.  The Gorton Amendment is
unacceptable.  I understand a similar provision may be offered in the
House.  Let me be clear.  If necessary, I will use my veto power to
make sure that no such provision becomes the law of the land.
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