|
|
[Letterhead] Jefferson City, Missouri
Dear Speaker Gingrich and Missouri Republican Delegation: We, the undersigned Republican members of the Missouri House of Representatives, are very concerned about the broad scope of H.R. 1617 and the resulting effect on the nation's educational system, in particular the system in our state. The bill centralizes unprecedented powers at the federal level. It requires that "The nation's labor market information system shall be planned, administered, overseen, and evaluated by a cooperative governance structure involving the Federal government and the States." The education issue is the premier issue in our state right now as our Democrat Governor in 1993 passed a sweeping bill which gave unprecedented, broad powers to unaccountable bureaucrats. These powers include the ability to write "standards" and create assessment testing which would be the basis of all our children's education. Legislators have NO oversight or binding authority over the development or approval of these items. To further our concerns and problems, H.R. 1617 superseded state laws and further took us, the local elected officials of the people of this state, OUT of the process of education. Specifically, H.R. 1617 on page 74 of Careers (the 'final' version) amends OUT the state legislature, replacing it with "the Governor of a state shall . . ." Let us please explain the practical effect of this change on us and the people we serve: in Missouri, the Democrat Governor instructed his bureaucrats to make application for Goals 2000 monies by defining a whole system of laws and procedures that we would put in place in order to get the money. Most legislators are only now, for the first time, even seeing what he is binding us and our children to. In brief, our objections to Goals 2000, and to H.R. 1617 as it incorporates word-for-word many sections of Goals 2000, include the removal of local control from education and the centralization of power to the federal government including the need for approval from the Departments of Labor and Education for a state's proposal for grant money. The terms used in the acts are of concern as they refer to items such as a "skill certificate" which children would be required to earn and which employers would be encouraged to require as a condition of employment. Finally, a myriad of new agencies, departments, and programs are created under both acts and it appears a large centralized, nationwide data collection system will be put in place. Our Governor's state grant request alludes to the ideas that Missouri will change child age labor laws in order to get kids working early in vocational trades and that we will establish transportation to get students to these employment places. Because many members of the Missouri House have been keeping a close eye on this issue, the Republican Missouri House members were able to ferret out $10-million in our state's current proposed budget which we have discovered is being stashed away to implement the state's Goals 2000 policy, per authority given to the Governor under H. R. 1617. This money was hidden in $5 -million increments in two different budgets and was labeled "vocational education." Only under intense questioning were we able to learn that these monies were being earmarked to implement the Governor's proposal, that we haven't approved, per the legislation you wrote. This practice -- the practice of avoiding the Legislature -- is unacceptable and flies in the face of the contention of local control of education. In addition, in a time when the administration of our schools is the defining issue between the parties in this state, we would respectfully request that you reconsider H.R. 1617. As a Minority party just six seats from gaining majority, we need the latitude to effect change when we control the House. We also need some legislative power so that we, as a minority, can keep a check on the Democrat Governor of this state. Please revise the federal educational law to JUST repeal Goals 2000. Thank you for your attention to this matter and your consideration. With best regards, Rep. Mark L. Richardson, Republican Floor Leader [Also signed by) Other Concerned Missourians: Republican Lawmakers |
|