QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE HEALTH CARE FACILITY Senator Harkin: I understand that the Home's new 200-bed intermediate health care facility, mandated by Congress several years ago, is slated for completion in 1992. Last year, Lt. General McKee testified that funds were insufficient to construct both the chapel and parking lot. In General Hilbert: When the former Governor testified last spring, it was estimated that an additional $1,245,000 was needed to construct the chapel and parking lot. The latest estimate is $1,875,000. FY 91, the Congress appropriated $1,473,000 more in Capital Outlay funds than requested in the Administration's budget. This additional $1,473,000 has tentatively been set aside for the construction of the chapel and parking lot. However, since this is short of the now estimated cost, the Home has requested approval of OMB to reprogram funds originally requested for paved surfaces so that this portion of the health care facility can be constructed. As of this date, we are continuing to work this issue with OMB. Senator Harkin: What portion of the project remains under construction? General Hilbert: The health care facility, less the chapel and parking lot, is currently under construction with completion scheduled for April 1992. LEWIN ICF STUDY Senator Harkin: Last year, the Subcommittee reviewed the Home's most recent health care assessment report completed by the consulting firm Lewin/ICF. The Lewin/ICF report indicated that more should be done to maximize residents' ability to remain in independent and assisted living situations as long as possible. In addition, the report concluded that more social activities should be created to reduce the social isolation of the Home's members. What specific programs has the Home instituted to further these goals of greater member independence and social interaction? General Hilbert: During this past year (1990), the USSAH has increased existing programs designed to encourage and accommodate members with various disabilities to live in a dormitory setting as long as possible rather than live in a health care setting. Additionally, we are in the process of implementing a formalized assisted living in the dormitory designed specifically for Home members who might otherwise have to be assigned to our King Health Center on a long-term basis. a. Selected dormitory floors on lower levels are reserved for members with chronically limiting health problems. These selected dormitory members receive assistance with daily living tasks and are encouraged to participate in community activities within their capabilities. Suitable members currently in health care status are being transferred to this dorm setting, and with some assistance, are able to remain in the dormitory for extended periods of time. This group includes members in wheelchairs, motorized carts, others recovering from strokes, amputations and some form of mental aberration. fractures, b. Starting in May 1991, expanded assisted living services will be provided in another of the central dormitories and will include specially trained staff personnel in the fields of nursing, recreation, psychology and geriatrics to insure that residents with health support needs become more active within the community. C. Handicapped dining room service, daily community health evaluations, structured exercise and other indoor activities, coupled with recreation bus trips and other special individual and group endeavors provides the framework for an on-going, ever expanding array of resident community involvement. The end results of these staff programming efforts will enhance the longevity and quality of life of marginally able members within the dormitories. SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS Senator HARKIN. Thank you. The subcommittee will stand in recess until 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 6, when we will meet in SD192 to begin our public witness hearings on the budget request. [Whereupon, at 5:25 p.m., Thursday, March 21, the subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 16.] DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1992 THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1991 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met at 2:28 p.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Tom Harkin (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Harkin, Bumpers, Specter, Hatfield, Cochran, and Gorton. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SECRETARY OF EDUCATION STATEMENT OF LAMAR ALEXANDER, SECRETARY ACCOMPANIED BY: TED SANDERS, DEPUTY SECRETARY SALLY H. CHRISTENSEN, ACTING DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, BUDGET AND EVALUATION OPENING REMARKS OF SENATOR HARKIN Senator HARKIN. Good afternoon. The Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will come to order. It is a real pleasure to welcome Lamar Alexander, our new Secretary of Education, to the committee today. Secretary Alexander brings to the job a long background of strong support for education and a track record of genuine leadership. Secretary Alexander has already demonstrated a great amount of leadership in his first 4 weeks on the job by developing and promoting a consensus for the White House announced America 2000 education initiative. Secretary Alexander has also moved quickly to bring a new leadership team to the Department, and has put into place a reorganization of student financial assistance programs. Mr. Secretary, you are off to a very fast and strong start. I think all the members of the subcommittee will join me in expressing to you our interest in working with you to develop the fiscal year 1992 budget for the Department of Education. While we will no doubt have some differences over some of the details and directions, we do all share the same goal of improving and strengthening education in America. FISCAL YEAR 1992 EDUCATION BUDGET REQUEST This year the administration has requested $29.6 billion for the Department of Education, which is $2.5 billion or 9.3 percent over the fiscal year 1991 level. Well now, that sounds good. Unfortunately $1.7 billion of this increase is simply for a bookkeeping change required by the credit reform legislation enacted by the Congress last year. So the discretionary increases for the Department of Education total only $768 million, or only 3.7 percent more than last year. When we consider the effects of inflation, discretionary programs in the Department are actually being cut. AMERICA 2000: AN EDUCATION STRATEGY An amount of $690 million of this discretionary increase is associated with the President's new education initiative, America 2000. Until we see the details it is difficult to evaluate, but it should make an important contribution to our continuing discussions as to how to improve education in America. I do have, Mr. Secretary, a number of concerns. One of my concerns is that the package does not adequately address meeting the first goal, that of ensuring that all children start school ready to learn by the year 2000. I know you have heard me talk about this, and I am going to start sounding like a broken record, but I am just going to keep saying it, because I feel that strongly about it. None of the important Federal programs, such as Head Start, maternal and child health, childhood immunizations, WIC Program, which help ensure that children are well nourished, healthy, and ready to learn, are addressed by America 2000. COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT I might just point out the Committee for Economic Development issued a report on February 28. This is a committee of some of the leading CEO's in America, headed by the CEO of Honeywell in Minneapolis, Mr. Renier, James Renier. And let me just quote to you the third paragraph on the first page. The new innovation for child development and education calls for a systematic reappraisal of the way children are prepared for school, and urges: A comprehensive and coordinated strategy for human investment that redefines education as a process that begins at birth and recognizes that preparation for learning begins even before birth. PELL GRANTS Also the plan makes no new Federal, new investment in core Federal education programs such as chapter 1, special education, Pell grants, and other student aid. These programs have been working. We have a long way to go to fully fund them. For example, over 4 million eligible children are currently not provided with chapter 1 reading and math. Funding for the 4.4 million children with disabilities meets only 25 percent of the standard set by law |