1998 Ron Paul 99:1 Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity
to express my opposition to S. 2206,
which reauthorizes the Head Start program, as
well as the Community Services Block Grant
program and the Low Income Housing Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP). While the
goals of Head Start and the Community Services
Block Grant program are certainly noble,
the means these programs use to accomplish
these goals (confiscating monies from one
group of citizens and sending them to another
group of citizens in the form of federal funding
for Washington-controlled programs) are immoral
and ineffective. There is no constitutional
authority for Congress to fund any programs
concerning child-rearing or education.
Under the constitutional system, these matters
are left solely in the hands of private citizens,
local government, and the individual states.
1998 Ron Paul 99:2 In fact, the founders of this country would
be horrified by one of the premises underlying
this type of federal program: that communities
and private individuals are unwilling and unable
to meet the special needs of low-income
children without intervention by the federal
government. The truth is that the American
people can and will meet the educational and
other needs of all children if Congress gives
them the freedom to do so by eliminating the
oppressive tax burden fostered on Americans
to fund the welfare-warfare state.
1998 Ron Paul 99:3 When the federal government becomes involved
in funding a program such as Head
Start, it should at least respect local autonomy
by refraining from interfering with the ability of
local communities to fashion a program that
suits their needs. After all, federal funding
does not change the fact that those who work
with a group of children on a daily basis are
the best qualified to design a program that effectively
serves those children. Therefore, I
must strongly object to the provisions in S.
2206 that requires the majority of Head Start
classroom teachers to have an Associate or
Bachelors degree in early childhood education
by 2003. This provision may raise costs
and/or cause some good Head Start teachers to
lose their positions simply because they lack
the credentials a Washington-based “expert”
decided they needed to serve as a Head Start
instructor.
1998 Ron Paul 99:4 Mr. Speaker, if programs such as Head
Start where controlled by private charities,
their staffers would not have to worry about diverting
valuable resources away from their
mission to fulfill the whims of Congress.
1998 Ron Paul 99:5 I am also disappointed that S. 2206 does
not contain the language passed by the House
Committee on Education and the Workforce
freeing Head Start construction from the
wasteful requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act.
Davis-Bacon not only drives up construction
costs, it effectively ensures that small construction
firms, many of which are minority-owned,
cannot compete for federal construction
contracts. Repealing Davis-Bacon requirement
for Head Start construction would open
up new opportunities for small construction
companies and free up millions of taxpayers
dollars that could be used to better America’s
children.
1998 Ron Paul 99:6 Congress should also reject S. 2206 because
it reauthorizes the Low Income Heating
and Energy Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is an
unconstitutional transfer program which has
outlived its usefulness. LIHEAP was instituted
in order to help low-income people deal with
the high prices resulting from the energy crisis
of the late seventies. However, since then,
home heating prices have declined by 51.6%
residential electricity prices have declined by
25% and residential natural gas prices have
declined by 32.7%. Furthermore, the people of
Texas are sending approximately $43 million
more taxpayer dollars to Washington for
LIHEAP than they are receiving in LIHEAP
funds. There is no moral or constitutional justification
for taking money from Texans, who
could use those funds for state and local programs
to provide low-income Texans with relief
from oppressive heat, to benefit people in
other states.
1998 Ron Paul 99:7 Another provision in S. 2206 that should be
of concern to believers in a free society is the
provision making “faith-based organizations”
eligible for federal funds under the Community
Services Block Grant program. While I have
little doubt that the services offered by churches
and other religious institutions can be more
effective in producing social services than
many secular programs, I am concerned that
allowing faith-based organizations’ access to
federal taxpayer dollars may change those organizations
into lobbyists who will compromise
their core beliefs rather than risk alienating
members of Congress and thus losing their
federal funds. Thus, allowing faith-based organizations
to receive federal funds may undermine
future attempts to reduce federal control
over social services, undermine America’s tradition
of non-establishment of religion, and
weaken the religious and moral component of
the programs of “faith-based providers.” It
would be a tragedy for America if religious organizations
weakened the spiritual aspects
that made their service programs effective in
order to receive federal lucre.
1998 Ron Paul 99:8 Since S. 2206 furthers the federal government’s
unconstitutional role of controlling early
childhood education by increasing federal
micro-management of the Head Start program,
furthers government intrusions into religious
institutions and redistributes income from Texans
to citizens of other states through the
LIHEAP program, I must oppose this bill. I
urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and instead
join me in defunding all unconstitutional
programs and cutting taxes so the American
people may create social service programs
that best meet the needs of low-income children
and families in their communities.
Notes:
1998 Ron Paul 99:4
if programs such as Head Start where controlled by private charities probably should be
if programs such as Head Start were controlled by private charities.
1998 Ron Paul 99:6
However, since then, home heating prices have declined by 51.6% residential electricity prices have declined by 25% and residential natural gas prices have declined by 32.7%.
probably should have commas after the first two percentages:
However, since then, home heating prices have declined by 51.6%, residential electricity prices have declined by 25%, and residential natural gas prices have declined by 32.7%.
