FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 27, 1998
From: The White House: Office of the Press Secretary
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today I am pleased to sign into law S. 2206, the "Community Opportunities,
Accountability, and Training and Educational Services Act of 1998."
This legislation reauthorizes and amends Head Start, Community Services
Block Grants (CSBGs), and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP). In addition, this bill effectively completes the community
empowerment agenda I proposed in 1992 by establishing a new Individual
Development Account (IDA) demonstration program to empower low-income
individuals and families by helping them accumulate assets for their
futures.
I particularly want to thank the chief
sponsors of this legislation, Senators Coats, Jeffords, Kennedy, and
Dodd and Representatives Goodling, Martinez, and Clay. Let me also thank
Senator Harkin and Representative Tony Hall for their efforts to champion
the IDA demonstration project.
More than 33 years have passed since
President Johnson signed the legislation that began the historic experiment
in child development called Head Start. I am proud that since I became
President, we have raised Head Start funding by more than 50 percent;
increased dramatically the number of children served; and improved the
quality of the program significantly. I am particularly proud that we
launched Early Head Start to bring Head Start services to children through
age three.
As we approach the 21st century, S.
2206 strengthens and expands Head Start -- renewing our commitment to
prepare our neediest children for school and helping parents to teach
and support them. The legislation continues to build on the themes first
expressed in the 1994 Report of the Advisory Committee on Head Start
Quality and Expansion: improving program quality and accountability,
responding to family needs, and strengthening partnerships with other
community services. It raises qualifications for Head Start teachers;
invests additional dollars in program quality improvement by increasing
teacher salaries, benefits and training; and requires the Department
of Health and Human Services to study the effects of these investments
on children.
The bill also incorporates my recommendation
to double the funding set-aside for the Early Head Start program. In
light of new research on the significance of the earliest years, this
expansion is an essential step to reach more of our most vulnerable
infants and toddlers with critical services.
S. 2206 also includes a number of other
important provisions to address the needs of low-income families. The
IDA demonstration program provides incentives through Federal matching
funds for low-income individuals and families to invest in their futures
by saving for higher education, a first home, or to start a new small
business. In addition, the bill's CSBG and LIHEAP provisions will help
to address the need for critical urban and rural community development
projects and heating and cooling assistance for vulnerable senior citizens,
children, and persons with disabilities.
The Department of Justice advises, however,
that the provision that allows religiously affiliated organizations
to be providers under CSBG would be unconstitutional if and to the extent
it were construed to permit governmental funding of "pervasively
sectarian" organizations, as that term has been defined by the
courts. Accordingly, I construe the Act as forbidding the funding of
pervasively sectarian organizations and as permitting Federal, State,
and local governments involved in disbursing CSBG funds to take into
account the structure and operations of a religious organization in
determining whether such an organization is pervasively sectarian.
Overall, the bill is a fine example
of the good that can be achieved when the Congress and the Administration
join together to support programs that can break the cycle of poverty
and despair and create economic opportunities for our Nation's neediest
families. It is with great pleasure that I sign this legislation.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
October 27, 1998.
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