Statement of Administration Policy: S. 1310 - National Literacy Act of 1989

(Senate)
(Simon (D) IL and 20 others)

The Administration strongly supports the goal of increasing literacy in America. In his state of the Union Message, the President set as a national educational goal that, by the year 2000, every adult American will be literate and possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The Administration cannot, however, support S. 1310 in its current form. Among other things, serious concerns with S. 1310 are that it would:

—  Create a National Literacy 2000 Federal Interagency Council, which would impinge on the Executive prerogative to structure the Cabinet's policy-making process. Moreover, such an interagency council is unnecessary because the President last year established a Working Group of the Domestic Policy Council, chaired by the Secretary of Education, to, among other things, explore and coordinate literacy strategies and activities within the Federal Government;

—  Authorize a number of new programs, such as a National Center for Literacy and a Family Literacy Program, which duplicate current authorities and funding. For example, the FY 1991 Budget provides $5 million for a new National Literacy Clearinghouse, planning for which has been underway for some time, and doubles funding for Even Start, which has the same objectives and activities?as the proposed Families for Literacy Program; and

—  Unnecessarily increase the authorization levels for numerous existing programs. The President's FY 1991 Budget already proposes to raise funding for the largest direct Federal literacy program, Adult Education, by 24 percent over the FY 1990 level to $239 million. Other 1991 Budget proposals increase funds for related programs. For example, funding for compensatory education programs in local schools would be increased 8 percent to nearly $5 billion. In addition, $6.1 million has been requested for ACTION'S VISTA Literacy Corps, a doubling over the 1990 level. The additional funding levels are not necessary, and the new categorical programs that would be authorized by S. 1310 would further fragment National literacy efforts.

The President and Mrs. Bush are deeply committed to the goal of literacy for every American. S. 1310 will not materially advance the Nation toward achieving of that goal. It increases program complexity, entails excessive cost, and interferes with the President's prerogative to structure the Cabinet's policy-making process.