Bill Clinton
President Clinton and his team sought last week to inject new life into their $20 billion school construction proposal, even as the obstacles before that measure and other pieces of the president's education agenda mounted.
Senate Republicans and President Clinton sparred last week over education spending priorities upon the release of the Republicans' five-year budget proposal, signaling the start of the annual battle of the budget.
Feb. 15, 1994:
Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley delivers his first "State of American Education Address,'' starting a series modeled after his annual education speeches as governor of South Carolina. In a national address at Georgetown University in Washington, he outlines his vision for "a new compact'' between children and families "in an effort to reconnect children to learning.''
In the three years since Republicans took over Congress, they've complained that the numerous federal programs for schools don't give districts enough leeway in spending the money.
As President Clinton pushes his new national initiative to shrink the size of classes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders, he sounds very sure of the idea.
It was a blunt statement, the kind high-ranking Washington officials rarely make in public.
As in previous years, President Clinton released a budget wish-list last week that includes numerous child-friendly and health-oriented programs. But with a strong economy and a projected budget surplus, this year's plan is especially generous.
Opponents of national testing last week won the first of what could be several battles in the new session of Congress over the future of what was once President Clinton's top education priority.