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1. Congress Prepares for a “Lame-Duck” Session
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President Clinton and Congress have yet to agree on 6 of the 13 annual appropriations bills http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/legislative/appover.html. For now,several temporary spending bills have been implemented which will continue to fund federal agencies until after the election. Congress has concluded that no agreement will develop between now and the elections, so they are preparing for a “lame-duck” session later this year to wrap up the remaining work. Consequently, the negotiating power of each party may hinge on the outcome of the November 7 election.

Link: http://www.house.gov/appropriations/

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2. House Leadership Shoots Down Budget Deal on Education
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Shortly following an agreement between White House and Republican negotiators on this year’s Education Appropriations bill, GOP leadership decided to pull the plug on the deal. Congressmen Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay said that they were willing to work through elections to come to an acceptable compromise, but that the present level of education spending was unacceptable.

According to the October 31 Washington Post, the now-dead Education Appropriations bill would have increased federal education spending by 16 percent, escalating from $37.1 billion to $43 billion. This included $1 billion for after school programs, 1.3 billion in school repair funds requested by President Clinton, and 4.1 billion given to the Democrats for their own educational priorities.

HSLDA opposes a large federal role in education and believes all federal education spending is unconstitutional.

For further information on the federal role in education visit our website: http://www.HSLDA.org/docs/IssueCenter.asp?IssueID=61

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3. Vote Your Values
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HSLDA members and home schoolers across America are urged to participate in the election process by voting Tuesday, November 7. The thousands of Americans who gave their lives on the battlefield to preserve this republic have given this opportunity of self-government to us. It is our responsibility to be stewards of this privilege.

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4. Pilot Study Opportunity
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Educating Everyone, Inc., a multi-media education foundation, is looking for volunteer home school families to participate in a pilot project to study distance education delivered via a direct-broadcast- satellite (DBS) service. Educating Everyone, Inc., is a Florida- based, not-for-profit foundation whose mission is to help distribute information, technology, services, and capital in order to promote the cause of distance learning. Those who participate will receive a satellite television system and be asked to evaluate both the use of digital satellite technology and the quality of the curricula being offered.

If you are interested, contact Educating Everyone, Inc., at 941.366.8686 or visit http://www.educatinge.org