Education, affirmative action, and an enhanced role for African
American lawmakers are all on the agenda of Rep. James Clyburn
(D-S.C.), elected last month as the new leader of the Congressional
Black Caucus (CBC) for 1999.
Although Congress has enacted Pell grant increases and a federal
Hope scholarship during the past two years, Clyburn sees the need for
more action on higher education.
“We need to expand scholarships and grants,” said Clyburn, who also
plans a major push for federal funds to renovate historic buildings at
historically Black colleges and universities.
A recent U.S. General Accounting Office report set a cost of $755
million to restore HBCU historic buildings, and Clyburn wants the
federal government to fund about half of that amount. Colleges and
universities would provide a dollar-for-dollar match, he said.
Education facilities also are a major concern at the K-12 level,
and Clyburn supports the efforts of President Bill Clinton and others
to secure new federal financing to repair and build schools. Efforts
failed during budget negotiations this year, but Clyburn said he will
revisit the issue next year.
Cities and towns need about $69 billion to renovate or build
schools, he said, and modern facilities “make for a better learning
environment.”
Prior to his election to Congress in 1992, Clyburn worked on
affirmative action for four South Carolina governors, and he identified
the issue as another major focus for his CBC tenure. In particular, he
plans to broaden support for the president’s “mend it, don’t end it”
approach to the issue.
