Clinton Pushes Vote on Teacher Funding

President Clinton argued to get a vote on teacher hiring subsidies, the centerpiece of his education agenda, attached to a popular Republican school bill. In his weekly radio address, Clinton accused GOP congressional leaders of “trying to shut down debate” and thwart his proposal for another round of grants to help schools reach the goal Clinton and Congress set in 1998 of hiring 100,000 new teachers during the next six years. At issue is the GOP-written legislation to give states more flexibility in spending federal school dollars. It appeared destined for swift enactment until Democrats sought to expand the bill to fit the president’s agenda.