Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 3, 1995 TAG: 9510030093
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Democratic congressman from Virginia's 5th District voted against deep cuts in federal programs for education that have been approved by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
Yet, Payne's district has been picked by the National Education Association for a special television ad that calls on his constituents to urge him to vote against the budget cuts.
"It is a strange decision to target us," said Paul Reagan, press secretary for Payne. "The congressman has a record of strong support for education."
The NEA has been airing the television spot urging voters in 21 key congressional districts to call on their representative to vote to support education. It is part of the teachers union's campaign to influence the outcome of the congressional debate on education funding.
The congressman from Nelson County is the only one in Virginia targeted for the television spot, although others, including 6th District Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, voted for the education cuts.
The ad has been running on a Charlottesville station. The 30-second spot accuses Congress of "cutting off our children's future" and "making the wrong choices for America." It urges viewers to call Payne and tell him to "choose children."
After the ad started running, Payne's office asked the NEA why he had been singled out when he had opposed the education cuts.
"We didn't understand it, and we still don't," Reagan said Monday.
Mary Teasley, NEA's director of government relations, replied by thanking Payne for his vote and saying she understood his concern about the ad.
But she said in a letter to Payne that it was being run for several reasons:
Both Democrats and Republicans who are considered pivotal votes were targeted. It was not a partisan effort.
Several House members who are the focus of the ads voted against the cuts. The spots are being run in these districts to generate support for the representatives and to encourage them to support education in upcoming votes.
The cuts are the worst ever proposed for education and will affect children in every state.
The House education, labor and human service appropriations bill, approved 219-208, includes nearly $4 billion in education cuts in fiscal 1996. Among them are:
A $1 billion reduction in the Title 1 program, which will deny 1.1 million disadvantaged children special help in reading, math and writing.
A $266 million cut in funds for the safe and drug-free schools program.
A reduction in federal college grants and loans that would affect 360,000 students.
NEA President Keith Geiger said the cuts will affect a wide range of education programs, reducing assistance in basic skills, jeopardizing school safety and closing the doors to college opportunity for many young people.
The Senate is debating smaller cuts in education and has not voted on them.
As part of its campaign, the NEA also is urging parents and teachers to call or write their congressional representatives to oppose cuts. NEA members also are making personal visits.
Geiger said national polls show that voters believe the federal government should spend more on education. He said a New York Times-CBS News poll showed that Americans oppose cuts in federal aid to education as a means of reducing the federal budget deficit.
Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.