Educate America Act to appease Mr. Clinton while boosting special education and financial-aid programs to please congressional Republicans. Leon Panetta told reporters a few hours before Mr. Clinton signed the bill.
Education is the most significant area of restoration in terms of investments.
Most of the compromise figures included in that proposal stayed in the bill Mr. Clinton signed hours before fiscal 1997 began. The final deal did not change Goals 2000 to make Virginia, a state that has balked at participating, eligible to receive money without writing a detailed plan to improve its schools. State officials had sought such a change.