U.

Tuesday, October 10, 2000

U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine will focus his re-election campaign this fall on education and what Ohio’s local communities need.

"One of the most important things you can do is look at education," DeWine said. "When companies are looking to locate, they’re looking at education available."

More federal funding of education and sponsorship of legislation to develop "teacher academies" is needed, he said.

DeWine, the incumbent senator, faces opposition Nov. 7 from Democrat challenger Ted Celeste.

DeWine and his family toured Lawrence County Monday morning, beginning at an 8 a.m. breakfast with firefighters and political supporters.

The senator reviewed the Senate Commerce Committee’s approval of a version of his Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act, which he introduced with Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and two representatives.

If it wins final approval, the legislation would increase federal dollars for fire services – $400 million over two years to help local departments purchase trucks and equipment or pay for fire prevention programs.

The act would create an office under FEMA for distributing funds and grants based on a need basis. The act also targets small departments for federal-state-local cost sharing of projects.

Fire departments across the country could see as much as 25 percent of grant funding go toward new trucks, DeWine said.

After the breakfast, DeWine toured Chesapeake Elementary, meeting school baord members and staff and reading to second-graders.

DeWine is basing his campaign on accomplishments, he said.

"I’ve been talking about what I’ve done in the last six years," he said. "You can get a good idea of what I’m going to do by what I’ve done in the past."

The Senate has increased PILT funding – the money local governments get for federal lands in their districts – but there is a need to keep pushing for more, DeWine said.

The candidate said he has helped pass legislation that creates more funds for children’s health programs, especially for asthma sufferers. He also touted his membership to the Senate’s health, education, pension committee and workforce development subcommittee.

One of DeWine’s subcomittee bills calls for more local control of workforce training, which involves the local business community in developing job training programs, he said. It just went into effect.

On the judiciry committee, he has also helped increase the penalty against criminals who use guns in crimes.