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Tennis Industry to Join Rally
Against Proposed U.S. Budget Cuts
By Kent Oswald
02/18/2005
Representatives from the tennis industry will join with colleagues in
Washington, D.C., May 3 and 4 to rally lawmakers against plans outlined
in President Bush's 2006 budget to reduce funding for initiatives that
promote physical education in schools and public recreation.
PE4Life, a not-for-profit advocacy group, and the Sporting Goods
Manufacturer's Association (SGMA) will coordinate the lobbying on
"National P.E. Day." The groups hope to create enough public
awareness and pressure to force Congress to restore proposed cuts to the
Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) program. The
program is administered by the Department of Education and has grown
from the $5 million granted to 18 school and community programs during
fiscal year 2001 to $50 million in funding the following year to last
year's $74 million program funding 237 programs in 45 states. The
proposed budget cuts next year's funding to $55
million and foresees the program's elimination by 2008. Also on the
industry's agenda is restoration of $92.5 million slated to be sliced
from last year's budget for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
LWCF is funded by taxes on off-shore oil and natural gas development and
serves as the nation's primary federal funding for local parks, fields
and trails.
Jim Baugh, chair of PE4Life's board of directors and president of the
Tennis Industry Association (TIA), characterizes obesity as a
"national crisis" and
is promising the biggest National PE Day rally ever to promote the
message that a greater emphasis and opportunity for physical education
in schools is
one of the best ways to answer the threat to the nation's health. SGMA
President/CEO Tom Cove, echoes these sentiments: "We should double
PEP
funding rather than eliminate it in light of the benefits society will
see in the years to come."
While the legislation is not specific to tennis, the industry takes an
active interest in it as grants can and have been used to buy equipment
for schools and community groups, as well as to shore up public
recreation infrastructure. As SGMA spokesperson Mike May described the
connection, "I am sure there are people who are playing tennis [who
without PEP and the LWCF program] never would have been given a
chance."
In past years, companies such as Prince, Head and Wilson have sent
executives and players under contract to them to Washington on National
P.E.
Day as part of the sporting goods industry's efforts. Baugh believes
that in response to this threat the May effort will feature around 10
celebrities and perhaps as many as 50 sporting goods industry executives
trying to influence the course of legislation.
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