President Bush released his proposed $2.77 trillion budget for fiscal 2007. Unfortunately, just as he did last year, the President once again recommended the elimination of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) by 2008.
The 2007 budget proposes only $26.4 million for PEP, the amount needed to fund previously-awarded PEP grants in 2007.

SGMA is encouraged by the continued support and recognition the PEP program has received in the U.S. House and Senate. The Department of Education (DOE) further validated the benefits and merit of PEP’s outreach. DOE is establishing new mechanisms for collecting accurate and reliable performance data from PEP grantees.

In response to the proposed elimination of PEP, SGMA encourages all industry representatives to collaborate in an advocacy outreach to Congress. National P.E. Day, the industry’s annual charge on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, will be May 3, 2006.

SGMA President Tom Cove reinforced the strength of the collective lobbying of SGMA members and PE4life supporters on National P.E. Day and beyond: “At no other time has our industry been better positioned or represented to help our nation overcome a health crisis. PEP received full funding in 2006 specifically due to the efforts of our industry and SGMA member companies on National P.E. Day last year.”