The Joint Hearing before the U.S. Senate's Subcommittee on Education and the Special Subcommittee on Human Resources was particulary concerned with the problems of bilingual education. The hearing, held February 1973 in Los Angeles, California, focused on the Southwest in general and on California in particular because of the greater bilingual needs in these areas. The Bilingual Act first became law as a part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Amendments (ESEA) of 1967. Now, however, since nearly $100 million has been spent under the bilingual education program during the past 5 years, the time has come for an assessment of the needs of bilingual education and the ability of the act to meet those needs. Statements on the needs of Mexican Americans in both California and the Southwest as a whole were presented by community representatives, manpower development personnel, Southwestern and Los Angeles educators, U.S. Representatives from California, and members of the California State Department of Education. Additional information was covered by articles and publications, such as "Bienvenidos: Mexican Americans Hail Opening of Occupational Center", and "The Excluded Student: Educational Practices Affecting Mexican Americans in the Southwest". Selected tables detail: California -- total and Spanish language population by county (1970); Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Budget (fiscal 1972, 1973); Spanish surnamed students -- University of Southern California; and U.S. Government employment statistics (1970). (KM)