{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS.}
FOR 40% LESS CHILDREN. THIS IS -- THIS PROBLEM WE HAVE AT
SILVERADO IS ALL THROUGH THE CLARKE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M SORRY TO REPORT, IT'S THIS WAY AROUND
MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE THE NEED FOR NEW SCHOOLS IN
CLARKE COUNTY, WITH SOME RENOVATIONS, AS I'VE INDICATED. AROUND
MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THERE IS JUST AS BAD A NEED FOR
RENOVATING SCHOOLS AS THERE IS FOR BUILDING NEW ONES IN CLARKE
COUNTY. IN CLARKE COUNTY, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIND QUALIFIED
{09:45:36} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
TEACHERS. LAST YEAR WE HAD TO HIRE ALMOST 2,000 NEW
SCHOOLTEACHERS IN ONE YEAR. THAT'S A REAL JOB. OUR UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM CAN'T PRODUCE NEARLY ENOUGH TEACHERS TO MEET THE
DEMANDS. ALMOST 2,000 NEW TEACHERS IN ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE
NEED HELP IN RECRUITING AND TRAINING HIGHLY-QUALIFIED TEACHERS,
HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS. MR. PRESIDENT, NEVADA IS A STATE, I'M
NOT HAPPY TO REPORT, NEVADA IS A STATE THAT HAS THE HIGHEST
DROPOUT RATE OF ANY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY -- ANY STATE IN THE
{09:46:13} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
COUNTRY. NEVADA HAS THE HIGHEST DROPOUT RATE. BUT THERE IS NO
STATE IN THE UNION THAT SHOULD FEEL SMUG ABOUT DROPOUT RATES.
IN AMERICA TODAY, 3,000 CHILDREN DROP OUT OF SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
THESE ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE GOING TO WIND UP BEING LESS THAN
THEY COULD BE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE -- THEY CERTAINLY WON'T BE
AS EDUCATED AS THEY SHOULD BE. THEY CERTAINLY WON'T BE AS
PRODUCTIVE ECONOMICALLY AS THEY SHOULD BE. THEY WON'T BE ABLE
{09:46:44} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY THE WAY THAT THEY COULD. SO HIGH
SCHOOL DROPOUTS IS A PROBLEM. ABOUT 500,000 CHILDREN DROP OUT
OF SCHOOL IN AMERICA EVERY DAY. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT. THAT'S A MAJOR AND SERIOUS FLOOB WE NEED TO ADDRESS--
--PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. AND I WOULD THINK AND I
WOULD HOPE THAT THIS AMENDMENT WOULD RELATE DIRECTLY TO THAT.
TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH MONEY FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS SO THAT THEY CAN USE THEIR MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS, LIKE
{09:47:15} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
RENOVATING SCHOOLS SCHOOLS, DOING SOMETHING AS IT RELATES TO
MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS TEACHERS. IF
WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD KEEP SOME OF THOSE
CHILDREN IN SCHOOL -- NOW, I'M SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT
WE CAN DO TO KEEP ALL 500,000 OF THEM IN SCHOOL EVERY YEAR. BUT
{09:47:46} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
IF WE COULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DROPOUTS BY 100 A DAY DAY, 200
A DAY, 500 A DAY SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR INSTEAD OF HAVING
500,000 STUDENTS DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, WE WOULD HAVE 400,000 OR
300,000. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT. THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO, SENATOR BINGAMAN, AND
I OFFERED AMENDMENTS IN THE PAST TWO CONGRESSES. THE YEAR
BEFORE LAST WE OFFERED AN AMENDMENT THAT PASSED, PASSED THE
{09:48:19} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
SENATE AND WAS KILLED IN THE HOUSE. LAST YEAR I'M SORRY TO
REPORT, ON STRICTLY A PARTISAN VOTE, OUR AMENDMENT DEALING WITH
DROP DROPOUTS WAS DEFEATED. STRICTLY PARTY-LINE VOTE. WHAT
WOULD OUR AMENDMENT HAVE DONE?
IT WOULD HAVE CREATED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION A
DROPOUT CZAR, SOMEONE WHOSE JOB WOULD BE TO FOCUS ONLY ON HIGH
SCHOOL DROPOUTS IN THIS COUNTRY. THERE ARE PROGRAMS AROUND THE
COUNTRY THAT WORK QUITE WELL. MANY OF THEM ARE VERY SMALL. BUT
{09:48:55} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
WE NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT, TO BE ABLE--
--TO BE AVAILABLE, NOT TO FORCE THEIR WILL ON LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS BUT TO BE AVAILABLE WITH RESOURCES TO SEE IF THEY CAN
DO SOMETHING TO HELP KIDS STAY IN SCHOOL. IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT
WANTED HELP, THEY COULD COME TO THE SO-CALLED DROPOUT CZAR IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND GET SOME HELP. I WOULD HOPE
THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT DURING THIS DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE TO
SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL. AND AS I SAID, THE
AMENDMENT -- THE UNDERLYING AMENDMENT, THE AMENDMENT WE'RE NOW
{09:49:26} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
DEBATING, CERTAINLY WOULD ALLOW US TO TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY
THAT'S NOW BEING USED FORSPECIAL EDUCATION AND USE IT FOR
PROGRAMS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL DROP DROPOUTS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS NO INTENTION OF TAKING AWAY THE ABILITY OF LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO MAKE THEIR DECISIONS. BUT WHAT WE NEED TO BE IS A
RESOURCE, TO BE A RESOURCE TO HELP PUBLIC EDUCATION IN AMERICA
{09:49:58} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
TODAY. SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL OVER AMERICA ARE BEGGING FOR OUR
HELP. THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS NO MOVEMENT IN WASHINGTON TO
TAKE OVER LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT IS
RECOGNIZED IT'S THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED ON THE LOCAL
LEVEL. BUT THAT BEING THE CASE, THERE STILL HAS TO BE RESOURCES
PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND IN MY OPINION, FAR MORE
RESOURCES THAN 2% OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHY?
{09:50:29} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
BECAUSE WE NEED -- WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SCHOOLS
THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING. ALL OVER AMERICA, SCHOOLS ARE
STRUGGLING. THEY'RE STRUGGLING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MEET THE HIGH
INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THE BONDS THEY'VE HAD TO LET TO BORROW
MONEY TO BUILD THESE SCHOOLS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT AROUND THE
COUNTRY, THAT THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE PASSING BOND ISSUES TO
PROVIDE NEW SCHOOLS, TO RENOVATE NEW SCHOOLS. WE KNOW THAT
THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS. WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
MAKING SURE THAT THE TEACHERS THAT ARE EDUCATED AND TEACHERS'
{09:51:01} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
COLLEGES AND OTHER UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE
WELL-QUALIFIED TEACHERS THAT MEET CERTAIN MINIMUM STANDARDS. WE
HAVE TO FOCUS ON THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE
HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS AND GOOD ADMINISTRATORS. AND WE HAVE TO
RECOGNIZE THAT SMALLER CLASSES ARE IMPORTANT. WE HAVE TO
RECOGNIZE ON A FEDERAL LEVEL THAT WE HAVE A NATIONAL PROBLEM
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND THAT WE HAVE TO
HAVE A NATIONAL PROGRAM TO HELP LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ACCOUNTABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE RECOGNIZED FOR YEARS
{09:51:34} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. GOALS 2000 WAS A STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION, BUT NOW WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THAT. WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL IN SAFE SCHOOLS,
SCHOOLS THAT THE ROOFS DON'T LEAK. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTER EQUIPMENT. THIS IS AS STANDARD
AS WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL, YOU HAD TO HAVE TEETER-TOTTERS
AND SWINGS. NOW YOU NEED TO HAVE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT. EXPANDING
ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY IS VITALLY IMPORTANT. AND WE HAVE TO MAKE
{09:52:09} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
SURE THERE'S UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL
PROGRAMS PROGRAMS. I SEE ON THE FLOOR TODAY IS MY FRIEND, THE
SENIOR SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS, WHO MORE THAN ANY OTHER
PERSON IN AMERICA HAS MADE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CONTINUING
DIALOGUE ON PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, HEAD START PROGRAMS AND OTHER
PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY THE BRAINCHILD OF THE SENATOR FROM
MASSACHUSETTS. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE
HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS. WHERE IT'S BEEN
LONG-ESTABLISHED THAT THE BETTER PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS WE HAVE,
{09:52:42} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE BETTER STUDENTS WE HAVE COMING INTO SCHOOL. AND WITH THE
WAY THE FAMILY SITUATION HAS DEVELOPED, WITH BOTH PARENTS
WORKING ON MANY OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THE NEED THAT THEY DO SO,
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT THERE BE GOOD, HIGH-QUALITY
PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS. THE AMENDMENT THAT IS NOW BEFORE US WILL
ALLOW THAT, BECAUSE IT WILL FREE UP -- IT WILL FREE UP MONEYS
THAT -- THAT SIMPLY AREN'T AVAILABLE TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
{09:53:14} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS AMENDMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN OFFERED IN THE
PAST BY SENATOR DODD, IS AN AMENDMENT THAT WILL RECEIVE
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT SUPPORT. THAT THE $1.2 MILLION -- BILLION
SET FORTH IN THIS BILL WILL BE USED TO GO DIRECTLY TO SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THAT'S WHAT THIS
AMENDMENT DOES. AND I WOULD HOPE, AS I'VE INDICATED, THAT WE'LL
{09:53:42 NSP} (A SENATOR) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
RECEIVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
{09:53:43 NSP} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. COVERDELL: MR. PRESIDENT?
{09:53:48 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE ABLE SENATOR FROM GEORGIA.
{09:53:52 NSP} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. COVERDELL: MR. PRESIDENT, I SEE SENATOR KENNEDY FROM
MASSACHUSETTS. I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND JUST A MOMENT OR TWO TO
THE COMMENTS BY SENATOR REID AND THEN TO, I THINK IN THE COMITY
OF EVENTS HERE, IT WOULD COME TO YOU. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO
SAY, SENATOR REID'S STATEMENTS DEALT WITH A PANOPLY OF ISSUES
RELATED TO EDUCATION BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO THE AMENDMENT HE
JUST SUBMITTED FOR SENATOR DODD. IN A WORD, THE AMENDMENT
{09:54:25} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THAT'S BEEN OFFERED BY SENATOR DODD WOULD MAKE THE ENTIRE
LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL
DAYS IN THE SENATE MOOT MOOT. IT BASICALLY REMOVES ALL SECTIONS
OF THE -- OF THE BILL BILL, AS WELL. I TAKE IT BACK. IT REMOVES
THE EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROVISION AND WOULD MAKE THAT
{09:54:56} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MOOT. IT IS PREMISED ON THE STATEMENT WE'VE ALL HEARD MANY
TIMES, THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHICH WAS PASSED IN THE
MID-1970'S, WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN PART BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PART BY THE STATE GOVERNMENTS, AND IN PART
BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEVER
FULFILLED ITS PROMISE. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE DEMOCRATS WERE
IN THE MAJORITY UNTIL FIVE YEARS AGO THE ENTIRE TIME. THEY WERE
{09:55:29} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THERE WHEN IT BECAME THE LAW. THEY WERE THERE WHEN IT WAS THE
AGREEMENT. AND THEY CONSISTENTLY IGNORED IT. NOW -- NOW, SINCE
A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY HAS COME TO THE SENATE SENATE, UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF A NUMBER OF MEMBERS ON OUR SIDE, BUT PARTICULARLY
I'LL MENTION TODAY SENATOR GREGG OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, THERE HAS
BEEN A CONSISTENT ATTEMPT ON OUR SIDE TO FUND THE SPECIAL
EDUCATION FUNDING. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IN FISCAL YEAR
{09:56:04} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
1997, THE PRESIDENT -- THAT'S THEIR VIEW -- REQUESTED $2.6
BILLION. FOR THIS NEED THAT THE SENATOR FROM NEVADA HAS JUST
BEEN DESCRIBING. BUT WE INCREASED THAT TO $3.1 BILLION, OR
ALMOST A NEW $1 BILLION TO PUT INTO SPECIAL EDUCATION. NEXT
YEAR, THE PRESIDENT OFFERED A BUDGET OF $3.2 BILLION. BUT WE
PASSED, AT THE PRODDING OF THE SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE, $3.8
{09:56:38} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
BILLION, OR $700 MILLION MORE. FISCAL 1999, THE PRESIDENT ASKED
FOR $3.8 BILLION, BUT WE ANSWERED WITH $4.3 BILLN, ANOTHER $500
MILLION BEHIND SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND THEN IN THE FY 2000
BUDGET, THE PRESIDENT ASKED FOR $4.3 BILLION, BUT WE MADE IT
$4.9 BILLION. THE POINT IS, THAT ON OUR SIDE SIDE, WE HAVE
CONSISTENTLY BEEN TRYING TO IMPROVE THIS ACCOUNT FOR SPECIAL
EDUCATION THAT WAS IGNORED FOR ALMOST 35 YEARS ON THE OTHER
{09:57:17} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
SIDE. SO I -- I HAVE TO BE A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS OF AN AMENDMENT
THAT SUDDENLY WRAPS ITSELF AROUND IN THE INTEREST OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION WHEN THEY COULDN'T DO IT FOR SOME 35 YEARS PREVIOUSLY
AND IT ACTUALLY TOOK A NEW MAJORITY TO START FULFILLING THIS
PLEDGE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. AS I SAID, THE EFFECT OF THE
AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO MAKE MOOT THE EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
{09:58:00} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
ACCOUNTS. NOW, THIS ISSUE CAME UP LAST WEEK IN A DISCUSSION
BETWEEN MYSELF AND SENATOR WELLSTONE OF MINNESOTA. THIS $1.2
BILLION OR $1.3 BILLION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE INVESTED
IN THE EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT WILL PRODUCE $12 BILLION IN
SAVINGS AND INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION. THAT'S A CLASSIC
{09:58:31} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
SITUATION HERE HERE. IF WE TAKE THE $1.3 BILLION AND CONVERT IT
TO THAT WHICH IS RECOMMENDED BY SENATOR DODD DODD, IT WILL BE
WORTH $1.3 BILLION. AND WE WILL FORFEIT THE VALUE OF THE
SAVINGS BUILDUP THAT CAN GO TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT THE
SENATOR FROM NEVADA
TALKED ABOUT: ALLOWS A FAMILY TO PURCHASE COMPUTERS, ALLOWS
FAMILIES TO HIRE TUTORS, ALLOWS FAMILIES TO AID AND ABET AND
ASSIST IF THEIR CHILDREN NEED OR HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION
{09:59:11} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
REQUIREMENTS OR NEEDS NEEDS. AND THE EFFECT OF THIS AMENDMENT
WOULD BE TO FORFEIT, GIVE UP THE ACCUMULATION OF $12 BILLION IN
NEW RESOURCES AND NEW ASSETS. THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE PRETTY
SHORTSIGHTED. WHY WOULD WE FORFEIT ONE OF THE LARGEST INFUSIONS
OF RESOURCES -- AND I MIGHT ADD ONE OF THE SMARTEST INFUSIONS
IN RESOURCES -- COMING FROM THE FAMILIES THEMSELVES?
{09:59:44} (MR. COVERDELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
WE'RE NOT HAVING TO RAISE TAXES TO DO IT. NO STATE, NO
GOVERNOR, NO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HAVING TO DO IT. PEOPLE
ARE DOING IT ON THEIR OWN, AND THEY'RE PRODUCING VERY SMART AND
INTELLIGENT DOLLARS BECAUSE THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE INVESTED
PRECISELY ON
{END: 2000/02/29 TIME: 10-00 , Tue. 106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}
{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS.}