IT CREATES A NATIONAL SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. AND IF YOU
           READ THROUGH THE AMENDMENT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A BUILDING OF
           LAWYERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND MANDATES
           ARE THAT GO ALONG WITH IT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT
           THAT ON THE BINGAMAN AMENDMENT AND, FOR THAT MATTER, THE ROBB

           AMENDMENT, BOTH HAVE THE EFFECT OF -- OF DEFUNDING AND MAKING
           IT POSSIBLE, THE CREATION OF THE EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
           I'LL TAKE JUST A FEW MORE MINUTES TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE
           EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT WE'RE PROSEING HERE, BY GOVERNMENT
           PREDICTIONS AND ESTIMATES, WILL HELP 14 MILLION AMERICAN
           FAMILIES WHO ARE EDUCATING 20 MILLION CHILDREN. AND BECAUSE
           YOU'RE SETTING UP THIS EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT ACCOUNT, THEY
           WILL INVEST -- THESE ARE THE AMERICAN FAMILIES -- FOR THEIR

           CHILDREN 12 BILLION OVER THE NEXT -- $12 BILLION OVER THE NEXT
           TEN YEARS TO BE USED TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN FOR EDUCATIONAL
           PURPOSES. SO EVERY TIME WE CONFRONT ONE OF THESE AMENDMENTS
           THAT REMOVES THE FUNDING FOR THE ABILITY TO ESTABLISH THE
           EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT, WE'RE NOT ONLY THROWING THE IDEA
           AWAY, BUT WE'RE THROWING $12 BILLION OF VOLUNTEERED MONEY THAT
           WOULD COME FROM THE FAMILIES, THESE 14 MILLION FAMILIES, IN THE
           EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. IT WOULD BE ONE

           OF THE LARGEST INFUSIONS OF RESOURCES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN
           PUBLIC-PRIVATE EDUCATION IN MANY, MANY YEARS, AND THE FEDERAL
           GOVERNMENT'S NOT HAVING TO RAISE TAXES TO DO IT, THEY'RE NOT
           HAVING TO APPROPRIATE MONEY TO DO IT. WE'RE SIMPLY SAYING WE'RE
           GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO LET THE INTEREST BUILD UP IN THESE
           EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS TO NOT BE TAXED. IT'S OVER A
           TEN-YEAR PERIOD A REASONABLY SMALL NUMBER OF TAX REVENUE THAT

           WERE FORFEITED AND IT CREATES AND MAKES THE AMERICAN PUBLIC DO
           REALLY MASSIVE AND LARGE THINGS. IMAGINE IT -- SAVING $12
           BILLION TO COME TO THE AID OF KIDS THAT ARE TRYING TO GET
           THROUGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. SO I WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
           THESE AMENDMENTS UNDER THESE APPLE PIE TITLES HAVE THE EFFECT
           OF CLOSING DOWN THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD BE OPENING AN EDUCATION
           SAVINGS ACCOUNT. AND, MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR AND

           SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
           
           
           
           QUORUM CALL:
           

           MR. COVERDELL: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM GEORGIA.
           

           MR. COVERDELL: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
           QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
           

           MR. COVERDELL: MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
           THAT THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT'S IN QUORUM CALL, DURING THIS TIME
           ALLOTTED FOR THE DEBATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS, WHEN WE'RE IN
           QUORUM CALL, WOULD BE EQUALLY DIVIDED, AS THE TIME IS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
           

           MR. COVERDELL: I THANK THE CHAIR AND SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A
           QUORUM.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
           
           
           
           QUORUM CALL:
           

           MR. SCHUMER: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.
           

           MR. SCHUMER: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE QUORUM BE
           DISPENSED WITH.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
           

           MR. SCHUMER: I ASK TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES UNDER
           MORNING BUSINESS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
           

           MR. SCHUMER: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. IT IS WITH GREAT HONOR
           THAT I RISE TODAY TO THANK MY DISTINGUISHED SENATE COLLEAGUES
           FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND HELP AND CONSIDERATION AND HOPEFULLY
           PASSAGE LATER TODAY OF SENATE BILL S. 2076, LEGISLATION WHICH
           WILL BESTOW UPON JOHN CARDINAL O'CONNOR THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL
           OF HONOR. I, ALONG WITH SENATORS MOYNIHAN, SPECTER AND
           SANTORUM, INTRODUCED THIS BILL LAST WEEK WEEK, AS WE BELIEVE

           THAT NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR CONGRESS TO PUBLICLY THANK HIS
           EMINENCE FOR HIS 50-YEAR SERVICE TO AMERICA, THE CATHOLIC
           CHURCH AND FOR HIS NUMEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS AS AN AMBASSADOR OF
           PEACE, FREEDOM AND HUMANITARIANISM ARCHED THE WORLD. --
           --AROUND THE WORLD. SINCE BEING ORDAINED 54 YEARS AGO, JOHN
           CARDINAL O'CONNOR HAS HUMBLY CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS
           WITH THE SIMPLEST OF MESSAGES -- THE MESSAGE OF CARING AND
           COMPASSION FOR ALL PEOPLE. HE HAS DUTIFULLY SERVED THE CHURCH
           OF PHILADELPHIA AND THE DIOCESE OF SCRANTON, AND NOW FROM THE

           STEPS OF THE TREASURED ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, SERVES AS THE
           SPIRITUAL GUIDING FORCE FOR THE TEN-COUNTY NEW YORK ARCHDIOCESE
           AND ITS MORE THAN 2.3 MILLION CATHOLIC MEMBERS. HE IS LOVED IN
           NEW YORK AND BY CATHOLICS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND HE HAS
           TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS WHOSE SPIRITUAL LIFE IS RICHER
           FROM THE WORDS AND DEEDS OF OUR CARDINAL. SINCE BEING NAMED BY
           THE POPE AS SUCCESSOR TO THE LATE CARDINAL TERRENCE COOKE IN
           1984 1984, CARDINAL O'CONNOR HAS SOUGHT TO REINFORCE THE
           TRADITIONAL TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC

           CHURCH WHILE PUTTING A HUMAN FACE ON THE PROBLEMS FACED NOT
           ONLY BY CATHOLICS BUT ALL NEW YORKERS. HE HAS ADVOCATED FOR AN
           INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE. HE HAS ADVOCATED FOR FARM
           WORKERS. HE HAS ADVOCATED FOR WORKING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT NEW
           YORK AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. HE HAS WORKED HARD TO IMPROVE
           RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND JEWS, KNOWING THAT THAT IS
           SO IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF THE AREA HE REPRESENTS AND TO ALL

           AMERICANS. HE HAS ADVOCATED RELENTLESSLY FOR FAIR JUSTICE AND
           EVEN WHILE REAFFIRMING THE CHURCH'S TEECHGZ ON HOMOSEXUALITY,
           HE SET UP AIDS CLINICS AND VOLUNTEERED ANONYMOUSLY IN THEM. I
           HAVE NOT ALWAYS AGREED WITH CARDINAL O'CONNOR. FOR EXAMPLE, HE
           IS A STRONG, VOCAL AND IMPASSIONED VOICE IN OPPOSITION TO
           ABORTION, AND I HAVE RESPECTFULLY DISAGREED WITH HIS POSITION.
           BUT IN SOME INSTANCES, YOU EARN AN EVEN GREATER RESPECT FOR

           SOMEONE BY THE WAY THEY DISAGREE WITH YOU, HOW THEY
           
           FIGHT FOR THEIR BELIEFS: WITH VIGOR, PASSION, CONVICTION, BUT
           ALSO WITH HUMILITY, GRACE AND HUMBLENESS. I HAVE -- A MAN OF
           IMMENSE CONVICTION, HE HAS BEEN UNYIELDING IN HIS COMMITMENT TO
           REAFFIRM THE PRIORITIES OF THE CHURCH AND HIS FAITH.
{END: 2000/03/01 TIME: 12-00 , Wed.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}