MR. LOTT: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE DISHED MAJORITY LEADER IS
           RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. LOTT: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I ASK THE QUORUM CALL BE
           DISPENSED WITH.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, IT IS SO ORDERED.
           

           MR. LOTT: LET ME OBSERVE FIRST, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT I HAVE HAD
           THE OPPORTUNITY OFF AND ON DURING THE DAY TO LISTEN TO SOME OF
           THE DEBATE ON THE NATO ENLARGEMENT ISSUE AND I HAVE TO STAY
           THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EXCELLENT SPEECH EGGS AND SOME VERY
           THOUGHTFUL OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS
           LEGISLATION AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO. I AM GLAD WE HAVE GONE AHEAD
           AND TAKEN IT UP. IT HAS GIVEN MEMBERS NOTICE THAT WE ARE MOVING
           TOWARD A PERIOD WHERE WE WILL HAVE THE FINAL DEBATE ON
           AMENDMENTS AND A VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. BUT I HAVE BEEN VERY

           IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE SPEECHES I HAVE HEARD TODAY.
           WE WILL CONTINUE ON UNTIL I THINK IT IS A QUARTER UNTIL 5 THIS
           AFTERNOON OFTEN NATO ENLARGEMENT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
           DEBATE ON NATO ENLARGEMENT UNTIL WE GET SOMETHING WORKED OUT ON
           THE COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND CONCLUDE THAT, AND
           THEN WE WOULD GO TO THE FINAL ROUND OF DEBATE AND AMENDMENTS ON
           NATO ENLARGEMENT. THE WAY WE ARE DOING THE DEBATE, THE DUAL
           TRACK OF BOTH THE EDUCATION ISSUE AND NATO ENLARGEMENT IS NOT

           INTENDED AT ALL TO DIMINISH EITHER. IN FACT IT IS INTENDED TO
           RAISE UP BOTH OF THEM IN THE AWARENESS AND CON OCEANS IN INNESS
           OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE SENATOR'S
           FEELINGS ON THESE ISSUES. BUT AT THE CLOSE WE WILL GET A FOCUS
           ON THE ISSUE AND HAVE A GOOD DEBATE IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS.
           

           MR. WARNER: WOULD THE DISTINGUISHED LEADER YIELD?
           I THINK IT IS WORKING OUT. I WISH IN MANY RESPECTS THERE WERE
           MORE IN BLOCK PIECES BUT VERY SUBSTANTIVE DEBATE IS TAKEN
           COURSE IN THE LAST 48 HOURS PLUS THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
           HELD A THREE-HOUR HEARING ON THE WORK IS GOING ON CON OCEAN
           SHUSLY ON THIS SUBJECT.
           

           MR. LOTT: I THANK THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA FOR HIS THOUGHTS ON
           THIS. I KNOW HE HAS A LOT OF RESERVATIONS. THAT HAS A LOT OF
           IMPACT HERE WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE IN THE DEFENSE AREA AND WE WILL
           LISTEN TO HIS REMARKS. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN GOOD SPEECHES ON
           BOTH SIDES. SENATOR SMITH FROM OREGON GAVE A MAGNIFICENT SPEECH
           THIS AFTERNOON. I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST I HEARD THIS
           YEAR. BUT I THINK IT IS WORKING AND WE WILL HAVE A FOCUSED
           DEBATE WHEN WE GET TOWARD THE END OF THE FINAL DEBATE. BUT I
           WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ISSUE

           PENDING BEFORE THE SENATE AT THIS TIME. THERE IS A CLEAR,
           STRONG MAJORITY IN THE SENATE TO PASS THE COVERDELL-TORRICELLI
           EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT BILL. AND IT IS BIPARTISAN. I WANT TO
           EMPHASIZE THAT. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY REPUBLICAN IS GOING TO BE
           FOR ENDING THE DEBATE SHALL AND NOT DRAGGING OUT HAVING A
           FULL-FLEDGED FILIBUSTER AND I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL DEMOCRATS
           THAT AGREE WE SHOULD GET TO THE SUBSTANCE TO. I BELIEVE WE WILL

           HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE SENATE THAT VOTE FOR THIS WHEN WE GET TO
           FINAL PASSAGE. AND THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT. THE LEGISLATION
           WOULD BENEFIT SOME 14 MILLION FAMILIES WHO COULD USE THE
           EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND I
           
           EMPHASIZE IT AGAIN: I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH ELEMENTARY
           AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IN AMERICA TODAY IS THERE IS NO
           OPPORTUNITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. NO WAY TO SAVE YOUR OWN
           MONEY TO HELP OUR CHILDREN A LITTLE BIT T DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
           2,000 A YEAR IT COULD BE $200 A YEAR OR LESS. BUT THAT MONEY

           COULD BE ACCUMULATED, TAX BENEFITS, AND USED TO BUY COMPUTERS,
           UNIFORMS, OR CHOOSE ANOTHER SCHOOL. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR
           STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS OF
           ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IN AMERICA. THIS BILL WOULD
           HELP ONE MILLION STUDENTS WITH TAX RELIEF ON THEIR STATE
           PREPAID TUITION PLANS. THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. WE OUGHT TO ALLOW
           PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PAY IN ADVANCE FOR THE IMPACT OF TUITION
           WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN
           ADVOCATED AGGRESSIVELY BY A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS AS WELL AS
           REPUBLICANS. THIS BILL WOULD BENEFIT ONE MILLION WORKERS, ONE

           MILLION WORKERS INCLUDING 250 GRADUATE STUDENTS WHOSE EMPLOYERS
           WOULD BE BETTER ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR THEM.
           SHOULDN'T WE ENCOURAGE THAT?
           SHOULDN'T WE EDGE COURAGE WORKERS -- EMPLOYERS HELP THEIR
           WORKER THAT WANT TO ADVANCE THEMSELVES AND THEIR EDUCATION?
           OF COURSE WE SHOULD. NOW MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS DAY SIX. DELAY
           AND OBSTRUCTION AGAINST GETTING THIS EDUCATION REFORM. IS IT
           ALL WE NEED TO DO?
           NO. IS IT A MAJOR STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

           YOU BET. WE OUGHT TO DO THIS AND WE SHOULDN'T KEEP DELAYING IT
           AND DRAGGING IT OUT. FOR SICK DAYS, SOME MEMBERS OF THIS BODY
           HAVE TAKEN TURNS STANDING IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE DOOR BARRING THE
           WAY TO A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN WHO QUITE OFTEN
           NEED IT THE MOST. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE SENATORS WHO HAVE
           BEEN INVOLVED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO HAVE BEEN WILLING
           TO PUT ASIDE PARTISAN CONSIDERATIONS AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR
           AMERICAN FAMILIES. IT WOULD ALSO BENEFIT HARD-PRESSED
           LOCALITIES THAT
{END: 1998/03/19 TIME: 14-45 , Thu.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}