THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE SENATE WILL COME TO ORDER. THE
           CHAPLAIN WILL NOW DELIVER THE OPENING PRAYER.
           

           THE CHAPLAIN: LORD OF ALL LIFE, YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE HOURS OF
           THIS DAY TO WORK FOR YOUR GLORY BY SERVING OUR NATION. REMIND
           US THAT THERE IS ENOUGH TIME TODAY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT US TO
           ACCOMPLISH. RELEASE US FROM THAT RUSHED FEELING WHEN WE
           OVERLOAD THE AGENDA WITH THINGS WHICH YOU MAY NOT HAVE INTENDED
           FOR US TO CRAM INTO TODAY. HELP US TO LIVE ON YOUR TIMING.

           GRANT US SERENITY WHEN WE FEEL IRRITATED BY TRIFLING
           ANNOYANCES, BY TEMPORARY FRUSTRATION, BY LITTLE THINGS TO WHICH
           WE MUST GIVE TIME AND ATTENTION. MAY WE DO WHAT THE MOMENT
           DEMANDS WITH A HEART OF READINESS. GIVE US THE COURAGE TO CARVE
           OUT TIME FOR QUIET THOUGHT AND CREATIVE PLANNING TO FOCUS OUR

           ATTENTION ON THE BIG THINGS, ON THOSE IMPORTANT THUNGS WE MUST
           DECIDE AND EVENTUALLY VOTE ON WITH A DECISIVE VOTE. HELP US TO
           BE SILENT, TO WAIT ON YOU, TO RECEIVE YOUR GUIDANCE. MAY THE
           PEOPLE WE SERVE AND THOSE WITH WHOM WE WORK SENSE THAT, IN THE
           MIDST OF THE STRAIN AND STRESS OF POLITICAL LIFE, WE'VE HAD OUR

           MINDS REPLENISHED BY LISTENING TO YOU. IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD.
           AMEN.
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE ABLE ACTING MAJORITY LEADER, THE
           DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON STATE, IS RECOGNIZED.
           

           MR. GORTON: MR. PRESIDENT, THIS MORNING THE SENATE WILL
           IMMEDIATELY RESUME CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2646, THE COVERDELL A+
           EDUCATION BILL. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THIS SENATOR WILL BE
           RECOGNIZED AT
           
           9:30 A.M. TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT WITH RESPECT TO BLOCK GRANTS.
           MEMBERS WHO HAVE REMAINING AMENDMENTS TO THE COVERDELL BILL ARE
           ENCOURAGED TO COME TO THE FLOOR TO OFFER AND DEBATE THOSE
           AMENDMENTS. SENATORS ARE REMINDED THAT ANY VOTES ORDERED THIS
           MORNING WITH RESPECT TO PENDING AMENDMENTS WILL BE STACKED TO
           

           OCCUR AT APPROXIMATELY 3:00 P.M. FURTHER VOTES CAN BE EXPECTED
           THROUGHOUT TODAY'S SESSION. AS WE ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE ACTION ON
           THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE
           MESSAGE FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER, AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE
           LAST POINT. IT'S HIS INTENTION THAT WE FINISH ALL AMENDMENTS
           AND THE DEBATE ON FINAL PASSAGE OF THIS BILL BEFORE THE END OF
           THE SESSION TODAY, SO THOSE WHO HAVE AMENDMENTS SHOULD COME TO
           THE FLOOR AND OFFER THEM IN ORDER AFTER THE DEBATE ON MY OWN IS

           COMPLETED. AND NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK RECOGNITION IN ORDER
           TO PRESENT AN AMENDMENT.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE LEADERSHIP
           TIME IS RESERVED. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER THE SENATE WILL NOW
           RESUME CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2646, WHICH THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
           

           THE CLERK: CALENDAR NO. 227, H.R. 2646, AN ACT TO AMEND THE
           INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986 TO ALLOW TAX-FREE EXPENDITURES
           FROM EDUCATION INDIVIDUAL HE RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS FOR ELEMENTARY
           AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EXPENSES AND SO FORTH AND FOR OTHER
           PURPOSES.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE SENATOR
           FROM WASHINGTON, MR. GORTON, IS RECOGNIZED TO OFFER AN
           AMENDMENT REGARDING BLOCK GRANTSS IN WHICH THERE SHALL BE 30

           MINUTES EQUALLY DIVIDED. MR. GORTON: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON.
           

           MR. GORTON: I UNDERSTAND IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE DESK AND I ASK
           FOR ITS IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
           

           THE CLERK: THE SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON, MR. GORTON, PROPOSES AN
           AMENDMENT NUMBERED 2293.
           

           MR. GORTON: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT FURTHER
           READING BE DISPENSED WITH.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. GORTON: AND, MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK THAT THE FOLLOWING
           SENATORS BE LISTED AS ORIGINAL COSPONSORS OF THE
           
           AMENDMENT: SENATOR FRIST, SENATOR HAGEL, SENATOR MACK, SENATOR
           COVERDELL, SENATOR HELMS, SENATOR BOB SMITH, SENATOR DOMENICI,
           SENATOR NICKLES AND SENATOR GREGG.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: SO ORDERED, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. GORTON: MR. PRESIDENT, LAST FALL DURING THE DEBATE OVER THE
           LABOR-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL, I INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT
           TO CONSOLIDATE MORE THAN A DOZEN FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS FOR
           EDUCATION FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE INTO A SINGLE
           BLOCK GRANT WITH THE BLOCK GRANT GOING TO EACH INDIVIDUAL
           SCHOOL DISTRICT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE AMENDMENT HAD
           THREE GOALS -- TO SEE TO IT THAT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVES
           MORE MONEY THAN IT DOES AT THE PRESENT TIME BY SENDING DIRECTLY

           TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MONEY NOW KEPT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
           EDUCATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES AND MONEY KEPT BY STATE
           EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES. THE SECOND
           GOAL, MR. PRESIDENT, WAS TO REDUCE THE FLOOD, THE BLIZZARD, OF
           PAPERWORK IMPOSED ON ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE
           COUNTRY WITH RESPECT TO DOZENS -- PERHAPS EVEN HUNDREDS -- OF
           SEPARATE PROGRAMS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AIMED AT THE EDUCATION

           OF OUR CHILDREN BETWEEN KINDERGARTEN AND 12TH GRADE. THE THIRD
           RAND PHILOSOPHICAL REASON FOR THE AMENDMENT WAS THE BELIEF THAT
           THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS, THE PARENTS, AND THE ELECTED SCHOOL
           BOARD MEMBERS IN EACH STATE AND SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THIS COUNTRY
           HAD THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS AND
           REALLY KNEW IN EACH COMMUNITY MORE ABOUT WHAT THE CHILDREN OF
           THAT COMMUNITY REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH EDUCATION POLICY

           THAN DID ANY PERSON IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHETHER A BUREAUCRAT
           IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OR A UNITED STATES SENATOR IN
           THIS BODY. PERHAPS THE MOST DIFFICULT CONCLUSION FOR ANY OF US
           HERE TO REACH IS THAT MAYBE WE DON'T KNOW AS MUCH AS DO PEOPLE
           AT HOME ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY
           FACE IN A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS, IN THIS CASE MOST PARTICULARLY,
           EDUCATION. AND SO IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO ALLOW 10,000 FLOWERS TO

           BLOOM TO ALLOW EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FAR MORE
           DISCRETION THAN IT HAS AT THE PRESENT TIME TO DETERMINE WHERE
           FEDERAL AID COULD BEST BE USED. AFTER ALL, MR. PRESIDENT, WE
           ONLY COME UP WITH 6% TO 8% OF THE MONEY THAT OUR SCHOOLS SPEND.
           WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO COME UP WITH 50% OR 60% OF THE RULES
           AND REGULATIONS AND FORMS WITH WHICH OUR SCHOOLS MUST CONTEND.
           THAT BURDEN LESSENS THE ABILITY OF TEACHERS TO TEACH AND

           ADMINISTRATORS TO ADMINISTER, AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO SET
           POLICIES. SOMEWHAT TO MY SURPRISE, THAT AMENDMENT WAS PASSED
           BAY VOTE OF 51-49. IT WAS OBJECTED TO PARTLY ON SUBSTANTIVE
           GROUNDS AND PARTLY ON PROCEDURAL GROUNDS THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN
           THE SUBJECT OF HEEGS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WAS
           UNCOMFORT NELABLE WITH IT THE PRESIDENT WAS OPPOSED. AND IT WAS
           EVENTUALLY DROPPED IN THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON THAT
           APPROPRIATIONS BILL. SINCE THEN, HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN A MATTER

           OF MAJOR DISCUSSION AMONG SCHOOL OFFICIALS ALL ACROSS THE
           UNITED STATES. IT'S BEEN THE SUBJECT OF HEARINGS HERE IN THE
           UNITED STATES SENATE CONDUCTED BY MY DISTINGUISHED FRIEND AND
           COLLEAGUE, SENATOR FRIST FROM TENNESE, ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS. I
           HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS TALKING TO EDUCATORS ON THE SUBJECT
           AND LISTENING TO BOTH THEIR PRAISE AND TO THEIR CONCERNS. AS A
           CONSEQUENCE, THIS AMENDMENT IS SOMEWHAT CHANGED FROM THE
           PREVIOUS AMENDMENT. THIS AMENDMENT WILL LAST FOR FIFETE YEARS,

           BUT ITS EFFECTIVE DATE WILL BE DELAYED IN ORDER TO GIVE THE
           PEOPLE OF EACH STATE A VERY REAL CHOICE IN THE WAY IN WHICH
           THEY RECEIVE THEIR FEDERAL AID FOR EDUCATION. WE HEARD THE
           REPRESENTATIVE OF AT LEAST ONE STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SAY
           THAT HE LIKED THE PRESENT SYSTEM. WE HEARD SEVERAL STATE SCHOOL
           SUPERINTENDENTS SAY HOW MUCH MORE THEY CAN DO WITH THE MONEY

           DRAMATICALLY TO REFORM EDUCATION POLICY IF THE MONEY CAME TO
           EACH OF THE 50 STATES, TO THEIR GOVERNOR OR TO THEIR
           SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. AND MANY OF THE OUTSIDE
           INTELLECTUALS AND ACADEMICS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION FEEL THAT
           IT IS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT TRUE EDUCATIONAL REFORM IS TAKING
           PLACE. AND WE HEAR FROM MANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS -- I HEAR
           FROM MANY OF THEM IN MY OWN STATE AND SO DO OTHER MEMBERS --
           THAT THEY LIKED MY ORIGINAL PROPOSAL TO GET RID OF BOTH
           BUREAUCRACIES AND ALLOW EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE

           THESE DECISIONS. SO THIS AMENDMENT GIVES EACH STATE A CHOICE.
           THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN THE NEXT YEAR MAY ELECT TO CONTINUE
           THE PRESENT SYSTEM. IT MAY ELECT TO TAKE THE MONEY AT THE STATE
           LEVEL, GOING THROUGH WHATEVER EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT THAT
           STATE HAS ESTABLISHED. OR IT MAY ELECT, EITHER POSITIVELY OR BY
           TAKING NO ACTION, TO ALLOW THE MONEY TO GO DIRECTLY THROUGH TO
           SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SENATOR FRIST WILL OFFER A SECOND-DEGREE

           AMENDMENT ALLOWING THAT CHOICE TO BE RESCINDED OR TO CHANGE,
           THE AMENDMENT I THINK FRIENDLY TO THE PROPOSITION. AS A
           CONSEQUENCE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE
           PROPOSAL I MADE LAST YEAR IS A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO
           EDUCATION, WHETHER THE BEST SYSTEM IS ONE IN WHICH EACH STATE
           MAKES ITS OWN CHOICES, MUCH AS WE'VE DONE WITH RESPECT TO
           WELFARE REFORM, OR WHETHER THE PRESENT SYSTEM IS BEST BECAUSE
           THERE WILL BE STATES THAT MAKE EACH OF THESE THREE DECISIONS. I

           HOPE THAT THIS WILL TURN THIS PROPOSAL INTO A BIPARTISAN
           PROPOSAL. I'M NOT SURE WHY ANYONE SHOULD OPPOSE THAT TRIPLE
           OPTION, ALLOWING A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS. ONLY IFWE
           REGARDED THE PRESENT EDUCATION SYSTEM AS PERFECT SHOULD WE
           REJECT AN EXPERIMENT OF THIS SORT. THE SECOND OBJECTION, THE
           SECOND APPREHENSION THAT WAS CLOSE TO UNIVERSAL WAS THE
           PROPOSITION THAT IF WE WENT TO A BLOCK GRANT, IF WE COMBINED

           ALL OF THESE IDEAS INTO A BLOCK GRANT THAT CONGRESS WOULD
           IMMEDIATELY LOSE INTEREST IN EDUCATION AND THE BLOCK GRANT
           WOULD INEVITABLY HE DECLINE AND THAT THE MONEY WOULDN'T BE
           THERE FOR SKOOFMTS -- FOR SCHOOLS. I BELIEVE THE INTEREST IN
           EDUCATION HERE TO BE HIGH ENOUGH SO THAT THAT WOULD NO HAVE
           TAKEN PLACE, BUT THE CONCERN WAS VERY REAL. IN RESPONDING TO
           THAT CONCERN, WE HAVE HE EA SET AUTHORIZATION LEVELS FOR THE
           FIVE YEARS DURING WHICH THIS EXPERIMENT WILL TAKE PLACE, EACH
           OF WHICH RISES MODESTLY IN EACH OF THOSE YEARS CONSISTENT WITH

           THE BALANCED BUDGET AGREEMENT AND THE PROJECTIONS OF THE FREEZE
           UNDER WHICH DISCRETIONARY SPENDING WILL OPERATE. AND THIS
           PROPOSAL SAYS THAT IF WITHIN A YEAR WE DOOP MEET THAT
           AUTHORIZATION LEVEL -- WE DON'T MEET THAT AUTHORIZATION LEVEL,
           THE WHOLE EXPERIMENT FALLS AND ENDS AND WE GO BACK TO THE
           PRESENT SYSTEM. SO WE'VE GUARANTEED NOT ONLY A CONTINUATION OF
           EFFORT, WE'VE GUARANTEED A MODEST INCREASE IN THAT EFFORT OVER
           THE YEARS. AND FINALLY, WE HAVE A HOLD HARMLESS UNDER WHICH THE

           SCHOOL DISTRICTS SAY THAT NO SCHOOL WILL RECEIVE LESS MONEY IF
           THEY ELECT ONE OF THE TWO SYSTEMS OTHER THAN CONTINUING THE
           STATUS QUO THAN THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED OTHERWISE. WITH A
           DISTRIBUTION OF TITLE 1 MONEY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TITLE 1
           ELIGIBLE STUNDZE STUDENTS, FUNDAMENTALLY BILINGUAL MONEY BASED
           ON THE NUMBER OF BILINGUAL STUDENTS AND A DISTRIBUTION OF THE
           BALANCE ON THE BASIS OF THE PROSPERITY OR POVERTY OF A GIVEN
           STATE. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY

           POSITIVE FOR EDUCATION HERE, A SYSTEM THAT WILL GET MORE MONEY
           INTO THE CLASSROOM, WILL ALLOW MORE EXPERIMENTATION, WILL ALLOW
           US TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE PRESENT SYSTEM IS THE BEST SYSTEM WE
           CAN COME UP WITH OR A STATE-BASED SYSTEM OR A LOCAL-BASED
           SYSTEM. AND SO AT THIS POINT, MR. PRESIDENT, I'D URGE MY
           COLLEAGUES OF BOTH PARTIES TO LOOK AT THIS VERY CAREFULLY, NOT
           TO JUDGE IT NECESSARILY ON THE BASIS OF THE WAIT IN WHICH THEY
           JUDGED LAST YEAR'S PROPOSAL, BUT  JUDGE IT ON THE BASIS OF
           WHETHER OR NOT
{END: 1998/04/22 TIME: 09-45 , Wed.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}