[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 43 (Monday, April 20, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S3240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          EDUCATION SAVINGS ACT FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if I can just say a few brief words about S. 
1133, the Parent-Student Savings Account Plus Act, which is commonly 
referred to now as the A+ Act. Everywhere I went during the recess 
period in my State of Mississippi--and I did a number of events 
throughout the State in a variety of forums in towns and cities--
education was at the top of every list.
  I spoke to the Mississippi Economic Council, which is an organization 
really affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, but it represents 
a variety of businessmen and women, professionals, people who really 
want to make sure that we have what we need to create jobs and move 
forward economically and have opportunities for all our citizens. An 
important part of their plans for this year did include, of course, 
continued emphasis on education.
  So I am really excited that a good portion of this week will be spent 
on debate concerning the education savings account and the other 
portions that we have added to this education bill in the Finance 
Committee and other amendments that will be offered on the floor of the 
Senate on both sides of the aisle.
  Some people have said, ``Well, it could be messy debating education 
with as many as a dozen or more amendments being in order and with 
second degrees being in order.'' I think there are very few issues that 
we could be debating in the Senate this year in America more important 
than education. Of course, there are differences as to how to proceed 
on this education issue.
  I feel very strongly that we should encourage parents to save more 
for their children's education, not only for college but also for 
elementary and secondary education. We should make it possible for 
parents and grandparents and scholarship groups to set aside money in 
savings, in an education IRA, and that money then could be used for a 
variety of needs for children, whether it is tuition, books, supplies, 
computers, transportation, even uniforms. In my hometown, I was 
surprised to learn that the school board had voted that the students 
will begin wearing a certain form of uniform because they think it will 
help cut down on some of the violence associated with the clothes that 
are worn to school.
  I think there are a whole variety of options now that could be 
available. There are those who oppose the savings account for education 
for elementary and secondary students, but I ask why--we just last 
year, and the President signed into law, increased the opportunity for 
education savings accounts for higher education, and we raised the 
limit of those savings that could be set aside up to $2,000 a year--
why shouldn't it be available for elementary and secondary education?

  There are some other components of this legislation that have the 
guarantee that it would be bipartisan. In addition to the bipartisan 
support for the education savings account, other components in the bill 
include the expansion of the exclusion of employer-provided educational 
benefits to graduate education, which is a policy strongly advocated by 
the Senator from New York, Senator Moynihan. We should encourage 
employers to provide education benefits as a part of the package that 
they get in the agreement between employer and employee. This bill does 
that.
  While I was home, I spoke with the treasurer of our State of 
Mississippi. He made a particular point of coming over and asking me, 
did the bill still include the State prepaid tuition programs? I 
assured him that it did. We should encourage parents and students to 
save for their tuition. In this bill they will be able to exclude from 
income payments from State prepaid tuition programs.
  Also, this bill does provide for some opportunity for bonds for 
school construction. I personally do not think the Federal Government 
should begin paying for school construction at the local level. I think 
that is a decision that should be made by the States, by the local 
governments.
  Some people say, ``Well, they can't afford it.'' I represent the 
poorest State in the Nation--or what was the poorest State; thank 
goodness we are making progress now and getting off the bottom of many 
lists--but one of the ways we have done that is we have been putting 
more money into education, more money into building new high schools 
and new elementary schools. The education level in the State has 
generally been rising. The credit goes to the parents, the 
administrators, and the teachers at the local level. But to provide 
some process where there would be this bonding opportunity for school 
construction is one that I think we should consider. And it is in the 
legislation.
  There will be a number of other amendments that will be offered from 
both sides of the aisle. I will agree with some of them, and I will 
disagree violently with some of the others. But I think this is a 
debate worth having. I commend Senator Coverdell for his dogged work in 
support of education in this bill and the cooperation he has had from 
and with the Senator from New Jersey, Senator Torricelli.
  So this will be a great opportunity this week to do some things that 
will help education. One of the amendments that will be offered could 
be to consolidate some of the many, many Federal education programs 
into block grants and then allow that money to go back through the 
States with the direction that 95 percent of the money go to the school 
districts. Only 5 percent of it can be eaten up by administrative 
costs; 95 percent of it will go to the school districts without strings 
attached. Let the schools decide. Let the local school officials decide 
if that money will be used for STAR teachers or for construction, if 
you will. It would be their choice. That is the fundamental difference 
between what some others will be trying to do, which would mean more 
decisions, more money, more direction and more strings from Washington. 
That is not the answer. I think in many cases that is the problem.
  So, it will be an interesting debate. I commend the Senators for 
working with me to try to get an agreement as to how this process will 
go forward. We will spend today and all of tomorrow and possibly or 
probably even part of Wednesday completing this legislation, but it is 
time well spent.

  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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