[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4253-S4254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EDUCATION

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I once again bring the attention of the 
Senate to the importance of completing action on an issue that is of 
fundamental importance to families all across this country, and that is 
the role of the Congress in addressing the elementary and secondary 
education challenge which exists across our Nation in which local 
communities and States are taking action and in which the Federal 
Government is also a partner.
  We have had a total of 6 days debate. Of the 6 days, 2 were debate 
only. We were not permitted to have votes on 2 of those 6 days, so we 
had 4 days of debate and votes. We had a total of 8 amendments. One was 
a voice amendment. There were 7 rollcalls. Of the 7 rollcalls, 2 of 
those rollcalls were on amendments we had indicated we were prepared to 
accept. Essentially, we have had 4 days of debate and 5 votes on this 
legislation.
  This is what our good Republican friends have indicated to us about 
the priority of education.
  In January 6, we have our majority leader saying:

       Education is going to be a central issue this year. For 
     starters, we must reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act. That is important.

  These are his remarks to the U.S. Conference of Mayors luncheon on 
January 29:

       But education is going to have a lot of attention, and it's 
     not going to be just words.

  On June 22, he said:

       Education is No. 1 on the agenda of Republicans in the 
     Congress this year.

  In remarks to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on February 1, 2000, he 
said:

       We're going to work very hard on education. I have 
     emphasized that every year I have been majority leader, and 
     Republicans are committed to doing that.

  On February 3, in a speech to the National Conference of State 
Legislatures, he said:

       We must reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education 
     Act. Education will be a high priority in this Congress.

  Congress Daily, on April 20, said this:

       Lott said last week that his top priorities in May include 
     an agriculture sanctions bill, ESEA reauthorization, and 
     passage of four appropriations bills.

  May 1:

       This is very important legislation. I hope we can debate it 
     seriously and have amendments in the education area. Let's 
     talk education.

  On May 2, I asked Senator Lott:

       On ESEA, have you scheduled a cloture vote on that? Senator 
     Lott said:
       No, I have not. . . . But education is No. 1 in the minds 
     of the American people all across the country, in every 
     State, including my own State. For us to have a good, 
     healthy, and even a protracted debate and amendments on 
     education I think is the way to go.

  On May 9, at the time when the legislation was pulled down, I asked 
the majority leader:

       As I understand, we will have an opportunity to come back 
     to ESEA next week. Is that the leader's plan?

  He said:

       That is my hope and intent.

  We are about to go out for a period of 10 days. We are reaching the 
end of May. We have no end in sight for the completion of legislation 
dealing with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. We have been 
prepared to enter into short time agreements on the various proposals. 
I don't know of a single amendment on this side on which we could not 
enter into a time agreement of 1 hour equally divided. We put that 
forward and we have outlined in detail the various education amendments 
that we had intended to offer. But we are not getting focus, attention, 
and priority on this legislation.
  I don't believe the American people want us to stonewall on the issue 
of education. I don't think they want the Senate gagged from having a 
full debate, discussion and action. We have had other legislation, such 
as the bankruptcy bill, that went for 15 or 16 days of debate before 
completion. We can take the time that is necessary and also complete 
the work on the appropriations bills. But we are serious about bringing 
this matter to the floor. We are going to raise it continuously. We 
want to take action. We think families across this country know 
appropriations are important, but those appropriations are not going to 
actually be expended until the fall. Families want to know, as we go on 
into this year, what we are going to do on education and education 
policy. We owe it

[[Page S4254]]

to the families, and we have every intention of pursuing it on this 
side of the aisle.
  I yield the floor.

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