[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 25, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3876-S3877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           THE EDUCATION BILL

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I know there have been a number, more or 
less, of opening statements or statements with regard to education in 
America in the hope that we can move forward on a very important 
education reform bill that has been requested by President Bush and has 
been worked on in our Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. 
The bill was reported out overwhelmingly some months ago.
  At that point, negotiations began between Republicans on the 
committee, Democrats on the committee, and the administration. I had 
the impression that good progress had been made. That is as it should 
be. Education is a very high priority in America with the President and 
with the Congress but, most importantly, with the American people.
  I have stated in this Chamber many times before how importantly I 
view education. In my State of Mississippi, we are struggling mightily 
to improve the quality of our education to make sure that quality 
education is available to all of our students. We are truly working on 
the idea that no child should be left behind.
  We had a $100 million contribution from Jim and Sally Barkesdale for 
fourth grade reading only in my State.
  We are now at a point where we have 50 schools that have been 
approved for the Power-Up Program where students from the fifth grade 
to the eighth grade have access to privately donated computers with 
specifically trained teachers on how to teach these children to use 
them to learn to read. This program allows them to become computer 
literate and improve their reading skills.
  Now we have unique programs in my State for fourth graders, and fifth 
through the eighth grade for reading alone. We are focusing on where 
there is a tremendous need. That story can be replicated all across 
America.

  In addition to that, I am a son of a schoolteacher. She taught for 19 
years before she got into bookkeeping and eventually into radio 
announcing. So I care a lot about education.
  I worked for the University of Mississippi in placement and in the 
financial office for the alumni association and for the law school 
placement bureau. I have been involved in working with guidance 
counselors and teachers and promoting education generally. I care 
mightily about this.
  As a Member of Congress for 29 years, I have watched us try to have a 
constructive role from the Federal level with the States and local 
school officials. We have put billions of dollars into trying to be 
helpful from the Federal level. The number is well over $130-plus 
billion for title I since I think 1965.
  As we poured more and more money from the Federal level into local 
education, the test scores have continued to slide downward. There is 
something missing. Money alone is not the answer. Money is part of the 
answer. We need to put more funds at the local, State, and Federal 
level into education, but we need more than that. We need fundamental 
reform. We need flexibility. We need accountability. We need to make 
sure the children are learning to read and to do math. We need to know 
we are getting results for the efforts that are put into this important 
area of education.
  We need to make sure teachers have the training they need to do the 
job, and that there are more and better programs to make sure we have 
teachers who have been taught how to teach the use of computers. We 
have computers in backs of classrooms and in hallways that aren't being 
used because they do not have teachers who are trained or qualified to 
teach their usage. We need more progress for our teachers. We need 
accountability for teachers.
  Testing is something I have struggled with a little bit. We need to 
have a way to know how our students are doing. I worry about a national 
testing system. But the President has convinced me that there must be 
some sort of testing mechanism with a lot of local discretion, and it 
must occur regularly, not just sporadically.
  There is much we can do in this area. I had been prepared to and have 
been under the impression that we were going to be able to move on the 
education reform package on Monday of this week. But there was an 
objection to the motion to proceed. My attitude was, fine, we will 
begin talking about the issue and emphasize its importance, and surely 
we can go to the bill

[[Page S3877]]

on Tuesday. Tuesday came and went. Even though great progress was made 
on negotiations and reform and movement on the money issue, there was 
still no agreement to go forward on the bill. Now here we are on 
Wednesday. Each time I have called and talked to the Democratic leader, 
I have had the impression that he would like to move forward, but, he 
was just not quite ready yet.
  I understand what is occurring. Leverage is being applied on the 
President to try to get more money, and to get a commitment to spend 
more and more money. It is obvious what is happening. But I don't think 
that is the responsible thing to do.
  I think we should go forward with the bill. In the past I have been 
criticized because I wouldn't move to a bill and just said let's let 
the Senate work its will. Let's have amendments. Let's have votes. Some 
amendments win; some lose. In the end, you have a product, and then you 
vote and go forward.

  I am being told until a total agreement is reached, we cannot go 
forward. I do not understand. Education is the highest priority in 
America with the President, the legislative branch, the States, the 
Governors, local school officials--everybody--and here we are. We 
stand, and we wait.
  We are ready to go to the bill. Let's take it up. Let's have a free-
flowing debate. Let's have amendments. Let's have votes. Let's do our 
job. Yet I am told we cannot even proceed to the bill.
  Well, I am going to be patient. I am hoping that by this afternoon we 
can at least proceed to this bill. It was reported unanimously out of 
committee. Let's go to the underlying bill. We can have some amendments 
offered. Then, if there is agreement between all the parties, the 
manager can offer an amendment, and we can amend that.
  So I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, let's begin. 
Let's do our job on education. We have had enough time. We should have 
done the bill in February. But I was told by the committee it was not 
ready. Then I was told we were making progress. And then it was 
reported out overwhelmingly. Everybody was happy. We are ready to go, 
and yet here we are and we cannot go forward.
  So rather than just at this point mark time, I thought it was 
important that we go forward and try to take up another bill while we 
hope that some agreement can be reached and we can move forward on the 
education bill.
  I talked to the chairman of the committee that has jurisdiction over 
the brownfields legislation. I had thought maybe there would be a need 
to go to this legislation as we were getting ready to go home for the 
Easter period. I indicated to the chairman I thought it would be 
necessary for him to be prepared to go forward. He is ready to do so.
  So I think I am going to ask for an agreement I believe the 
Democratic leadership is agreeable to this that we would go forward 
with this legislation which affects all of our States, a lot of 
communities. This is some reform legislation that hopefully will allow 
more of these brownfields to actually be cleaned up and not just be a 
lawyers' enhancement act. This will be a plus for the institution and 
it will get us some results. I believe we can do this in a couple hours 
and we would be prepared to have a vote at about 2 o'clock or so.
  I inquire of the chairman of the committee, is your counterpart 
ready?
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Yes.
  Mr. LOTT. I see the Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. We are ready.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for the work 
they have already done and for being ready to go to this bill on short 
notice.

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