[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 54 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S3974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I think it is essential that we go forward 
with our education reform package. A lot of good work has been done in 
the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Senators on both 
sides of the aisle--Republican and Democrat--have worked hard. They 
reported out a bill overwhelmingly from the committee. A great deal of 
negotiation has gone on since then between members of the committee, 
the House and Senate, both parties, and the administration. A lot of 
the reform language has been agreed to, with a lot of understanding 
about the amount of funds that will be necessary to implement this 
legislation.
  But the important thing is that we go forward. I do not think you 
could ever get every detail worked out and agreed to in advance. It is 
called the legislative process. You go to the Chamber, you have debate, 
you have amendments, you have votes, you get a result, and you pass the 
bill.
  Over the past couple years, I have quite often been criticized that I 
would not let the Senate work its will. And now, for a week, the 
Democrats have been blocking going to the bill, blocking the motion to 
proceed to the education bill.
  This is the highest priority for this President, I believe for the 
Congress, both parties, and for the children.
  I believe that if we go forward and have a good debate and have 
amendments that we will get a result that will be good in improving the 
quality of education in America.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now turn to 
the consideration of Calendar No. 23, S. 1, the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there an objection?
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Reserving the right to object, I say to the majority 
leader that where I would dissent from his remarks is that actually 
there is a lot of negotiation going on. I think Senators on our side 
have made some very basic points. One is, it is important what is in 
the bill before it comes to the floor. Two, I think we are quite far 
apart, although hopefully we at some time will be together about 
whether or not, in fact, there will be the investment in children, to 
make sure that the children and the teachers and the schools have the 
tools to succeed. This is really a choice between whether or not you 
want to put so much into, I say to the majority leader, Robin-Hood-in-
reverse tax cuts, with over 40 percent of the benefits going to the top 
1 percent of the population, or you are willing to make the investment 
in education and children.
  I am so pleased the President has announced the goal of leaving no 
child behind. But it cannot be done on a tin cup budget. We are looking 
at the whole issue of kids with special needs, the IDEA program, the 
title I program, afterschool programs, teacher recruitment, smaller 
class size, and doing something about these dilapidated buildings.
  So my hope is we will be able to resolve what I think are important 
questions. But I think the Democrats are very committed to this 
discussion about education, very committed to doing it right. If, in 
fact, we are going to call this piece of legislation, as the President 
has, the BEST, then we ought to be doing our best for children. I have 
no doubt that the people in Minnesota and the people across this 
country are looking for a real commitment of resources and the Federal 
Government living up to its obligation. We should be accountable. Just 
as we call for the teachers and the children to be accountable, we 
should be accountable as well. That is what we are going to be strong 
on.
  I object.
  Mr. LOTT. To clarify, does the Senator object to bringing up and 
going forward with the education bill?
  Mr. WELLSTONE. I said I object to going forward with the education 
bill while we are in negotiation, while we do not know what is in the 
bill, while we do not have a commitment yet on the investment of 
resources and the Federal Government and the Senate and the House 
living up to our commitment to children and education in the country.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I now withdraw the pending motion to proceed 
to S. 149.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has that right. The motion is 
withdrawn.

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