[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 151 (Wednesday, November 20, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S11793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONSENTING TO CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE-VERMONT 
                       INTERSTATE SCHOOL COMPACT

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
consideration of Calendar No. 760, H.R. 3180.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3180) to consent to certain amendments to the 
     New Hampshire-Vermont Interstate School Compact.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 3180) was read the third time and passed.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President. I am very pleased that H.R. 3180, 
legislation to consent to certain amendments to the New Hampshire-
Vermont Interstate School Compact, has been adopted by the Senate. This 
legislation was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week 
and I am pleased my colleagues have joined me in supporting its passage 
today.
  There are a handful of Vermont communities that share a school 
district with their neighbors across the border in New Hampshire. 
Congress first approved of the New Hampshire-Vermont Interstate School 
Compact in 1969 to allow these interstate districts to be put in place. 
H.R. 3180 amends the original Compact by providing these interstate 
districts with local flexibility regarding how to conduct bond votes 
for their school construction projects.
  Last year, residents of the Dresden School District, one of two 
interstate school districts formed under this Compact, voted to change 
the way bond votes are conducted in their communities. The Vermont and 
New Hampshire Legislatures approved these changes, as did the U.S. 
House of Representatives when it passed H.R. 3180, sponsored by 
Representative Charlie Bass of New Hampshire and my colleague from 
Vermont, Representative Bernie Sanders, after a 425 to 0 vote to 
suspend the rules.
  This bill will allow local schools to make local choices about the 
best way to spend their dollars. While I regret that this simple piece 
of legislation was not agreed to sooner, I applaud its passage today.

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