[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 83 (Wednesday, June 16, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6825-S6826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            AMERICAN SPIRIT

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, we have so much to do in this body and 
so much to talk about. But I can't think of anything more important for 
us to talk about than relieving the stress on working families and the 
American people.
  We had a joint session yesterday where we heard the President of 
Afghanistan who very joyously spoke of the brilliant spirit of the 
American people. I think if we look at that brilliant spirit and what 
composes us as American people and the things we are able to do, it 
ultimately depends on what makes us the kind of people we are.
  I rise today to pay tribute to the American people. For well over 200 
years, the American people have proven their ability to overcome all 
manner of obstacles. At times they have done so with the help of their 
duly elected government officials, and at times they have done so in 
spite of their duly elected government officials. But either way, in 
the end, the spirit and character of the American people move this 
Nation toward a greater realization of the principle written about by 
Thomas Jefferson over 228 years ago.
  I am not normally a betting person, but I say that putting your money 
on the American people is about as close to a sure bet as you are going 
to get.
  In 1945, when millions of soldiers came home from the war, this 
Nation put its money on the American people, and it gave those who 
served this country the GI bill so they could educate themselves and 
make a better life for them and for their families. That investment 
helped to create an economic boom the likes of which this Nation has 
never seen--not to mention the talented minds that were nurtured and 
those who were given the opportunity to reach their potential. Millions 
of families were able to raise their economic standing and take part in 
the American dream. That economic expansion is one of the clearest 
examples that investments in education can pay off.

  As I mentioned, we have many issues to talk about, much to do for the 
security of our Nation and the people. One of the key factors in making 
sure we deal with these issues and we have the ability to provide the 
security--whether it be economic, whether it be social, or whether it 
be the values and simple security of families in this country--depends 
on the American spirit. It is simple. If we invest in the American 
people, the American people always bring this Nation a good return.
  Now we are faced with new economic realities and new challenges in an 
information age as well as an age where wars will be fought in many 
different ways than what we have seen in the past. The question is, Are 
we investing in the American people the way we once did in 1945? Are we 
providing for another of the greatest generations of Americans, or are 
we missing the opportunity to provide for the children of today who 
will be the future of this country?
  Last month I was in Garland County, AR, for the grand opening of the 
new Head Start Center there. It was a proud day for me. The center was 
named in my honor, but it was not just because the center would be 
associated with my name that I was proud, but more importantly because 
my name would be associated with a center of learning. I remarked that 
day that programs such as Head Start were practical ways we could 
provide opportunity for working mothers to raise their economic 
standing, to eliminate some of the stress on these working families, 
these working American families who are at the base of what this Nation 
is all about. Head Start can be the difference between a family 
becoming part of the economic mainstream. When mothers have a nurturing 
place to send their children, they can go to work or to school with the 
kind of confidence they need to reach their potential. They are not put 
in the terrible position of having to choose between employment and the 
safety or health of their children.
  With the rise we are seeing in both child abuse and neglect because 
of the cuts in so many vital assistance programs, the need for 
childcare is at an alltime high in this country. More than just 
relieving the stress of finding good childcare, a program such as Head 
Start helps to prepare children for a lifetime of learning.
  Everyone knows the more you learn, the more you earn. In seeing the 
children in that Head Start Program walking by, all of those little 4-
year-olds with their Styrofoam cup, with their individual toothbrush in 
their hand, so proud they were learning something that was going to be 
a part of their life forever--good dental hygiene. It is not just 
teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic; it is teaching these 
children how to be a person who can then contribute their whole 
potential to their community and Nation. They returned from having 
brushed their teeth with this huge smile on their face about what they 
had learned.
  These are programs vital to this country and its well-being. Families 
in Arkansas recognize the hope that programs such as Head Start and 
childcare assistance programs provide. Right now, 800-plus Arkansas 
families are waiting for childcare assistance. Think of that. There are 
800 families in line for hope in reaching the American dream. However, 
for some reason this administration does not want to give that hope a 
chance. In the President's budget request, almost 40 programs to help 
low-income working families make that transition into the economic 
mainstream through programs such as Head Start were not adequately 
funded.

  In addition to cutting programs to help working families, this 
administration has failed to fully fund the bipartisan No Child Left 
Behind Act. Last year, No Child Left Behind was underfunded by as much 
as $9 billion. I supported No Child Left Behind because I believed that 
with proper funding it would give children an opportunity to reach 
their full educational potential. I still believe that it can be an 
effective engine of reform in our public education system. For that 
reform to be effective, it is going to require significant investment, 
which so far has not been forthcoming from this administration.
  Unless we make education a priority, an entire generation of 
Americans could miss out on the American dream. The fact is our economy 
has changed, but our approach to supporting and funding education has 
not. We are training our children to take on manufacturing jobs that no 
longer exist or are quickly disappearing. Not only are we losing 
manufacturing jobs, but now technical and highly skilled tasks are 
leaving our shores for cheaper highly educated workers. We can no 
longer settle for doing what we have always done.
  This administration believes we can have champagne for the price of 
beer. The reality is, if you poorly fund education, you get a poor 
educational system.
  But the good news is that if you properly fund education--from Head 
Start through high school--the chances of a world class education 
system go up exponentially.
  If we are to give working mothers, fathers and their children an 
opportunity to live the American dream we must invest in their future.
  As I said at the outset, every time we have put our money on the 
American people it has paid off. Let's take that bet and make the 
investment one more time.
  I believe the children of today who are the brilliant spirit of the 
American people of the future, are worth the investment.
  Mr. REID. I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from Florida, Senator 
Nelson.

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