[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15977]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                               EDUCATION

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, earlier in the day, I was pointing out 
that the pending business is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965. We are in the process of reauthorization and had more than 22 
hearing days on that legislation. We had an extensive markup on that 
legislation. We began debate in early May. Over the period of 6 days, 
we had 2 days when we were not permitted to offer any amendments, and 
we ended up with rollcalls on 7 amendments; 2 of those were virtually 
unanimous votes. On May 1, we had floor debate only. May 2, we had 
floor debate only. On May 3, we had a Gorton amendment, changes in 
Straight A's, 98-0. A Democratic alternative, which was a completely 
different approach, was the first major amendment. On May 8, a Collins 
amendment was a voice vote, and on May 9, a Gregg amendment on 
teachers, 97-0. There were 8 amendments. We had 6 days of debate. Two 
were debate only. We had only 7 rollcalls; 2 of those rollcalls were 
unanimously accepted.
  I believe this is a matter of significant priority for the American 
people. On the bankruptcy legislation, we had 16 days of debate and 
considered 55 amendments. With all respect to the importance of that 
particular issue, it seems to me the issue of good quality education in 
K through 12, and the role we have on that issue, is of central 
importance.
  I am mindful that the majority leader himself said he believed this 
was an important matter. He gave the assurances to the Senate going 
back to January 6, 1999:

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

  January 29th, 1999:

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

  Then on June 22, 1999:

       Education is number one on the agenda for Republicans in 
     the Congress this year.

  In Remarks to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, February 1, 2000:

       We are 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.

  February 3, 2000:

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

  April 20, 2000: The majority leader said his top priorities in May 
included agriculture sanctions, Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
reauthorization, and passage of four appropriations bills.
  May 1, 2000:

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

  May 2, 2000: Senator Lott was asked on ESEA: Have you scheduled a 
cloture vote on that?

       No, I haven't scheduled a cloture vote. . . . But education 
     is number one in the minds of American people all across this 
     country and 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.

  That has been the end of it since May 2. Always something else has 
come up. Always something else came up in May. Always something else 
came up in June. Always something else came up in July.
  It does seem, even with this week, we are now at 4 o'clock in the 
afternoon of a Tuesday. We could have had some debate on this on Monday 
or today.

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