Bill Clinton: “I am concerned, as Senator Harkin has pointed out, that dollars that are already committed to construction projects, to…”

“I am concerned, as Senator Harkin has pointed out, that dollars that are already committed to construction projects, to State planning for school repair and renovation, under the second-degree amendment, will be diverted to other worthy causes. I happen to agree with the Senator from Wyoming that the dollars we need as the Federal Government to spend to upgrade, repair, and construct BIA schools and DOD schools and Impact Aid schools is an obligation we should step up to and fulfill. But I do not think we should be robbing Peter to pay Paul, when we have so many schools that are in need of the kind of assistance that can be provided with Senator Harkin's amendment. What I hope is that as we debate the second-degree amendment, we look for ways to deal with the very real problem that the Senator from Wyoming has pointed out without upsetting and undermining the commitments that have already been made. These are commitments for this $1.2 billion that my State of New York is counting on, that the cities in my State are counting on.”