Joe Biden: “I have listened to and been involved in this debate now for weeks before this got to the floor, and since it has gotten…”

“I have listened to and been involved in this debate now for weeks before this got to the floor, and since it has gotten to the floor, and now in the final moments. And I find myself in an unusual position. I think the claims made by everyone on both sides of this issue are greatly exaggerated. Although I have voted against vouchers, and have voted against direct funding to private schools, I strongly support, and have since I got here in 1973, the use of the Tax Code to indirectly assist private schools. My friend from North Dakota talked about how the public schools are getting short shrift, but so are the private schools. The private schools I went to were Catholic grade schools where the average income I expect was lower--I know it was lower in the neighborhood I lived in--than the average income in the public schools. I will not belabor this, mainly because no one is interested and, secondly, because I do not have the time. I think when we get here on the floor and people say, this is really about priorities, I agree. And if the debate really were whether or not to spend this money for aiding higher and elementary and secondary education, all three--and about $300 million of this bill is for secondary and elementary education through the Tax Code--I would say that is a legitimate debate. The truth is, most of the people who are voting against this are voting against it because in principle they don't think the Tax Code should be used this way, period.”