Cord Byrd: “Very well. Then, if in this budget-cutting fever that is so infectious, Federal aid to education is cut--and I might be…”

“Very well. Then, if in this budget-cutting fever that is so infectious, Federal aid to education is cut--and I might be one who would support such a cut. Here we are pouring billions of dollars into Federal aid to education for our poorer students on the whole, more than the other industrialized countries. So I have some second thoughts about the way we handle Federal aid to education. But that is, according to Mr. Levin, not a mandate. So the cost of replacing Federal dollars which may be cut by the Congress in the future will be dumped directly on the States by cuts in grants to the States. This bill does not cure that. If any of the dollars that go to the States to help those areas are reduced, the States will still be stuck with the problem and, most importantly, the expense of the homelessness or poor transportation system. This legislation does nothing to protect the States from increased costs which are caused by future actions of the Federal Government; in other words, cuts in grants and other Federal programs. Think about that possible scenario, Mr. President. I hope that the proponents of the bill will stop the mad rush to pass this legislation now and go back to the drawing board and come up with a workable and practicable piece of legislation.”