Paul Coverdell: “I believe we must be reading from different scripts on this legislation. This is the sixth day of the filibuster from…”

“I believe we must be reading from different scripts on this legislation. This is the sixth day of the filibuster from the other side and, if successful, it will keep 14 million families from opening a savings account; it will keep $2.5 billion from supporting students in public schools over the next 4 years; it will keep $2.5 billion from supporting children in private and home schools over the next 4 years; it will stop 1 million students who would benefit from tax relief on State prepaid tuition, and 17 others to consider it; it will block 1 million workers, including 250,000 graduate students, from benefits from their employers for advanced education or continuing education; it will block $3 billion in new tax-exempt, private activity bonds, which will stop dead the construction of 500 schools. That is what the filibuster will block. I find it strikingly similar to the debate in opposition and the suggestion from the National Education Association and Mary Teasley, who says these tax-free savings accounts disproportionately benefit wealthy families who already send their children to private and religious schools. Bunk. Seventy percent of the families that will use these accounts have children in public schools.”