Paul Coverdell: “I agree with the attempts to fund special education for all the reasons the Senator enumerates. But I do not find them…”

“I agree with the attempts to fund special education for all the reasons the Senator enumerates. But I do not find them mutually exclusive. I do not think we have to take this bipartisan education savings account legislation and throw it in the trash heap to do this. We have increased funding over the President's proposals for special education 5 years in a row. I think we will do so again. I think this Congress will respond to the goals the Senator has enumerated and to the letter the Senator has showed us from the Governors who, indeed, think this pledge that was made a long time ago and ignored for an awfully long time should be fulfilled. So we agree on that premise. But I do not think you have to make this moot in order to do it. The last thing I would say--and it is the Senator's amendment, so I want him to be able to conclude his debate--is that we disagree on the nature of the policy. The Senator's side of the aisle, those who do not support it--not those who do--somewhat attempts to minimize the significance of it.”