Paul Coverdell: “As everybody knows by now all too well, we have been in the midst of a filibuster going all the way back to last summer…”

“As everybody knows by now all too well, we have been in the midst of a filibuster going all the way back to last summer on education reform proposals. We have been battling the White House, the minority leadership and the status quo. I am pleased to announce--in fact, I am ecstatic--that the filibuster is over and that a unanimous consent has been entered into, I think a reasonable agreement, that does adhere to our view that all amendments should have been related to education and not extraneous and not broad new tax policy. We will go to our education reform on the day we return from the recess on April 20 of this year. Now, the majority leader needs to be commended for the diligence and the attention he gave to try to end this filibuster. I also am complimentary of the minority leader and his attempt to bring this filibuster to an end. But I am especially grateful to the Members on the other side of the aisle, principally my key cosponsor, Senator Torricelli of New Jersey, for the attempts and effort they made--under very difficult circumstances I might add--for an extended period of time to recommend that a filibuster was not the way to handle education reform. Because the filibuster has been ended, America's children are going to be the major beneficiaries--and their families. At the end of the day, millions of American families are going to be able to open education savings accounts to help children in public schools, private schools and home schools.”