Political Quotes

“I hope to bring this amendment to a vote quickly. The purpose of this amendment is to dramatize for those who voted for the Hutchison amendment the types of children who will be affected by the limitation on attorney's fees. Without this Durbin amendment, offered by myself and Senator Boxer from California, literally children from families with less than poverty income, children from families where one of the parents is a disabled veteran, or children from families where there has been adjudication that the child has been neglected or abused would have been limited in being represented in an effort to bring them into a special education class. These kids face learning disabilities and other mental and physical disabilities. The purpose of this amendment is to say we are making a clear exception to the Hutchison limitation, and that section applies to these three categories--children and the families as they are described in the amendment. I sincerely hope that those who vote for this amendment will pause and reflect on the fact that these are only three categories of children who will be disadvantaged by the Hutchison amendment. There are many others, I am sure, who will come to light as we consider the impact of her amendment. To think the District of Columbia, the Nation's Capital, would be the one city in the United States of America where we would not give the full protection of the laws to the poorest children is unacceptable.”