Edward M. Kennedy: “if the Senator will check carefully, the Senator will find that the GAO study he refers to was requested by the…”

“if the Senator will check carefully, the Senator will find that the GAO study he refers to was requested by the Democratic members of the Labor Committee to try to find ways we can bring about consolidation of programs many of which were enacted during the last 12 years of Republican administrations and signed into law by the Republican President. So the Senator is not going to find any dispute from me about the need to consolidate programs, since it was basically myself as chairman and the ranking member of our committee who requested these reports. I find it interesting that the Chamber of Commerce, which is not known as an organization that generally supports frivolous spending by the Federal Government, has strongly supported this legislation. The National Association of Manufacturers, not known as a great liberal group that is out there supporting frivolous Government spending, has placed a priority addressing the needs of those young people of America who do not receive the billions of dollars in Pell grants and Stafford loans that are given out to students attending college. Those organizations think that the sons and daughters of working families, whose real income over the period of the last 15 years has dropped significantly, ought to be able to have some help and support, which in this case is the equivalent of the cost of one C-17. So, Madam President, I respect the arguments that are made by my friend.…”