Pete Domenici: “I suggest the Congress of the United States is going to have an opportunity before the year is out to vote on a new…”

“I suggest the Congress of the United States is going to have an opportunity before the year is out to vote on a new Elementary and Secondary Education Act. That act, as passed, plus the appropriations decisions made by Senator Specter and his Democratic minority member, approved by the appropriations in the Senate, will determine where the specific money goes--not what we are saying on the floor that we assume is in our number. I believe we are going to reform the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and it is not going to be filled with targeted programs as it is now, or at least the States will have an option to do otherwise, to approach this from 'we will receive the money, we will sign an accountability agreement, and let us decide where our priorities are.' One shoe doesn't fit every school district in America in terms of aid. In fact, sometimes we tell them to do the things they don't want to do. I don't believe this is a debate over the enumerated tools Senator Bingaman says he is adding. The issue is, are we adding as much as the President to a budget of last year, which was $43 billion. The answer is, yes, we are. We are going to decide, as the Senate and House, how it is spent.”