Robert Torricelli: “As we debate this issue, we understand the forces in education that will fight for more money for special education. And…”

“As we debate this issue, we understand the forces in education that will fight for more money for special education. And they should. I understand the constituency that wants school construction. I support that. My concern is there is not a constituency, other than us, representing the interests of law enforcement and our own experience with these children who are fighting for money to deal with this violence and afterschool activities. Senators, on a well-reasoned basis, come to the floor and say, make this all discretionary; throw it into a pot and let the States do what they want. But, I don't know who is coming to Trenton, to my State capital, to fight for afterschool programs. I know the people who want construction. I know the people who want more teachers. I support them. But I don't know who is going there representing the mothers and the fathers who are not home in the afternoon or the police chiefs who are concerned about drug use or teenage pregnancy. They only have us. That is why I am not for taking away anyone's discretion. I believe in the judgment of the State and local governments, but this is an instance where the Congress has to compensate for the fact that we know from experience, we have looked at the empirical data, and we have heard from the police chiefs, and we know what is happening with the students on their performance when they don't have afterschool programs. We know what happens with teenage pregnancy and drug use. We know the evidence.…”