Arlen Specter: “If the American people knew we met the President's figure of $106.2 billion but we think the National Institutes of…”

“If the American people knew we met the President's figure of $106.2 billion but we think the National Institutes of Health ought to have a priority--we have raised them $1.7 billion more than the President, we have given more money to special education--I think if the American people knew that, they would say those are more important priorities. If the American people knew that we want to retain local control so school boards can spend the money the way they see fit on the local level if they do not think the President's priorities are preferable, that they prefer local control to a Washington, DC, bureaucratic straitjacket, then we could have that decision. But this Senator is not at all concerned about 1-day continuing resolutions. I am prepared to stay here a lot longer than is the President. I yield for a question.”