Arlen Specter: “I raise that question because this is an issue of some complexity. Nobody has been a greater proponent of higher…”

“I raise that question because this is an issue of some complexity. Nobody has been a greater proponent of higher education than this Senator. It may be that the whole approach on making deductions or changes based on taxes is an inappropriate way to deal with the funding of higher education. What we have here is an effort to stop funding on a change in a formula which involves a substantive change in law. We have very few amendments offered. We have to reach some substantive objective by limitation of funding. If it is something which is fairly direct, I would think it appropriate. But where you have something which is as complicated as this matter is--there have been no hearings on it, there has been no opportunity for the Secretary of Education to come in to offer an opinion, there has been no opportunity for the Secretary of the Treasury to come in and offer an opinion. We have an article from U.S. News & World Report which I can't even get a copy of. I sent over for a copy a few minutes ago so I could have an opportunity to read it and so I would be in a position to know a little something about what the Senator from New Jersey offers an amendment to effect, as he calls it, a 'swing' of billions of dollars. I would not like to swing on billions of dollars on a U.S. News & World Report article I can't even get a copy to read.”