Arlen Specter: “Senator Harkin, the distinguished ranking member, has been very supportive of that. We added that money in on the…”

“Senator Harkin, the distinguished ranking member, has been very supportive of that. We added that money in on the Juvenile Violence Prevention Program because, as Senator Harkin has said, the safest place for children is in school. This is one facet on the direction of $851 million to prevent school violence, so we added the $200 million. The question arises, after we have stretched on this budget to $91.7 billion, which has gotten the concurrence of a very strong pro-education, pro-health care, pro-worker-safety Senator --the ranking member has accepted that as the maximum amount we could get. When I went to law school, there was a course in legislative process. That course 'ain't learning nothing yet' compared to what it is in real life to find a bill that Republicans in the Senate will vote for, that can pass conference, and be acceptable to the President. I have a feeling, regardless of how much money would have been added, Senator Dodd would have come forward with a request for $2 billion more, Senator Murray with a request for $200 million more. The question I have for the Senator from California: If we had included $400 million more for afterschool programs, would the Senator from California have offered an amendment to increase it even more?”