Political Quotes

“despite the opportunities we have had in this bill and in the Finance Committee to address the $112 billion school repair needs in this country, this tax bill is simply inadequate in terms of infrastructure assistance for our Nation's schools. We know 14 million children attend schools in need of extensive repair or complete replacement. We know we need to build 2,400 new schools by 2003 to accommodate record school enrollments. We know we need to equip our schools with modern technology and the infrastructure necessary to support that technology. We know all these things. Yet we have reported a tax bill that only helps build and renovate 200 schools. We cannot starve our schools of resources and then criticize them when they are overcrowded or dilapidated. On behalf of Senators Lautenberg, Conrad, Harkin, and Wellstone, I move to recommit the bill to the Committee on Finance, with instructions to report back to the Senate within 3 days with an amendment reducing or deferring by $5.7 billion over the next 10 years certain new tax rates in the bill that benefit those who least need relief.”