Patty Murray: “Mr. President, our amendment simply increases the level of investment this country will make in education and job…”

“Mr. President, our amendment simply increases the level of investment this country will make in education and job training over the next 6 years. When Senator Magnuson, whose seat I now sit in, was here over two decades ago, education proponents were asking Congress to dedicate one-third of the Federal budget to education. Today, very sadly, a mere 3 percent of our budget is invested in our children's education. Function 500's discretionary initiatives--the part of the budget that this amendment addresses--contain some of our most successful education and job training programs, including Head Start, title I, impact aid, school-to-work, vocational education, and education technology programs. I can tell you, as a Senator who is a preschool teacher, a PTA member, a mother, and a Senator, that I know each of these programs makes a difference in the lives of our young people. Mr. President, children are our Nation's most precious resource.”