Herb Kohl: “I rise in reluctant opposition to this amendment. The Dodd amendment seeks to do something very good. I simply cannot…”

“I rise in reluctant opposition to this amendment. The Dodd amendment seeks to do something very good. I simply cannot support the way it does that good. The Dodd amendment would transfer $6 billion to special education in fiscal year 1995 and $30.5 billion over the next 5 years. I support that transfer. It is imperative that children with special needs get an appropriate and full education. However, meeting the unique needs of all special education students is a costly goal. State and local governments--who provide the lion's share of education expenses--are stretched thin just providing basic education services. They desperately need Federal help to also meet our obligations to special needs children. I also support transferring money from defense spending to special education funding--which the Dodd amendment proposes. We can spend all the money in the world on defense, but our Nation will not be strong unless our children are strong. And our children will not be strong unless they receive education that is appropriate to their special needs. What I do not support in the Dodd amendment--and what will cause me to vote against it--is that it cuts in half the so-called Exon-Grassley discretionary spending decrease.”