Political Quotes

“the Gregg amendment is the solution to the problem presented in the underlying bill. With all respect to the bill managers, I believe the bill tries to meet new needs before addressing current obligations. The bill appropriates $925 million in new funding for school construction which has never been embraced in the light of open debate because policymakers, year in and year out, have recognized the danger of creating new questionable obligations in the face of our existing appropriate obligation to low-income and disadvantaged children. We already said we are going to do that. We are not doing it adequately, but now we say: Oh, I have this great idea for an economic stimulus; let's jump in on this and build some schools. It is not just the construction industry having a little bit of a problem. In fact, the construction industry is not hit as hard as other industries. The Gregg amendment reflects the pure policy we all espouse. His amendment would redirect $925 million into the title I Targeted Assistance Grant Program. That program disburses money based on a pure poverty formula. Again, that is what we all say our policy does. The underlying bill creates a new program with almost $1 billion in new spending. The greater concern which I have raised many times is that this bill would violate the prevailing wisdom that school construction is a State and local funding obligation. My policy concerns go even further.…”