Ted Kennedy

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I move to waive the applicable sections of the Budget Act for the consideration of the pending amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, this is another amendment about priorities. We are now funding half the eligible children for Head Start. This amendment says, after we fund the rest of the children who are eligible for the Head Start program, then the top rate can be lowered from 39.6 percent to 36 percent. We have had three Carnegie Commission studies that talked about the importance of investing in Head Start. We had a report issued in January of last year by the National Science Foundation entitled ``From Neurons to Neighborhoods.'' It is an evaluation of all the Early Head Start Programs, saying this is the best investment that we can make in terms of helping children develop their brains. In a few days, we are going to deal with the education bill. This may very well be more important to the children of this country than that legislation. Let's say we believe in investing in our future, investing in our children. Let's fund the Head Start Program.

Mr. KENNEDY. I ask unanimous consent reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 700, and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I move to waive applicable sections of the act on the pending amendment. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, we hear a great deal during the discussion that we can afford the tax cut. We can also afford investments in education. This debate is really about choices. In this instance, we are offering the choice of getting the full funding of the Pell grants and deferring the reduction at the highest tax rate until we have the full funding. This Nation made enormous progress through the GI bill. That was paid $8 paid back for every dollar that was put in. We made great progress in the cold war GI bill after the Korean war. In 1972, we enacted the Pell grant. The average Pell grant goes to a family with an income of $14,500. At the beginning of the Pell grant it paid for 80 percent of a public education and 40 percent of a private education. Today it is 40 percent of a public education and 18 percent of a private education. This will bring it up to 50 percent and 20 percent, in terms of public and private. It is the best investment we can make in our Nation's future. I hope we will have support for expanding the Pell Grant Program.

Mr. KENNEDY. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. KENNEDY. Yes. I call up amendment No. 699.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I believe I have 1 minute. Is that correct?

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, may we have order?

Mr. KENNEDY. Was all the time used up, Mr. President? I thought there was time on each side. The time hasn't all been used up.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Yes, Mr. President.

Mr. KENNEDY. I appeal the decision of the Chair on this, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I appeal the decision of the Chair, and I ask for the yeas and nays. I appeal the decision of the Chair and ask for the yeas and nays. I appeal the decision of the Chair, Mr. President. I am entitled to that request.

Mr. KENNEDY. I am entitled to recognition. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, regular order.

Mr. KENNEDY. Reserving the right to object, what was the request?

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act, I move to waive the applicable sections of that act for consideration of the pending amendment. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I yield myself 30 seconds. Many of our colleagues claim that the nation can afford massive tax cuts and adequate education investments. This amendment holds them to their word. It says that the wealthiest one percent of taxpayers will not see a cut in the top income tax rate until education is funded at the amounts that the Senate recently authorized. In the last 2 weeks, the Senate has voted overwhelmingly--to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; to fully fund Title I state grants for disadvantaged students; to improve teacher quality for all students; to improve education for students with limited English proficiency; and to expand access to safe after-school activities. Were these cruel hoaxes on the nation's children, or were they good faith statements of the education investments needed today? Let's get our priorities straight, and provide tax breaks to the wealthy only after we have met our commitments to the nation's school children. Tax breaks targeted to the richest 1 percent should not be allowed to crowd out basic education services. If we do not have the resources to provide the most basic education services, then we certainly do not have the resources to provide new tax breaks for the wealthiest among us. I will yield the 30 seconds to the Senator from Connecticut.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Madam President, I think I have heard it all now. My good friend from Texas is talking about how outraged he is about the discrimination against the top 1 percent of taxpayers being an outrage. This whole piece of legislation is really a question of a nation's priorities. That is basically what we are talking about. This tax proposal is irresponsible and unfair. It is irresponsible for the economic reasons that have been spelled out by our colleagues, and it is unfair in the way it distributes the resources in this country. You don't have to be a mathematical genius to see the enormous disparities that are growing between the wealthiest and the neediest in our society. That has been developing over the period of the last 20 years. There has to be some relief for working families and the middle class. We agree with that. But I do think that the American people want to fund education priorities before they give the wealthiest individuals in our society the kinds of tax relief they are receiving. What are the kinds of priorities? We talk about education being important. We have to bring focus and attention on the investment in our children because our children are our future. Investing in our children is, one, to make sure all children are going to be able to have a headstart experience and are eligible for it. We will have an amendment on that. Secondly, we are going to have the funding for elementary and secondary education. That means we are going to commit to provide well- trained teachers in the classrooms of this country. We are going to give the option to local school districts to move to smaller class size. We are going to have afterschool programs. We are going to also provide help to local communities that are meeting their responsibilities for special needs children. All of that is going to be included. We are going to defer the reduction and the highest rates in this proposal until we are able to implement those kinds of commitments. There it is, Madam President. We will have a chance, on the one hand, to invest in our future, in our children, and say that this is a priority, and defer the reduction for the wealthiest individuals in our society. This is a question of priorities. It is a question of choice. Finally, I add my strongest support to the amendment that has been offered by Senator Rockefeller. Again, it is a question of priorities. Do we really mean it when we say we want to provide a prescription drug benefit program for our seniors and for other needy people in our society? This legislation does not do so. The Finance Committee and the Republican leadership knew how to do it precisely when they wanted the tax cut. They knew how to get it, and they set the time and dates to get it, but that is not so with regard to a prescription drug program. The Rockefeller amendment does so. I hope our senior citizens know their interests are going to be voted on this afternoon; not only now, but we are going to have an additional series of votes to make sure this institution has an opportunity to make important choices. This afternoon and tonight, one of the important choices will be: Are we going to really have a meaningful prescription drug program for the seniors in this country, which is absolutely essential, particularly when we realize about whom we are talking. We are talking about the average senior being 76 years old, widowed, and having important health needs that can be addressed by prescription drugs. The Rockefeller amendment addresses that, and I again say this is an issue of choice. It is an issue of priorities. Do we want to say it is more important to invest in our children, invest in our future, defer the reductions for the wealthiest individuals who have done exceedingly well over the years? Do we want to make a commitment to our senior citizens in getting a prescription drug program? Those are important priorities. Those are important choices. Those are issues that are going to be before the Senate. I am hopeful this body will reflect what is in the real national interest and support those amendments. I thank the Senator from Nevada.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, last week, Taiwanese Americans and all Americans celebrated Taiwanese American Heritage Week. I commend our many citizens of Taiwanese background for the contributions they have made to America. More than 500,000 Americans are of Taiwanese heritage, and they have achieved impressive successes in business, in science and the arts, in the academic world, and in many other aspects of our national life. They are a vital part of our society and an important part of the strong fabric of American life. All Americans continue to watch with great interest and support as Taiwan continues to become a stronger nation and a stronger democracy. I share the hope of Taiwanese Americans that Taiwan will continue to prosper in peace and growing economic strength.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, may we have order so the Senator from West Virginia can be heard. This is an enormously important issue and the Senator has thought long and hard about it. The Senator is entitled to be heard.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, have the yeas and nays been ordered on the amendment?