Senate Proceeding on Mar 12th, 2008 :: 0:39:59 to 0:48:56
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0:27:14 to 0:39:59( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Lamar Alexander

0:39:42 to 0:39:59( Edit History Discussion )

Lamar Alexander: i thank the president. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. kennedy: mr. president, i welcomeom the fact thatac the real start of this debate on the budget act,

0:39:59 to 0:40:16( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: we have an amendment that really reflects the best judgment of republicans, democrats alike here in the senate. so key to the future of our country, and to listen to our colleagues on both sides of the aisle

0:39:59 to 0:48:56( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Edward Kennedy

0:40:16 to 0:40:31( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: at a time when, on so many issues there's divisiveness, but on this issue there is a real coming together here in the senate on this item for the support of the compete act. and i just want to commend

0:40:31 to 0:40:43( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: those that have been a part of this process over the recent years. it's been truly a bipartisan effort. we've listened to senator bingaman, senator alexander and others who have been a part of this whole

0:40:43 to 0:41:01( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: process, and it was enormous achievement to this last year when the bill passed the senate. and now we're impressed by the fact that those that were involved in making sure that this was going

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Edward Kennedy: to be achieved are committed to making sure that we're going to have muscle and bones on this project in the form of providing the resources which are necessary to make it effective. this is, i think,

0:41:20 to 0:41:36( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: one of the most important undertakings that we'll have in this debate and discussion on thesi budget, and i'm very hopeful that we'll get a strong vote in support of this amendment. just very briefly,

0:41:36 to 0:41:48( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: mr. president, i think all of us understand that the average family in this country is exceedingly hard pressed at this time. they're wondering whether they're able to pay the mortgages, and we're finding

0:41:48 to 0:42:00( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: out that many are unable to pay their mortgages. and they are losing their homes. we have the threat of losing their homes. and it's difficult to imagine, i think, for many of us when parents go to

0:42:00 to 0:42:11( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: bed at night and wonder whether they're going to be ablebe to afford the mortgages and maintain the home for themselves, their families, and for their children. but it's happening in too many parts of

0:42:11 to 0:42:26( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: this country. and at the same timehe those same parents are wondering if they're going to be able to heat their homes, at least in my part of the country, with the fact that the extraordinary explosion

0:42:26 to 0:42:37( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: of the cost of home heating oil. we find that so many families are being hard pressed to be able to provide the heating. these are families that have worked hard, have played by the rules all of

0:42:37 to 0:42:51( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: their lives, and they're really wondering now in their lives about what the future is for themselves and for their parents and for their children. are they going to be able to make sure the parents

0:42:51 to 0:43:03( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: are going to be able to live their golden years in peace and dignity? and they are being hard pressed to provide the extra help and assistance to them so that they can afford the prescription drug programs.

0:43:03 to 0:43:18( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: they're seeing the cost of tuition go up and connue to go up, and they wonder if they can educate their children. the fuel and gas go up, and whether they'll be able to really fill their gas tanks

0:43:18 to 0:43:31( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: just to get to their jobs where they're working. so there's enormous anxiety in the health care costs that are out there. enormous anxiety that is out in the country. and people are wondering why. why should

0:43:31 to 0:43:40( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: my job be at risk? i've worked hard. i've played by the rules. i've done everything i possibly can. and still i wonder whether in a n few years the opportunities for my children are going to be as

0:43:40 to 0:43:55( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: great as the opportunities were for me. and i know that my parents sacrificed so that i will would be able to make progress, and now i really wonder whether my children are going to be better off than

0:43:55 to 0:44:07( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: i was. that is going on in home after home across this country. and it is really as a result of the failure of economic policy. it's a failure of fiscal and monetary policy overt period of recent

0:44:07 to 0:44:18( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: years -- over the period of recent years. it is not the fault of these particular families. it's the fault of economic policy and giving the kinds of investments in our country and investments in

0:44:18 to 0:44:28( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: individuals that are necessary in order tno have ae strong economy. and we know how to do it. we have seen it done. i'm not going to take the time of the s enate to go back over the history where it

0:44:28 to 0:44:45( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: has been done and it should be done. so we're faced with where we are today and this calls for immediate help and assistance for these families and we have seen the efforts that have been made in terms

0:44:45 to 0:45:00( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: of housing, in terms of the unemployment, the help and assistance and fuel assistance and food stamps and others to try and address the meet kinds of problems that families are faced with.| we have

0:45:00 to 0:45:17( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: to look at where we will be in terms of the country, where we will be in three and five years as we are seeing this whole global economy challenge the united states. one overarching fact is the future

0:45:17 to 0:45:35( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: is going to be the knowledgeable, is going to be the knowledgeable economy, the month that puts a premise on knowledge and information and education. that is where the future is going to lie. that's

0:45:35 to 0:45:53( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: going to be the great competition between the countries of asia and the united states. we are thinking about how we are going to address that and this act is one of the important solutions to this

0:45:53 to 0:46:10( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: challenge. mr. president, if we look at this chart, it is interesting in terms of united states students. to be globally competitive we need to tackle the achievement grants. u.s. students from high-income

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families outperform students in other countries in math while u.s. students from low-income families lag behind. so when you talk about international competitiveness, u.s. students who come from higher

0:46:24 to 0:46:42( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: income families are able to go to schools that are able to afford the good teachers, are able to outcompete the students in other parts of the world. it's no mystery about how that should be done.

0:46:42 to 0:46:57( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: but students that come from lower income families are not able to keep pace. so, what this legislation is designed to do, knowing, is to reduce this gap which exists now in our country. look at this

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Edward Kennedy: chart, mr. president, where you have more math classes in high-poverty schools taught by teachers without a major in that subject. so you have low poverty secondy schools where we have the percent of school

0:47:10 to 0:47:29( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: math taught by teachers without the majors in it -- only 26%; in the high poverty secondary will schools it's 56%. so, it comes down, again, to teachers and the respose of investing in teachers to make

0:47:29 to 0:47:44( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: sure they are going to have the skills to be able to serve in communities and in school districts all over the country so they're going to have the kochancy. if you kochancy -- competency. if you are not

0:47:44 to 0:48:09( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: having the high kochancy we will see what we saw in the other chart where american children fall further behind. in this area, the compete act is directed. that is one of the important reasons why this legislation

0:48:09 to 0:48:39( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: is so important and why the resources and the investment is so much in the interest of this country and its future in terms of the ability to be able to compete. this is a sound amendment and make as great

0:48:39 to 0:48:56( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: deal of sense. i'm hopeful the senate will accept it with an overwhelming vote. mr. president, i yield the floor. a senator: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call