Education Funding

EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr. GRASSLEY. As to the issue of education, all I can point out is that this President has always had education very high on his agenda. Except for September 11 and the war that we are now involved in, education would be No. 1 on this President's agenda. But because of the war, we are in a budget situation now where we are having 10-percent increases for homeland security, 7-percent increases for defense because of the war, and we are having 3-percent increases for education. Now, that may be, as the distinguished Democratic leader said, the smallest increase in education for years, but this 3-percent increase in education is far higher than anything else in the domestic budget that the President proposed to the Congress of the United States because every other domestic program in that budget is going to be increased nine-tenths of 1 percent.

So when we are involved in war, whether it is the 21st century war on terrorism or whether it is the 20th century war on fascism, World War II, this country puts all of its efforts behind the men and women who are on the front line, giving them all of the resources they need to win that war because we only go to war if we go to war to win. This President has done that. But, after taking care of our responsibilities to the men and women on the battlefield, this President has always had education at the top of his agenda. With the way this year's budget treats education compared to every other domestic program, and only third to homeland security and the war, this President is keeping his commitment to education.