Money was at the heart of the split between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate yesterday. The two parties failed to make any significant headway on an education bill -- based on a plan laid out by the Bush administration in January -- due to sharp disagreements over spending.
Senate Democrats stalwartly held to the position that American public schools are in need of a substantial increase in funding and proposed allocating $27.2 billion to elementary and secondary education this year. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, insisted that the emphasis be placed on the reforming failing schools and offered a more modest spending plan of $21 billion.
While fairly helpless as his education plan stalls in Congress, the President took a proactive role in the Pentagon matters yesterday and announced his nominations for secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
All three nominees are business executives, and two of them play major roles in the weapons industry. Gordon R. England, Bush's choice for Navy secretary, is executive vice president of the General Dynamics Corporation, a manufacturer of grenades, armored vehicles, communications devices and other military supplies. James G. Roche, Bush's selection for Air Force secretary, is a corporate vice president with the Northrop Grumman Corporation, which makes aircraft and electronics equipment.
Although Bush's move to place private sector leaders in public offices is seen by some as a well-guided attempt to bring a more efficient, managerial style to the federal bureaucracy, critics contend that the nominees' connections to military contractors could amount to potentially costly conflicts of interest.
Earlier in the week in Quebec, Canada, nations of the Western Hemisphere pledged to set aside some of their own interests to promote the democratic principles and free trade. Leaders from 34 countries concluded the third Summit of the Americas Meeting on Monday with a reinforced commitment to a Free Trade Area of the Americas.
