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NICHOLSON : SAY "YES" TO EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

"If the Democrats say 'No' to education savings accounts, voters ought to say 'No' to them," says Chairman, in Reprise of Clinton's Attacks at AFL-CIO Convention

WASHINGTON (March 19) - Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson today challenged Senate Democrats to break a filibuster that is stalling legislation to allow American families to save up to $2,000 each year for their children's educational expenses, including the cost of tuition to non-public schools.

The Senate is expected to vote later today on whether to break the filibuster of legislation by Georgia Republican Senator Paul Coverdell that would allow parents to contribute up to $2,000 per year into an "A+" account. The money could later be withdrawn, tax-free, for educational expenses of children in grades K-12 including costs for tutors, school uniforms, tuition, computers, books and special education.

Chiding President Clinton for attacks he made yesterday on the Republican education agenda at the AFL-CIO convention in Las Vegas, Nicholson charged that "if Bill Clinton and Senate Democrats continue to say 'no' to education savings accounts, voters ought to say 'no' to them this November."

"Minority Leader Tom Daschle and hisSenate Democrats have held 1 million students hostage for the last 6 days," Nicholson charged. "It's time for the Democrats to say 'Yes' to real reform of education - giving American families the help they need to make their own choices for their children's education."

"Instead of budget-busting, tax-hiking, Washington-knows-best proposals aimed at the big union bosses, I challenge President Clinton and the Senate Democrats to allow a vote on Education Savings Accounts, aimed at American parents and grandparents who want to help meet the costs of their youngsters' education."

Nicholson, who is also Chairman of the Republican Task Force on Education, said that the Education Savings Accounts would benefit an estimated 1 million children, and would further encourage the 38 states that already have or are about to initiate "pre-paid tuition" plans.

The legislation allows funds in the Education Savings Accounts to be withdrawn, tax free, for tuition pre-payment, and also provides for $3 billion in new, tax-exempt "private activity bonds" that would be used for school construction.